It took me a moment to gather my scattered wits, so shaken was I by Julian’s statement. Kristoff, a master of deception? What on earth was he talking about?

I entered the room, my gaze quickly searching it for any signs of the man who haunted my nightly dreams. There were four people standing together, three men and a woman, the latter speaking as I came in.

“. . . might have at least warned me she was coming so I could make her comfortable. Honest to God, Christian, you may be nine hundred years old, but sometimes you act like a caveman! That poor woman is probably as confused as all get-out, and you’re not helping-Oh, hello.”

The woman who was, to my utter amazement, chewing out the very frightening Christian Dante turned and limped over to me with a friendly smile and outstretched hands. “I’m so sorry about this. You’re Pia, aren’t you? I’m Allie, Christian’s wife. You’ll have to forgive him for simply dumping you in the attic like you were a bundle of old laundry. I didn’t have a chance to check your room first to make sure you’re comfortable up there, but I’ll do so just as soon as we’re done here.”

“There’s no need; my room is lovely,” I reassured her, momentarily nonplussed by the fact that her eyes were mismatched-one was very pale grey, almost white, while the other was an odd sort of mottled brown.

Her smile took a wry twist as she gestured toward her eyes. “They’re a bit freaky, aren’t they?”

“They are not freaky in the least,” Christian corrected, frowning at his wife as he moved over to stand next to her. Behind him, the other two men-Sebastian and Rowan-stood silent and watchful. “They are charming and unique.”

She made a face at him before turning back to me. “I tried contacts, but I’m allergic to them or something, so I just have to live with what I have. Josef! No! We do not bite guests!”