We began to walk again, toward a heavily guarded wing I assumed contained his room, and mine. I stopped and waited until he realized I didn’t follow.

“I’m not going to sleep with you. I only agreed to spend the day with you so you wouldn’t kill her.”

“I know. And I won’t. Today. Let me show you to your room.”

The hallway was considerably wider than those in the servants’ wing, though only two rooms appeared to open onto it. At the end, another set of bodyguards were stationed at double doors, but we stood at the only other entrance.

“Here we are,” Cyrus said, leaning closer to me than was necessary to turn the knob. Ducking past him with a minimum of contact, I entered the room.

The suite was larger than the whole of Nathan’s apartment. The first room was a parlor full of Edwardian furniture. A fire burned cheerfully in the oversize fireplace.

“If you don’t like the decor, it can be changed.” Cyrus walked slowly around the room. “Dahlia’s tastes mirror my own somewhat, though I’ve never been able to stomach so much light blue.”

I had a ridiculous urge to thank him, but I pushed it aside. “This was Dahlia’s room?”

He lifted what looked like a Fabergé music box from a plant stand by the window, frowning. “Yes. For a while, anyway.”

I dropped my bag and removed my coat, draping it over the back of the settee. “Why’d you kick her out?”

“Truthfully? I didn’t like having her so close. The jealous witch monitored all my activities. It was a bit like being married again.” He wound the mechanism of the box and an unrecognizable tune began to play. “Let me show you something.”

He walked to the small corner hutch and slightly pulled on one of the shelves. The whole thing swung forward with ease. “This leads to my chambers.”

I stared at the door as if it were ignited dynamite. “Any way we can wall that up?”

“I prefer to have unhindered access to you.” He closed the secret passage. “But I’m sure you understand why I’d want to keep Dahlia elsewhere. Under heavy guard.”

If I were him, I’d want to keep her in a different country. “She thinks you’re going to turn her.”

“Her power is beyond any I’ve ever seen.” He paused thoughtfully. “But I fear how she’d wield that power with a vampire’s strength behind it.”

I sniffed derisively. “Because you’re so moral.”

“Because I’m a realist.”

“Couldn’t you just control her with the blood tie?” I folded my arms across my chest. “I mean, since you’re so good at it.”

“You’re perfect.” A wry smile formed on his lips. “Alas, she has more power than I. And I won’t chance her ruling me.”

“Well, I’m glad to know you’re not a completely remorseless psychopath.”

Cyrus sighed with theatrical weariness. “What you perceive as evil is only an acceptance of our true nature. I only do what I am built to do. That doesn’t mean I’d want some complete nutcase steering the world toward doom.”