Vail was learning quickly that the Moncourier clan was much more brazen than most of the vampires he’d gotten to know in his lifetime. Comparatively, only Sylvia was as loose with her tongue around people she didn’t know well, and even she was careful not to offend. His own family was usually quieter and less involved in each other’s personal lives. It was a change that he wasn’t sure how he felt about yet, since he wasn’t used to other people knowing about and commenting on his relationships, but at least it was better than the scorn he’d received from his parents. If giving up a little privacy meant they would have some support from the French clan, then he could put up with the occasional cheeky comments from Francois and James.

As he left the lounge and walked to the bedroom with Victoria, he quirked a brow at her remark about Sylvia. “‘Wise’ isn’t a word I would have expected to hear you use to describe her. Now I’m very curious to know what it was that she said to you during your talk.” Despite his frequent jokes at his old friend’s expense, he knew that Sylvia could be a gifted advisor. She’d counseled him on more than one occasion, even when she’d learned that he’d fallen for someone that his father didn’t approve of. The Macey heiress with bold and level-headed, but he didn’t know what Victoria would have asked her about that required her advice. Apparently she wasn’t going to tell him either, because she was quick to chase her first comment with a question that changed the subject.

“No, but I am a little worried that she told you more than she should have,” he returned her smile, enchanted as always by the way her lips pulled upward and brightened her face. It was good to see her so expressive after a week of lifelessness.

Following her into the bedroom, he closed the door behind him and began unfastening the top buttons of his shirt. In a week of veritable isolation, he’d reverted back to his nocturnal rhythm and was usually wide awake at night, but he cared more about making up for lost time with Victoria than he did about keeping himself entertained with activities until dawn. Even if she spent the entire night sleeping, he planned to stay by her side, dozing or perhaps reading a book by candlelight so she wouldn’t be alone.

“Of course,” he said when she asked for his help untying her corset. Abandoning his partial work of unbuttoning his shirt, he stepped over to her and loosened the straps at her shoulder blades. As the dress came away from her body, his hazel eyes slid over her ivory skin. If it was possible, she seemed even more flawless than she had been when she was a human, and he couldn’t help but trail his fingers over her smooth hips. During their time together, he’d grown addicted to more than just the taste of her blood. Although they were not yet married, he was also hooked on the sight of her bare body and the sweetness of her pheromones.

“I must say I agree with your mother,” he said softly, taking a step closer to hover by her ear while he wrapped his arms around her midriff. “Becoming a vampire suits you, Victoria.”