by Gwen Knight
Clearing my throat, I ran my hands through my hair, relieved to find it mostly neat. “Don’t worry about it,” I muttered, my mouth woolly.
Distress flickered in his eyes, but he nodded. “I have a dinner event tonight with a few associates of mine.”
“All right. I can wait here for your return, or maybe run home and pick up a clean outfit or two.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I eyed him warily. “I don’t actually intend on strutting around your house naked the entire time I’m here.”
A smooth chuckle graced his lips. “As much as I would enjoy that sight, I wouldn’t expect such a thing from you. I thought perhaps…” His hesitation rang through the room.
“Perhaps what?” I asked with an arched brow.
This time, he cleared his throat. “I thought perhaps you might wish to join me.”
I blinked, completely and utterly confused by this man. Last night had been a world-changing sort of revelation for me. Everything I’d ever been told about vampires…wasn’t a lie, per se, but wasn’t accurate either. I truly didn’t expect anything from him, but figuring him out was proving to be a challenge.
Apparently, he wanted to keep some distance between us. Understandable since I was only here for another two nights. Perhaps addressing me by my given name was a boundary he didn’t wish to cross. But dinner? Didn’t that qualify as a date? My job as a courtesan was to provide blood and sex, not to escort him out on the town.
“Do you think that’s wise?” I asked.
“It’s dinner.”
“It’s dinner…in public.”
His expression shuttered, and he pushed off the bed. “I see.”
He did? And what exactly did he see? Because damn, I was confused as all hell.
“I’ll leave you for the evening then.”
Exasperated, I stared up at the canopy. “Ethen, wait.” I glanced over to find him standing by the door.
“It’s perfectly fine, Winter. If you don’t wish to be seen in public with me, I understand.”
This time, I was the one who blinked. “Seen in public with you? What are you talking about?”
“I’m a vampire.”
“Well aware of that…” I groaned.
“You expressed reservations about us being seen together in public. I assumed, with what you told me last night about your father, that perhaps that was the issue.” There was a vulnerability about him that suggested I’d insulted him, even though that hadn’t been my intent.
And to think, before this, I’d been having such a nice dream. “That isn’t what I meant at all.”
“Then I’m at a loss.”
So was I. It was both frustrating and exhausting trying to figure him out. My fault, I supposed, for hoping to understand a centuries-old vampire. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and tried once more. “What I meant…” How the hell did I explain this? “I want to know the capacity in which I’m going.”
“I didn’t mean to complicate matters. I only thought you might wish to join me. To leave the house and enjoy a meal with me a few associates at a fine establishment.”
So a date, without it actually being a date. Don’t fall for the vampire… Tessa’s words. This was a job, nothing more, remember? It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t anything but an offer to feed me.
“In that case…” I forced a smile and sat up in bed. “I really need something to wear.”
I caught a quick flash of teeth before the grin vanished from his face. “Ms. Doyle will be up shortly with a selection of gowns.”
“You keep a selection of dresses on hand?”
“No. I had her fetch an assortment this afternoon while you were asleep, on the off chance that you accepted my invitation.”
“This afternoon?” I frowned. “I thought…with the sun and all that…”
“The request was made before dawn. Dress quickly, please. I would like to be on our way in an hour.”
An hour? “You do realize that showering, hair, and makeup alone can take that long?”
Amusement brightened his eyes. “Then I suggest you hurry.”
***
I’d managed to climb out of bed and throw on my jeans and tank top before Ms. Doyle knocked on the door. It swung open without preamble and she staggered in under a jumble of dresses.
“Whoa,” I mumbled before diving in to relieve her of half the pile. “You certainly outdid yourself.”
“I only did as Mr. Rune requested,” she panted.
She watched as I laid the dresses out one-by-one on the guest bed. At first appearance, they all looked similar: long, black, with a high leg slit, similar to what I’d worn at the gala. But upon closer inspection, I started to notice minute differences, like which one had buttons versus a zipper, or which had boning in the corset versus a laced up back.
One, however, stood out above the rest. I grasped the one-shoulder dress and draped it against my length, admiring my reflection in the mirror.
“Notice it’s see-through, Ms. Winter.”
“Only a section.” Which happened to be the entire left side of the dress. Rather than a slit, the dress had a sheath of sheer material from toe to shoulder. It would emphasize the whole length of my leg and side of my waist. I loved it. Just the right amount of sexy.
“If you choose that one, underwear may not be an option,” Ms. Doyle continued.
I nibbled the inside of my lip. “Might be worth it.”
Her appreciative gaze settled on the supple material. “It is a beautiful dress.”
I flashed a grin at her and nodded. “Do you think Ethen will like it?”
She studied my length, an appraising glint to her eyes. “Who wouldn’t, my dear?”
Who wouldn’t, indeed. I hung it up on the door, then started for the bathroom. Once inside, I paused and glanced back at the housekeeper. “You wouldn’t happen to keep makeup, would you?”
She pointed to a small bag resting atop the bureau. “You should find everything you need in there.”
“You’re the best, Ms. Doyle.”
A stunned look crossed her face. Then she threw me a bright grin. “Thank you. Now, off with you. It took much longer than expected to pick a dress.”
With the selection provided, was it any wonder?
***
Dressed and primped with three minutes to spare. I was that good. And looked damn sexy too. I’d opted to leave my hair down with a touch of wave to it and had selected natural colors for my makeup, other than a dark liner to emphasize my own crystal blue eyes. The dress ran down my length and hugged my curves, leaving nothing to the imagination. Underwear had definitely been a no go. Though it wasn’t something I would usually wear, I took enjoyment in knowing I was playing a different role than normal. The last touch was a small clutch to carry my phone and identification, which I tucked under my arm before seeking out Ethen.
I entered the drawing room to find him staring into the crackling fireplace. It seemed odd to have a fire going at the end of spring, but it lent him an aristocratic appearance. One hand on the mantle and the other in his pocket, his distant gaze peered through the flames.
“Ethen?”
The sound of my voice roused him from his deep thoughts. He turned, his entire body tensing when he caught sight of me. I took pride in the soft parting of his lips, as though rendered mute at the mere sight of me. It was the dress. I wasn’t so vain as to think that I had stricken anyone speechless, but it gave me comfort nonetheless.
“You look…”
I grazed the flat plane of my stomach with my fingertips. “I look…?”
“Truly…amazing,” he finished. His gaze strayed to the sheer panel exposing the whole length of my leg and side. “Ms. Doyle chose the dress?”
“One of many,” I chuckled. “Together, we picked this one out of the pile.”
“I must send her my compliments. That dress is remarkable.”
See? Totally the dress.
“As is the woman w
earing it.”
This time, it was my breath that hitched. I lifted my eyes and peered up at him from beneath my lashes. He looked rather extraordinary himself. When I’d first woken, I hadn’t noticed the gold watch or the orchid pocket square.
“You clean up rather nicely yourself,” I commented.
Clearing his throat, he started for the door and held it open for me. “Shall we?”
Together, we stepped out into the garden. The sweet aroma of jasmine perfumed the night air, and I paused to stroke the petals as we passed.
“You’ve done that both times now,” Ethen commented while waiting for the gate to swing open. “Is there something about jasmine you like in particular?”
I shook my head. “I’ve always loved the satin feel of the petals. It’s a habit of mine I suppose, a throwback to the old saying ‘stop and smell the flowers’.”
“You do know that adage has nothing to do with actual flowers, yes?”
“Yes,” I said, chuckling. “But when I was younger I didn’t know the difference, so I’d always stop and smell the roses.”
“I can see it now. A young Winter, traipsing through the meadows to sniff the dandelions.”
His teasing tone brought a smile to my lips.
“And have you a garden at home?”
“No. There aren’t any gardens around the building. No balconies either. It’s concrete and glass.”
“That sounds…”
“Depressing,” I responded, a note of wistfulness softening my voice. “Growing up, I lived in a house with a beautiful garden. It was something my mother and I had worked on together. We’d built it from scratch, growing both flowers and vegetables.”
Ethen led us toward his silver Rolls-Royce, which sat in front of the gate, both doors open and the keys in the ignition. A quick glance revealed Mr. Bishop heading back inside. Guess his services weren’t required tonight.
“And what happened to this garden you painstakingly grew?” he asked as we slid into the car.
I’d torn it up and burned every last stem and seed, but I preferred to keep that to myself. “It died,” was all I said.
Ethen eased the car onto the main road before slanting a quick glance in my direction. “And you never started anew?”
No, I hadn’t. The thought of planting new bulbs had devastated me, as though doing so was a betrayal to my mother…a sign I was moving on without her.
“Winter?”
I turned and stared out the window. “The garden had always been my mother’s and my thing. After she died, I couldn’t find it in me to continue with it.”
He paused, then murmured, “I’m sorry.”
I lifted a shoulder. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin our night out. “It was a long time ago,” I murmured before shoving the morose thoughts away. “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going tonight?”
Ethen kept his gaze on the road. “Delirium. Have you ever been?”
My mouth fell slack. Had I ever been? To a vampire restaurant where their primary selection of ‘food’ was types of blood? My stomach twisted with apprehension. “Uh, no. I can honestly say I haven’t.”
“I trust it won’t be an issue?”
Why had I left my dagger under the mattress? So far I’d only met two kinds of vampires, and I feared meeting the far more aggressive kind tonight. “Who…who are we meeting?”
“Possible business associates,” he responded, oblivious to my discomfort. “I’ve had some recent inquiries from someone interested in investing in one of my companies.”
“And I take it these associates will also be vampires?”
His gaze strayed from the road for a moment to eye me. “Will that be a problem?”
“As long as I’m not on the menu.”
I was stunned by the almost violent growl that escaped Ethen’s lips. “The only mouth on you tonight will be mine.”
And why the hell does that turn me on? I silently berated myself. Regardless of how kind Ethen had been to me, this growing attraction had to end. Hell, Tessa had found herself in all heaps of trouble by playing with vampires. What I was doing was dangerous enough without tossing in some perplexing emotions.
Quite unbelievable, the turn my life had taken. From starving college student to vampire courtesan in only three short days. Not something I was particularly proud of. If my father or brothers ever learned about any of this, I’d no doubt they would disown me. They were the sort who saw the world in black and white. Things were a touch grayer for me, but that hardly meant I was ready to involve myself with more vampires.
The rational part of me knew Delirium was far from dangerous. Hell, it was a licensed—and therefore untouchable—institution created for the sole purpose of feeding vampires. One of the only ones in the entire state. And the vampires reigning over it kept everything in check, including the safety of any visiting humans. Not to mention, Ethen would protect me. But one had to wonder how exactly the establishment had managed to build up enough of a blood supply to feed an entire city full of vamps.
“Winter. What’s wrong?”
“Hmm?” I glanced over to find Ethen watching me as we sat at a red light. “Oh, I’m fine.”
Sighing, he turned on his turn indicator and eased off to the side of the road. Once parked, he turned and gave me his full attention. “No, you’re not.”
“No, I—”
He tapped his nose. “I can smell your fear.”
For some reason, the knowledge that vampires could scent out emotions made me uneasy.
“Shh.” His hands curved around mine. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You can literally smell fear?”
His nostrils flared as he scented the air. “I can scent many things. The perfume you’re wearing, the associates who last handled your dress, the silver in your jewelry…”
I forced myself to swallow. Everyone knew vampires had keen senses, but to smell my emotions? I’d never expected such a thing. That complicated matters. “Can you sniff out everything? Like all the emotions?”
A wrinkle creased his brow. “Well enough. Lust, for example, is far more potent than sadness. The body’s chemistry changes with extreme emotions. Once a vampire learns to differentiate them, he never forgets.”
“I see.” What else was there to say? For the first time since Tessa and I had concocted this ludicrous plan, I was starting to see the flaws. Surely Alexei would know if I had impure motivations? And if I took my dagger, would he smell the steel? How did you trick a bloodhound?
“Care to tell me what this is about? I assure you, no harm will come to you at the restaurant.”
I forced a smile to my lips and nodded. “Can’t blame a girl for worrying about her neck, right?”
“Amelia,” he whispered.
My eyes flew wide, and I sucked in a quiet breath. The sound of my name on his lips was far more beautiful than I’d ever imagined.
“I give you my word. No one will lay a finger on you tonight.”
I nodded, though I couldn’t quell the fear. Delirium was hardly a thought. It was Alexei who filled my head. Tessa and I hadn’t properly thought this whole thing through, and as Ethen pulled back onto the main road, I found myself wondering if I’d make it out of this whole mess alive.
Chapter 10
At first glance, I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Delirium. When one imagined a restaurant that catered specifically to vampires, one had to wonder what it would look like inside. Coffin-shaped tables? Deep goblets meant for swishing blood? Bats hanging from the gutters? I certainly hadn’t expected to find an ordinary building with nothing more than a stately desk sitting in front of the entrance.
Camouflage, I realized. While humans were quite aware of vampires, it seemed unwise to shove their faces in it.
“Shall we?” Ethen once again offered me his hand.
I took it without hesitation. If I was about to enter the equivalent of a blood factory, it had damn well better be on the arm of
a respected vampire that many outright feared. Fingers wound tight, Ethen led me toward the door, then paused and waited for the hostess to acknowledge us.
Instead, she kept her head down as she marked off a seating plan. “We’re full up for the night.”
Even I balked. No eye contact, no welcome, nothing but a crisp and impolite brush off. I stole a glance at Ethen to find a darkness swelling in his gaze that hadn’t been there a moment ago.
I glanced back at the hostess, all the while praying that she’d look up from her seating chart before the vampire next to me snapped her neck. The cold Ethen was back, the one from the gala, and I honestly hadn’t a clue what he was capable of. I’d known he let his guard down in his own home, but it was disconcerting to witness the swift change that overcame him.
With a long sigh, the hostess lowered her pen and lifted her head. “I said—Oh, Mr. Rune!” The rest of her sentence ended in a pitiful squeak. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize—”
“My table, please.”
“Oh, of course. For you and your…” Her eyes flew wide once she caught sight of me. “Your…date?” The hostess’ face turned mottled red, and her lovely brown eyes pinched at the corners before she glanced back into the restaurant. “Right. If you’ll follow me, please. And I must apologize once again. I didn’t…it doesn’t matter that I didn’t…next time—”
“My table,” Ethen repeated in a clipped tone.
I barely managed to snort back a chuckle.
“Of course, Mr. Rune.”
I didn’t need vampire hearing to catch the litany of curses spewing from her mouth. Poor thing. She had no one to blame but herself, though. We followed her inside, and I took a moment to peruse my surroundings. The tables were oval-shaped as opposed to coffin, each lined with booths or chairs. All in all, Delirium had a modern carriage about it, including a bar that purveyed to humans, and loud music, likely to offer the patrons a bit of privacy from prying vampire ears.