Victoria looked up and blinked at Illyad. She had not thought about the “where.” She glanced around the room, weighing the pros and cons of both options. They could always meet somewhere public, she supposed, but then she had no idea how far Illyad’s magic could go to keep them shielded.
	She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees and tangled her fingers in her hair. “Here’s fine,” she mumbled. 

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	A butler dressed to the nines led Luc and Nyara down a long hall. The extravagance of the space made Nyaira feel at home. At long last, she was in a place that suited her. Yet, something felt off, from the lush carpet that sunk beneath her feet to the ornate tapestries and paintings that decorated the burgundy wallpaper above the wainscoting. She could not help but look over her shoulder constantly, the feeling of being watched prickling at her nerves. A couple times, she swore she saw something move, lurking around the wall decorations, but when she went to look, she saw nothing out of place.
	She had tried asking Luc where they were going, but he had offered little for an answer, and had been silent since asking the butler, who had greeted them after their teleportation, to speak with the master of the house.
	The hall came to an end at a large door. The butler held it open for the vampires.
	Nyaira stepped into a grand entrance hall behind Luc. Clad in black-and-white marble from floor to ceiling, only a couple couches and armchairs created elegant splotches of color. A small fountain looked as if it had grown from the floor itself near the center of the room, with a grand staircase rising behind it.
	The butler hurried forward, his gloved hands clasped behind his back. He led them toward a door on the opposite side of the room, and knocked.
	“What?” a masculine voice growled from the other side.
	“Luc has returned, sir.” The butler returned his hand behind his back. “He requests an audience.”
	A slight pause, than an interested, “Send them in!”
	The butler quickly opened the door and gestured for the vampires to go through, offering them a respectful partial bow.
	Luc strode into the office beyond, but Nyaira hesitated. She glanced around the entrance room once more, then followed Luc inside.