The sweet, fizzy liquid tickled my lips as I took a sip.
“Ace sprung for the good stuff,” Toven said after he downed half his glass. He surveyed the clusters of people, a solemn expression on his face.
“I wouldn’t know. My exposure to champagne has been limited.”
I couldn’t tamp down my curiosity about this opulent world. Everything was just . . . extra. Extra bright, extra beautiful, extra extravagant, extra flavorful. It was a little overwhelming.
As if Toven sensed my rising anxiety, he wrapped his arm around me and drew me to him. Everything swirling around in me settled into its proper place.
“Let’s go find the spread,” Toven suggested.
“I thought the spread was a roving buffet being brought around by those guys with the trays?” I pointed.
“Not hardly. Ace will have a huge assortment of food somewhere around here. And since our dinner got interrupted, I could use something more than a prosciutto roll or shrimp cocktail. How about you?”
“I could eat.”
We ventured deeper into the house. The room to the right had a large dance floor. To the left, celebrities chatted amongst themselves while more men circulated with trays. There were a handful of women mingling throughout the rooms dressed in what appeared to be a uniform, but they carried no trays. Everywhere we went, people seemed to notice us, but no one approached us to start a conversation. A few tipped their heads in acknowledgement of Toven, but that was it. These Hollywood types weren’t very friendly to outsiders.
“Do you know any of these people?” I whispered to Toven.
“Some. Why?” He stopped walking to examine me.
“No one has said hello. They look at us then go the other way. Is it that obvious I don’t belong in a place like this?”
“What? No.” He drew me into his embrace. “It’s not you. It’s me. I’m sending out keep away vibes. Humans don’t really understand why they’re keeping their distance, but vamps read the signal well and most respect it.”
“Why are you sending out anti-social vibes? You know that’s not good for your image, right?”
“I know. But this is so not my type of thing. And I can read the room. Hear the things people are murmuring under their breath about you. There’s a lot of curiosity where you’re concerned. I don’t like it. So, I subtly . . . um . . . let everyone know that you are mine,” he admitted sheepishly.
I chortled. “You mean like Bill on True Blood?”
He looked at me puzzled. “Who is this Bill person?”
“You’ve never heard of True Blood? Well, it’s a TV show based on a book series about vampires. Anyway, Bill is a vampire who tells the other vampires that Sookie, the human he’s interested in, is his so they’ll stay away from her.”
“Ahh. I see. Yes, I guess I did something like that, except I didn’t have to say it out loud. It’s kind of the flipside to our ability to charm. Some of us can create a vibe, if you will.”
“So, other vampires will respect your claim on me?” I was secretly thrilled by the idea that he was claiming me as his own. He wouldn’t do that if this was merely about our arrangement. Would he?
“Most will respect it. It’s one of our laws, actually. Because vampires so rarely lay claim to humans, bringing harm to one who’s been claimed carries serious penalties. Now, a vampire older than me could technically overrule my claim on you, but usually that doesn’t happen. Not with vampires who are law abiding.” He started moving us through the downstairs again.
“Hmm. Maybe Hollywood got that aspect right then about vampires. I haven’t seen all the episodes of True Blood yet. We should watch it together sometime. Though I have to warn you, it’s a little racy.”
He smirked at me. “That might be interesting.”
After checking a couple more rooms, we located a large dining room set up with a buffet. The first table was covered in food presented as art. Fruits and vegetables were cut and displayed like floral bouquets. Toven handed me a plate and took one for himself.
“It looks too pretty to eat,” I whispered, eyeing the daisy-shaped pineapple slices and cucumber rosettes.
“Look at that,” Toven said, pointing at watermelon carved in the shape of a pair of swans.
“Are you sure we’re supposed to eat this stuff?”
“Positive.”
He dropped a couple of strawberries dusted with golden sugar crystals on my plate. As we moved down the line, he continued to add to both our plates.
When we reached the last table, I gasped. Lying among more beautifully carved foods was a woman. A naked woman with pieces of sushi artfully covering various bits of her flesh. The couple in front of us helped themselves to pieces from her thighs and flat stomach.
“You want some sushi?” Toven asked without batting an eye.
“What?” I looked at him, astonished. He had to see that a naked body was the serving platter for the sushi. “No, thanks. If people keep taking pieces of sushi, she’ll be completely uncovered.” I was embarrassed for the lady.
He chuckled. “This isn’t really my scene, but it is a normal sight at wealthy vampire parties.” He put down the tongs without selecting any of the colored bits of raw fish.
I just could not fathom the concept of something so . . . carnal.
When we reached the woman’s upper body, I was shocked to see Allison, the girl from B.I.T.-10 who hated me, staring up at us. Her eyes narrowed to slits when she saw me, but a wide smile covered her face when she shifted her gaze to Toven.
“Nice to see you again,” she said to him from her prone position amid dark green leaves and multi-colored rolls of sushi.
Toven’s brow wrinkled. “I’m sorry, have we met before?”
“Well, not officially. But I saw you at the last gala at B.I.T.-10. You probably noticed me. I’m Allison.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t notice much that night except this stunning creation right here.” He wrapped his arm around me and smiled down at me.
Allison rolled her eyes, then said, “Hope to see you at a future B.I.T.-10 event.”
He turned back to her briefly. “I don’t think I’ll have need for any future events there. We best be moving along. It seems we’re holding up the line.” He motioned to the people waiting behind me.
I gave Allison a sickly-sweet smile before I sauntered out of the way. I grabbed a bottle of water as I followed Toven to a little alcove out of the way.
“Wow, this is good,” I said as I ate a bacon-wrapped fig.
He leaned forward to lick the juice from my lips. “Yeah, it is.” He smirked at me. “When we were in there with the food, did you happen to notice any bottles of blood?”
I thought back to the beverage table. “Now that you mention it . . . no, I didn’t. This party is hosted by a vampire. After the sushi display, I would’ve expected some sort of blood fountain or something. To be sure there are bottles somewhere. Do you need me to go find you one?”
He picked up a strawberry and took a bite. “Finish eating, then we’ll go look for some.”
A cheer erupted from the partygoers as some of the cast from the movie finally arrived. By the time our plates were empty, Ace and Emma—the actress who played opposite him—danced through the doorway. They waltzed their way to the dance floor, which was miraculously clear. Toven handed our plates to a passing server. With his hands on my hips, he steered me closer to the front room.
Hidden speakers began to thump with the lead track for the movie. Ace and Emma quickly fell into a flawless rendition of their routine. It was even more mesmerizing in person than on the big screen. They were convincing in their ability to draw me in and make me believe they were opposites who found common ground in dance. From the reaction of everyone in attendance, I wasn’t alone in accepting their performance as real.
Tipping my head back against his chest, I looked up at Toven. “They’re amazing,” I breathed when the song ended.
“That they are. Let’s
dance,” he said when the next song started.
♪ Don’t Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers
He moved us to the music in some combination of his more formal steps and the freestyle club moves I’d taught him. Letting myself go and following his lead was exhilarating and freeing. In his arms lost to the rhythm, I could forget about Toven’s maker, the clock ticking on his freedom, the mystery surrounding my dad’s alleged crimes and subsequent death, my runaway heart. The only thing that mattered was being in his arms.
By the time the song was over, I was hot and plenty bothered. I fanned myself with my hand as we walked off the dance floor.
“I need something to drink,” I panted with a laugh.
“Me too. I’m starving.”
“Right. We need to find you some blood. Aren’t there vampires here besides you and Ace?” I asked, glancing around.
He chuckled. “Yes. Probably half the people in attendance are.”
My head swiveled in astonishment. “Half? Then there must be blood here. Where are the other vampires?”
Toven started discreetly pointing out various people. Many of them seemed to have one of the girls in uniform on their arms.
“Maybe we can ask Ace where he stashed the blood,” I suggested, tugging him in the direction of where Ace was holding court.
As soon as he caught sight of us, he motioned us into his circle. The crowd parted, making a path for us.
“Emma, I’d like to introduce you to my friends, Toven and Celesta,” Ace said, gesturing to us when we stood directly in front of him.
“Nice to meet you,” Emma said, shaking each of our hands.
Toven nodded at her.
“You were absolutely wonderful, and you made it look so easy,” I told her.
“Why thank you. And just between us, it was a ton of work. Especially keeping up with this one,” she said, swatting Ace in his firm abdomen.
“It’s only because I have a few decades on you,” he appeased.
“And because you don’t actually have to diet and workout to look like you do.” She ran her hand up his chest.
“Side effect of my condition,” Ace said with a shrug.
“Still isn’t fair that you can eat whatever you want and there’s no consequence.” She turned back to me. “Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed the movie, Celesta.”
“Dance movies are my favorite.”
“Mine too.” She beamed at me. “Please excuse me. Now that I can actually eat, I’m going to go have some food. I’m starving,” Emma said, squeezing by us.
“Speaking of starving . . .” Toven murmured, stepping closer to Ace. “Where did you stash the bottled blood?”
“No bottles for my party. I sprung for the good stuff. Just find one of the girls wandering around in the short black dresses and red chokers. There are plenty of them roaming around. Help yourself. Or if you’d rather drink from your own cup, you can take Celesta to one of the rooms down the hall behind the staircase. Totally your call. Now, I must go greet more of my adoring public. I’m so glad you guys came. We’ll have to get together when I’m back in Austin,” he said, leaning to give me a hug before he walked away.
“Damn,” Toven mumbled when we were alone again.
I stepped in front of him and took both his hands in mine. “You can drink from me. It’s your right, and I really don’t mind.” I swallowed and gave him a tentative smile. Maybe he’d finally do it, and I’d see what all the fuss was about.
He peered at me, studying me, pondering his options. The moment of silence stretched on for so long, I felt the need to fill the quiet. “Or you could find one of the girls who are here for that purpose.” I turned, trying to locate one of the girls dressed as Ace described. “Matter of fact, there’s Lucy. I didn’t know she’d be here.” I pointed at her. “Lucy,” I called her over.
She turned. Her jaw dropped when she saw me across the room. Before she could make her way to me, Toven dropped my hands. “You stay right here talking with your friend. I’ll be right back. I’m going to sneak to Ace’s kitchen. I’m certain he has some bottles there for himself.”
Leaning down, he fastened his mouth on mine and gave me a short but needy kiss. Then in a blur he disappeared, and Lucy drew me into a hug, squealing in my ear.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Ace invited us to the premiere.”
“Nice.” She snagged a couple of flutes of golden liquid from the passing server.
I accepted the glass she offered me. “How about you?”
“Ace called Circe to arrange for some of us to be here as a special treat for his rich friends,” she offered.
“You’re here with Toven?” a voice asked from behind Lucy.
“My goodness, where are my manners?” Lucy exclaimed, stepping to the side to reveal a tall, dark-haired woman. “Laura, this is Celesta, my friend from Austin. Celesta, this is Laura. I met her when I arrived in town yesterday.”
I held out my hand to the pretty but sad-looking girl. “Nice to meet you.”
“You’re here with Toven?” she asked again, not bothering to return my greeting.
“Yes, I am.” I smiled at her.
She frowned at me. “What did you do?”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“I saw him kiss you. He doesn’t kiss. Not even when feeding or having sex.” She stepped closer to me. The look on her face was intense, almost angry.
I couldn’t decipher her expression. Had Toven had sex with her? Drank from her?
“Um . . . I’m his girlfriend.” I swallowed hard. “How do you know Toven?”
She straightened her shoulders. “I went to his home to fulfill an order he placed.”
“Oh. I see.” And I did see. He’d been using a service so he wouldn’t have to use me. My heart cracked at the realization. I forced the tears to stay put, and my nose burned with the effort.
Suddenly, Toven was behind me, gripping my hips from behind, his chest pressed to my back as he whispered in my ear, “Everything OK?”
“Yeah. You remember Lucy. And I’m sure you remember Laura too.”
He stiffened behind me as he noticed the other woman with us. What she said must have been true.
“Nice to see you both again.”
“Did you find what you were looking for? If not, I’m sure Laura would be happy to oblige.” I stepped forward, putting space between us. I needed to get out of there.
“Pardon us, ladies. We have something to discuss,” he said in a clipped tone.
Lucy gave me a quick hug and promised to call me, then the two of them walked off. Toven tugged me into an out of the way corner.
“No, I didn’t find any bottles. I called Kent to come get us. He’s on his way. He’ll pick up some blood on the way, so I’m good for a little bit. I don’t want to partake of any of the living varieties Ace has on tap here tonight. I haven’t had blood straight from the source since before the gala.” He raked his fingers through his hair, tugging on it in frustration.
I gave a sharp nod. “So, how do you know Laura?” Emotion clogged my throat as I waited for his answer.
Reaching out, he clasped my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Honesty,” I reminded him.
He sighed in resignation. “The day I bumped into you on the street, I was so wound up thinking about you that I called a service I’ve used over the years. I asked them to send someone. Laura was who they sent. But I barely even bit her. When I did, it felt all wrong. She felt all wrong. She wasn’t you.” His expression pleaded with me to understand.
“Did you have sex with her?” I forced myself to ask.
“I was going to, but I couldn’t do that either. I haven’t been with anyone, in any way, since you came into my life. I made a few calls to the service in moments of desperation, but each time I cancelled, unable to go through with any of that.”
With my free hand, I reached up to cradle his cheek. “I believe you.”
A wide sm
ile spread over his face. He tilted his head, listening. “Come on, let’s line dance. It’ll distract me until Kent gets here.”
“That’s a hard one,” I said as I caught the strains of “Blurred Lines”.
♪ Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke
“Good. I’ll have to concentrate on my feet instead of my thirst.” He licked his lips.
He looked a little peaked. I was worried. I’d never seen him quite so pale. I tugged him to the dance floor, hoping Kent would be here by the time the song ended. We weaved through the moving bodies to the back of the room.
“Watch my feet. You’ll catch on.” I took a spot at the end of the line, leaving room for him next to me.
As we moved, I counted steps and whispered directions to him, “Left, back, one, two, three. Right, back, one, two, three.”
His face was one of pure concentration. He only bumped into me a couple of times before he got the hang of at least the direction he needed to move in with each step change.
By the time the notes faded, sweat dampened my hairline.
“That was a lot more fun than I anticipated,” he admitted, laughing breathlessly and swinging me around.
“I’m glad. I love that version of the dance. I’m kind of surprised that they did the East Coast style out here on the West Coast.”
“Whatever it was, I know I didn’t nail it, but at least I didn’t knock you down.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. A frown darkened his features as he read the message.
“What’s wrong?”
“Kent’s stuck in traffic. There’s a bad accident on Pacific Coast Highway and where he is, cars are at a standstill. It will be a while before he arrives.” He looked around desperate.
I knew what had to be done—what he needed. I grabbed his hand and tugged him with me as I went in search of the stairs. Once I located them amidst the maze of rooms downstairs, I looked for the hallway Ace mentioned behind the staircase.
“Where are we going?” Toven asked from over my shoulder.
Once we entered the hallway, he put on the brakes, bringing me to a halt. “No, my shining star. I can’t,” he whispered in a pained voice.
“You can. I want you to. Toven, you need this. Need me. Let me do this for you. You’ve done so much for me. I can’t stand to see you in pain, suffering . . . starving. I lo— care about you so much.”
Blood Song: Refrain (Blood Song Series Book 2) Page 23