Justin stared at the vampire, shocked by his casual confession. “You did what?”

“Killed her,” Xavier repeated. “It’s not something that I’m proud of. In fact, I keep that portrait to remind me of the darkness that hides within my soul, so that I may try to do better. Your room is upstairs.”

Justin followed him up the sweeping staircase and down another hall, but he found it difficult to appreciate the art and antique furniture now.

“Why did you kill her?” he asked as they approached a room at the end of the hall. Xavier opened the door and ushered him inside as if he hadn’t heard the question. The room was clean and warm, as splendidly decorated as the rest of the house, with a large, four-poster bed dominating the room. He had his own fireplace, with a cheery blaze already giving off delicious heat.

“Through here is your bathroom,” Xavier said, gesturing to a dark doorway. “There should be towels, soap, shampoo—everything you need. If not, just ask Harold, he can get it for you. There are clothes in the closet and dresser—help yourself to anything that fits. My personal tailor will see you tomorrow to get you ready for the party. The kitchen is downstairs if you get hungry, or you can ask any of the staff. I employ a housekeeper, two maids, a gardener, a cook, a chauffeur, and of course, a butler. They all live here, including the housekeeper’s and the gardener’s families.”

He paused, took a slow breath, and let it out in a heavy sigh.

“Victoria was the bane of my childhood,” he said. “She thought that since her family was rich, and my family was not, that made her better than me. She took sadistic pleasure in tormenting me. When we were children, it was little things like showing me her new toys and not letting me touch them, or eating sweets in front of me when she knew I was lucky to get a sweet treat once a year.

“When we were older, she would order me around like her personal slave, making me curry her horse or polish her boots, and threatening to get my father in trouble with her father if I didn’t. She was a selfish, spoiled, vindictive little tyrant, and after I was turned into a vampire, I slaughtered her family in front of her and …