Chapter 54

VALERIA. I hear the faint click of the necklace lock from the back of my neck, and suddenly I just feel cold. Chills are running down my spine but I don’t think it’s from the romance of the gesture. Where is this feeling coming from? Is my body simply rejecting it because it knows that Auric is not my mate and it’s only yearning for Stefano, even after everything that happened? Could it be that I’m just generally uncomfortable with the way things are going? I turn around to face Auric, and he’s just smiling down at me sweetly. “It looks so beautiful on you.” And it does. The necklace is intricate and wonderful, and a big part of me feels like I don’t deserve anything this pretty. It feels odd sitting at the base of my neck. I swallow hard and try for a smile, but it just won’t come through. “Now we will go to the dance together.” He leans in and mimics a waltz with me, putting my hands on his shoulders and his hands on my waist. “Maybe we can go out on the weekend and pick out a d