One of the older, more refined vampires gave me a warm smile and a nod of recognition at my arrival. As good a place as any to start the evening. I waltzed over to him and curtsied.
“Welcome to the mansion of Madame Leona. We’re delighted you’ve joined us this evening. I am-”
He held up a hand, each finger adorned with a large ring. “I know who you are. The daughter of the Madame has been the talk of the town.”
I blushed, but my confidence was boosted. I wouldn’t need anyone to tour me around and introduce me tonight.
The vampire continued. “My name is Jerith. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Would you care to join me for the first dance?”
He held out his hand for me to take, and I took it. Guests were arriving more rapidly now, and a group of us swarmed to the middle of the ballroom to begin the festivities. Jerith spun me around so that I faced him, and he placed one hand on my waist and grasped my other hand tightly. We began graceful circles across the floor, intertwining with the circles of the other dancing couples.
It was time to get to know this new arrival a bit better. I spoke loud enough to be heard over the music, but not allowed enough that anyone could eavesdrop. I was already beginning to find that secrecy and privacy were a lot easier at these large gatherings than I had originally thought possible.
“What do you do for business, Master Jerith?”
“Ah,” he laughed. “You get straight to it then. No small talk about the weather. I like that. I am actually involved in business, not within Accord guidelines.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you in banking or something similar?”
He tilted his head this way and that, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. I was glad he took the lead in our dance because I don’t think I could have maintained our swirling circles and the intriguing conversation at the same time.
“You could say something similar. I do keep a bank of value, but not of money. Money is far too easily tracked.”
I lowered my voice even further. But why I did that, I’ll never know. No one cared about our conversation, anyway. “Well, I know you don’t keep a bank of human blood. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here at the ball of a blood trader. So now you have me curious, Master Jerith.”
To my surprise, our dancing stopped. He kept my hand tight in his and led me away from the dance floor and to a corner where a couch sat between two large potted plants. He sat me down and took a seat next to me.
“I would not normally discuss my business so quickly. But you are a forward woman and I think my business and your own mother’s business could work together beneficially.”
I did not like the way he was looking at me or the way he leaned in with dark excitement in his eyes. Even more, I hated how he squeezed my hand tighter with every word. I glanced around the room quickly, but my mother had not yet made her arrival. Why was I so eager for her to hurry up and saunter through the doors?
“You see,” Jerith continued. “I keep a bank of human slaves. I see that look on your face, but don’t be worried. They’re all wretched creatures. Some were starving homeless, some were women of a less reputable business. None of them are missed, and many of them I have saved their lives. They would have surely starved or frozen to death if left to their own devices.”
I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip was fierce. I swallowed hard and hoped my face did not look as blanched of color as it felt. My whisper was harsh and quivered in fear. “What are you possibly doing with them?”
“Nothing as of yet. I don’t have the time or resources to use them to their full potential. But your mother does.”
My eyes went wide and my mouth dropped open. “What could my mother possibly do with something like that?” I was mortified and offended that he’d think we would become involved in anything like that.
He looked somewhat agitated that he had to spell it all out for me. “Your mother’s business runs on stolen human blood from blood banks across the globe. Humans donate blood for any number of reasons, and your mother skims off that supply. It’s quite costly to keep the manpower to get into blood banks, steal from them, and get them across borders unnoticed. Imagine how much more money Madame Leona could make if the blood were sustainably drawn from a supply of humans that were kept on my farm of sorts.”
He grumbled the next sentence, obviously annoyed. “I, unfortunately, do not have the tools or network to properly collect, preserve, transport, and distribute that blood. That is why I propose a symbiotic relationship between your mother and me. But I need your help to seek an audience with her.”
Like lightning, I pulled myself up from the couch, my hand still imprisoned by his. My face turned red with rage and I fumed. “How dare you even talk to me about something as horrendous as that! You should be ashamed!”
Master Jerith was shocked, to say the least. I had all but screamed at him and people took notice. Luckily, the one person that mattered most in this situation was among those who noticed. My mother hurried across the ballroom and slapped the vampire across the face with a resounding smack. His hand finally released mine, and he soothed his cheek with a stunned impression.
“Remove yourself from my mansion and do not ever try to return,” she commanded with absolute authority.
He rose from the seat, but my mother’s glare was hellbent on him. “You don’t even know what happened, Madame. Let me explain.”
She raised her hand as if to slap him again, and he flinched. “I don’t need to know what conversation you two shared. The second a lady is uncomfortable, and the man refuses to release her, is the second that he is not welcome here anymore. I will send letters out in the morning to some of the other traders whom I am sure will be cautious in any dealings with you in the future. Now get out!”
Her voice boomed loud and clear, and he looked to his fellow vampires. None of them came to his assistance. A passing hint of anger crossed his face, and I took refuge behind my mother. As a vampire, he would feel that my mother’s actions as a human against him were unforgivable and beneath him. But his colleagues would not dare stand up for him and risk their access to the blood they craved.
He turned away and tried his best to boldly and confidently walk out the front door. But I could tell his ego had been seriously bruised. His reputation was damaged at best, ruined at worst.
My mother looked to her guests and kept a stern look on her face, but softened just enough to show that she was not angry with them. “I expect the utmost manners when in my house. If you follow the rules, there is no reason you should not enjoy the finest wares and merriment available. Please, enjoy a sampling of what I have to offer.”
The servants entered the ballroom then with large silver trays crowded with glasses of blood. Smiles returned to the guests’ faces as they hurried to grab a cup or even two in some cases. With her potential clients occupied, my mother ushered me into the entryway.
With a hushed voice, she worriedly looked me over. “What happened, El? Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I reassured her. “He was sharing a business proposal to use captive human slaves to harvest blood to sell instead of stealing from blood banks. He shared it a bit too excitedly.”
My mother’s jaw clenched as I spoke. “There are a few vampires like him who think treating humans like cattle is the future of the business. Fortunately, only a handful of minor traders agree with them. As long as I am running my empire, it won’t come to pass.”
She brushed a hand through my hair and pulled me close. I had to force myself not to cry as she held me. And there were about a dozen reasons why. I couldn’t let the vampires see me like that. I couldn’t let my mother think I’d broken so quickly. And for heaven’s sake, I was determined to still find at least one damned vampire that wasn’t an asshole.
Clearly, the older vampires were not the way to go. They may be refined and dignified and as wealthy as any human millionaire, but they had no regard for human life. They saw themselves as a higher race and ha
d hundreds of years of being pricks in their veins.
That meant I’d have to try and befriend one of the younger vampires. They didn’t have the charm or charisma of their elder counterparts. They dressed like modern humans and didn’t have the same presence about them. But maybe they still remembered their human days more fondly.
The front door opened, and I pulled away from my mother, wiping the back of my hand across my face to remove any trace of what had happened. Then my eyes rolled like a teenage girl.
It was him. That investor vampire from the first ball. And, of course, he looked as falsely confident in himself as ever. His hair was pulled back, and he wore a suit, which was fitting for the event. But he neglected a tie this time. His suit jacket was even unbuttoned, which I knew would drive my mother crazy. He spotted me and smirked.
“Lady Hart, long time no see. Fancy meeting you here.”
He was trying to be funny, but I wanted with everything in me not to laugh. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. He wasn’t prince charming by a long shot. He didn’t have the refinement or grace to pull that off. Or the money.
But I was unsure for a moment as he smiled at me in the entryway. It felt a little bit too much like fate that he would walk in and find me there at the same exact moment as I had decided I needed to get to know a younger vampire. He fit the bill. Was it a sign?
He had such confidence as he sauntered up to me and gave a quick but sloppy bow to my mother. His attention was quickly back on me and I could feel he was turning on the charm.
“You turned me down last time and I have to admit it hurt my feelings.” He placed a hand on his heart and gave a fake pouty face. “Would you care for another dance and maybe give me another chance?”
He held out his hand and I could sense my mother laughing next to me. She was probably pleased to see a less powerful and less threatening vampire take an interest in me. Though I knew that if she had her way, there still wouldn’t be any vampires involved at all.
I stared at his hand with uncertainty. Butterflies started to flutter in my stomach and I cursed myself for feeling them. He was a nobody in the vampire sense of the world. But maybe my fairytale required an underdog?
My hand found his and I couldn’t tell if he was surprised or pleased or both. My mother was definitely trying to hide her feelings regarding the turn of events.
Arden led me back into the ballroom and I shied away from the eyes of the vampires inside. They had probably been in the middle of gossiping about the outburst on my part and kicking out Jerith on my mother’s part.
Then Arden was blocking my view. He stood in front of me, his body shielding me. I looked at his face, my eyes wide. His smile was soft and felt more genuine this time. He grabbed both of my hands and pulled me onto the dance floor, walking backward kind of hazardously.
His hand found my hip and before I could grasp what was happening, we were twirling. It felt different than it had with Jerith. It was more spirited, but also careful not to drag me along.
“What are you doing?” I whispered breathlessly.
“I have enough experience to know when the room is talking about you behind your back. Just block them out. You’re mine for this dance.”
The music picked up the tempo, and we whirled around and around. The world around us became a dizzying blur. I held on tight to the young vampire for support and he was strong in providing stability for the both of us.
“Why were you so determined to dance with me again?” The words were hard to form as I had started to giggle from the feeling of euphoria.
He shrugged and couldn’t meet my gaze. “Something told me I had to take you for just one more dance. I try not to overthink things.”
It was a strange answer, but it wasn’t any stranger than my idea of fate. Maybe something really was pulling us together, no matter how much we fought it. But I shook the thought from my head. I refused to fall for him, at least not that quickly. I wouldn’t be a fool for the third time.
I think he could tell I was beginning to get light-headed because we stopped. The couples around us continued their dance, but we stood there in the very middle of the room. His hand was still on my waist and I noticed it more starkly than before. I was glad to see he was breathing just as heavily as I.
It would have been proper for him to lead me off the dance floor, but he stumbled out his next request before he could even do that. “Would you join me for tea tomorrow?”
I was pleased that he wanted to see me again, but also deflated that he had chosen something so dull. I’d hoped he was more exciting than the vampires I’d encountered so far with their boring lunches and tea dates. I resigned myself to the boring cycle of social calls.
“Sure. I mean, I would enjoy that. Where should I find you for tea?”
He groaned and scratched the back of his head. Was he actually shy for once? “I forgot that we can’t meet at my house. Would it be possible to have tea here?”
“You’re inviting me to tea that I have to host?” I raised my eyebrow and laughed. Whether it was an amused laugh or an annoyed laugh, I wasn’t sure.
He rolled his eyes as I giggled and waved me off. “If you don’t want to, then just say so.”
I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t have anything else planned tomorrow, so why not?”
A look of relief washed over him. He nodded his head and gave me that signature smile I was sure he’d practiced in the mirror a dozen times before. “It’s a date then.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Master Arden. It’s only tea.” I winked at him and decided to make my grand exit. If I was going to play this game, I was going to play it damn well. I left him hanging in the middle of the ballroom and nodded farewells to a few other guests as I headed out the door.
I took the steps of the staircase two at a time and relaxed as I closed my bedroom door behind me. I had no clue how my mother was able to do a couple of these balls every week. They were so full of emotional highs and lows, backstabbing and romance. Maybe that’s why she tried to disconnect from her clients outside of business. That must be the only way to survive.
I slipped out of my dress with some difficulty and pulled on my pajamas. I was exhausted and my bed felt comfier than ever before.
The next day would be interesting. Would I find it pleasant spending the afternoon with Arden? Would he be the change of pace I was missing? Or would he end up just like the rest of them? I didn’t think I’d ever hope he’d blow me away, but that’s what I wished for as I fell sound asleep.
Eight
Arden
I can’t remember the last time I spent so much time fretting over a woman.
I spent much of that night wondering what the hell we were going to do, where I’d take her, what I wanted to show her… the list of inane things I kept worrying about annoyed the piss out of me.
Because we sure as hell weren’t going to have tea. The droop in her shoulders when I suggested tea was too obvious, and I knew then and there that I’d have to surprise her with something else.
But what?
What did she like?
Exactly what kind of person was she?
Damn it, why the hell didn’t I ask her while we were dancing?
I should’ve.
But I was too busy grinning like an idiot while an angel spun around me, rendering me brainless with her beautiful smile and eyes that were utterly empty of any kind of artifice.
I had spent so much of my life surrounded by half-truths and lies that sometimes I forget what is reality.
With her, though…
Staring up at the darkened ceiling, the incessant tick-tock from the grandfather clock at the other side of the room echoing in my head, I tried to wrack my memories of exactly what the hell I’d done with the women in my life.
Not going to lie. There were a great deal of them.
What can I say? I’m a handsome man. Women find my snark and general assholery-ness to be attractive, strangely
enough.
Somehow, I got the feeling a bottle of Bordeaux and hours in bed wasn’t exactly what Eloise had in mind.
I still couldn’t believe I had to ask her to tea at her own home.
Bringing her to Jardin’s would have been… problematic, to say the least.
Not to mention the chance of Eloise running into Evangeline…
I shuddered.
Admittedly, I did have a place in the city, but it was a crappy studio apartment, used mainly for nights when I needed to be alone, to be out from under Jardin’s ever-watchful presence.
The idea of inviting a glowing, beautiful thing like Eloise to that cockroach and rat-infested hovel in a bad part of town where murders and other acts of violence were commonplace was enough to make me break out in hopeless laughter.
Like an idiot who didn’t know any better, I went through my phone and flicked through all the social events that were due to happen the next day.
Like I said, I was desperate for any kind of idea.
Something caught my eye, stilled my thumb.
A grin spread on my lips.
It was kind of crazy, but it just might work.
I gave her a call to let her know the plans I changed and told her to dress for dancing and then hung up before she could ask any questions.
Best to keep the mystery alive, especially if I wanted to keep her interest.
I’d be damned thrice over before I let her think I was anything like that ginger-topped moppet she seemed so damned infatuated with.
Little Miss Perfect, with her perfect hair and perfect dress… I wondered what she would say if she knew exactly where I was planning to take her that night.
My smile turned grim, as I imagined the accolades and the riches Jardin would spill into my lap once I made the girl capitulate to my charms.
Kiss of Crimson Page 6