Immortal Confessions Read Online Free Page A

most peasants into groveling cowards and
all roads into quagmires. The weather turned cold suddenly again,
bringing a thick covering of snow and ice that further delayed my
plans. So I waited, gritting my fangs. And somewhere in those few
days, something changed.
    I felt a growing fondness for Anna. When I
found myself closing my eyes with my lady in waiting as I loved
her, so that I might pretend it was Anna beneath me, I knew
something was wrong with me. I’d never cared before who I bedded.
For whatever reason, I cared now.
    Looking back, it was the beginning of love.
I’d never been in love before. I was used to cold women like my
mother, and though I’d bedded many women of all classes, I’d never
taken the time to get to know any of them. Anna’s passion came
through in her lessons, in her strong voice as she read the poetry
aloud to me. That made me want her, because in her was something of
myself, how I had been long ago. So I decided before I left, I’d do
my best to bed her at least once.
    A few days later, I pronounced her
proficient, even though she was really just passable. But our time
together had run out, as the jewels were due to arrive in less than
two days, at least if the dry warmer weather held. I needed my
remaining nights—what was not already taken up with feeding, making
love, and performing—to plan my departure. I’d met up with the
gypsy in the forest a few nights ago, and told him to expect the
carriage. It was then I’d found the plan had changed.
    “We’ll get the purse, and the caravan before
it reaches the castle,” he’d said, pleased. “We’ll meet you in a
week hence, a day’s walk to the East. There, we’ll give you your
share.”
    I was surprised to hear he meant it. That
became irritation when he went on to talk of me joining them, as
Maris had talked of nothing but me since our time together. It was
no surprise he wanted me to marry her, though he made it sound as
if it was a good business proposition.
    “— she can dance, Maris can. You could
make a fair bit of money, with her performing to your
music—”
    It was clear he expected the marriage to take
place right after we divided the loot. While it was encouraging
he’d meant to keep his part of the bargain, there was no way I was
marrying anyone, much less that young twit. However, a flat refusal
would offend him. Agreeing right away would also cast suspicion, as
he’d offered me no dowry.
    “I will need to consider this,” I said
seriously. “May I bed her again, before I leave?”
    Maris was in my arms a few seconds later, and
she was forward enough to begin taking off my clothes. I pushed her
down into the grass before she could, closed my eyes, and made love
to her quickly, imagining her to be Anna. After we’d finished, I
made my excuses and slipped away, even as she pleadingly whined for
me to come back.
    As I traveled, I tried to come up with some
other plan for getting my share of the loot besides marrying Maris
and then killing her. While I’d killed before with no qualms, I
still retained a shred of honor: I could not promise to protect a
woman, then turn around and simply kill her. Perhaps I could lay my
hands on a portion of the dowry, let the gypsies inside to steal,
then slip away, leaving them to be caught. It was going to have to
do as a plan for now. I faced another, more urgent dilemma.
    Going to my lady in waiting smelling of
lovemaking would surely enrage her. But where else could I go?
There was a washbasin in the room where Anna and I met, but that
might lead me to run into Anna herself. Seeing Anna would make
trouble, as she might well know the scent of semen, even though
she’d always acted pristine. Instead, I went to a stream outside
the castle and used up my last sliver of soap to wash my body
clean, though the water was freezing, and there was ice on my body
and in my hair before I finished.
    I thanked my senses for that bit of genius
the moment I reentered the castle. Anna was