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“Micah is right,” Dr. Lillian said.

“Yeah, Micah is always right,” Richard said, and his voice held emotions the words didn’t even hint at. It was the first real sign of jealousy I’d seen. Part of me was happy about it, and the moment that tiny glad spark reared it’s ugly head, I knew better. I was ashamed of myself, and I hate that.

“Most of the time he is right,” but my voice wasn’t angry. We needed answers, not temper tantrums. I made a motion with both hands. “If you’ll let me get to the phone.”

He moved, but looked puzzled. For a second, I wondered if he’d been picking a fight on purpose, and if he had been, why? Picking fights was more my thing than Richard’s. Later. I’d worry about it later.

I had my hand on the phone, when it rang, which scared me. “Shit!” I picked up the receiver and must have sounded at least a little angry, because Jean-Claude said, “What has happened now, ma petite?”

I was so relieved to hear his voice, I forgot to be mad. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice.”

“I can hear the relief in your voice, ma petite. Again, I ask, what else has happened?”

“How do you know anything happened?” I asked, and was already willing to be suspicious.

“I felt Damian’s master flee from your and Richard’s emotions. Only the two of you could turn such a simple thing as lust into something so”—he seemed unable to find a word and finally settled for—“disappointing.”

“You’re talking to the wrong third of the triumverate, Jean-Claude. I can put him on, if you want to talk to him.”

“Non, non, tell me what is happening.”

“Can’t you read my mind? Everyone else seems to be able to.”

“Ma petite, do we have time for childishness?”

“No,” I said sullenly, “but Richard tells me that some vamps in Belle’s line turn prettier after a while. Is that true?”

“The change from human to vampire can bring on small changes to the appearance. It is rare even for Belle’s line, but oui, it does happen.”

“So you really weren’t this beautiful once.”

“As I told our inquisitive Richard, I do not know. I know that many acted as if I were this beautiful, but I have no paintings of my old face. I have no way to remember after centuries. I honestly do not know for certain. Belle never made much of any of us that changed, because she enjoyed the false rumors that her touch beautified all. If she fussed about those who did become more lovely, then it would tarnish her legend. You have met her, ma petite, she likes her legend.”

I shivered. I’d met Belle, secondhand, through a metaphysical possession or two. She was scary, and not just because of how powerful she was. She was scary because of her character flaws, a certain blindness to anything she didn’t understand, like love, friendship, commitment as opposed to slavery. She didn’t seem to see much difference between the two.

“Yeah, Belle likes her legend so much, she’s beginning to believe it.”

“As you like, ma petite, but it makes it difficult to find truth in her court.”

“Fine, we’ll never know if you and Asher were this beautiful before.”

“Asher says his hair was not the color of gold before, so that we do know.”

I was getting distracted. “Okay, fine, but the point is, when did the beautification take place?”

“You became a vampire, and when you rose the first night you were changed. Due to the vicious nature of some when they experience their first blood lust, it is not always easy to see beauty, but it happens soon after they are brought into their new lives.”

I didn’t argue the life part, I’d been too confused too long about what was life and what wasn’t. “So after a thousand years, you are what you are, right?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone. I couldn’t even hear him breathing, which didn’t mean anything, he didn’t always have to breathe. “Has something happened to Damian? Something more?”

“Yes,” I said.

“I assume the questions about Belle’s line were not idle then.”

“Not even close to idle,” I said.

“Tell me,” he said, voice soft.

I told him.

He was calm, asking questions, getting details, in his so matter-of-fact voice. Over the