In desperation, I reached for a technique I’d learned in childhood, because growing up with a homicidal vampire teaches you things, even if those things count as mental disorders. But mental disorders can be useful at times, which is why the brain invents them in the first place. And was why, after a brief struggle, I was finally able to lock my worry and anxiety and sheer bloody terror into a nice little compartment in my brain.

And throw away the key.

It wouldn’t last—it never did these days—but it might give me time to finish my bath, to survive an interrogation by Gertie, and to go back to bed.

And, this time, not to dream.

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Another knock woke me up, which was good, since I appeared to be drowning.

I grabbed for the side of the tub I’d fallen asleep in and held on, while coughing and retching and bringing up half a lungful of soapy water. I had more in my eyes, and—disturbingly—was blowing bubbles out of my nose. Which probably explained why I now had burning sinuses.

Great.

The knock came again, a little more forcefully this time, enough to rattle the door. I thought about ignoring it, but that was a good way to get it blown off its hinges by someone who was afraid that I’d died or something. So, grumbling audibly, I got out of the bath, wrapped myself in my towel, and went to answer it.

And found the same acolyte as before on the other side.

She seemed surprised to see me standing there, dripping at her, why I didn’t know. What had she thought I was going to do with that hour? Paint my nails?

I saw her eyes flicker to the trail of wet footprints I’d left across the boards, and at least she had the grace to blush. But she didn’t retract the stack of towels she was holding out, or the basket of toiletries, which I already had. I took them anyway, since it seemed the easiest way to get rid of her.

It wasn’t.

“Yes?” I said impatiently, when she just stood there.

She looked nervous, but determined. “I’m… I wanted to make sure that you have everything you need. I would have brought a new dress, too, but I didn’t think that one of mine would fit.”

No, I didn’t suppose so. She was tall and had a shape that her doppelganger would have envied. Meanwhile I was short and skinny, and getting skinnier by the minute because she hadn’t brought any food.

But I wasn’t going to ask, because there was something weird about this one.

“Yep. All set.” I tried to close the door.