Chapter 21
London, England
"I can't believe this," Ginny mumbled as Velika herded her into the one of the rooms they had purchased at the Leaky Cauldron.
"Just hear me out," Velika said wearily, closing the door behind her.
"I'm only here because I shouldn't go home this drunk," Ginny said, sinking into a chair.
Velika sat across from her, sitting on the edge of the bed. "So I'm a vampire. It's not the end of the world, you know."
"You just killed someone!"
"I've killed lots of people! You would kill a Death Eater if you needed to, wouldn't you?"
Ginny sighed. "That's right, but that guy was not a Death Eater."
"No, he was just a murderer and rapist."
"What?" Ginny asked, sitting up straight in shock.
"I can sense his thoughts. He would have raped me if I would have told him no. He has done it before, more than once, and killed three women who wouldn't stop screaming." Velika sighed. "I wouldn't have killed him otherwise."
Ginny looked confused. "Why didn't you just tell us you were a vampire? Wait . . . first explain why you can sense his thoughts. I've never heard of any vampire that could do that except . . ."
"Those who were born vampires? Yes. I was born a vampire," Velika said dryly. "And it's not something you just go up to someone and talk about."
"So . . . in a way, 'Mione was right about you."
Velika shrugged. "I suppose."
"I thought vampires were on Voldemort's side."
"I'm not."
"I'm glad you told me," Ginny said.
"I don't want the others to know."
"Why not?" Ginny asked. "They'll understand."
"They don't trust me. This will just make it worse," Velika answered. "And I don't want to hear Hermione's I-told-you-sos."
Ginny giggled. "I wouldn't be able to stand them either."
"Do you promise not to tell?"
"I won't tell," Ginny promised. She stood up, yawning. "I'm going to go to bed."
Velika watched her leave before crawling under the covers. "You'd better not," she whispered. Somehow she knew that she wouldn't have to worry about Ginny.
Erzsebet smiled and stretched languidly before turning to stare down at the sleeping form of Lord Gaunt. She traced his spine with a fingernail, smirking as his back arched.
"Erzsebet . . . you are insatiable," he whispered, turning to kiss her fingertips.
"And you, my lord, are unparalleled in your lovemaking."
His eyebrow rose sharply. "How many do I have to compete against?"
She laughed. "Darling, there is no competition."
"I would like to spend more time here with you. My business can wait."
"Of course. My husband will not return for several months."
Lord Gaunt smiled. "I am glad of that." His fingers traced down her collarbone to a pale pink nipple. "What do you do to keep your skin so beautiful?"
"Would you really like to know, darling?"
He nodded. "I would."
"I bathe in blood."
Lord Gaunt stared for a moment. "Blood?"
Erzsebet laughed. "You said you wanted to know. Does this change things?"
"What sort of blood do you bathe in?"
"Virgin blood. Muggles, of course. I do not touch those of our kind."
Lord Gaunt began to laugh cruelly. "My dear, I love you more and more every minute." He reached over and pulled her body close to his.