After several minutes she was finally able to string a sentence together. “This was ... harder ... to fight than your magic.”
She opened her eyes to see Ethan smirking at her with half-closed eyes. Wasn’t he mad that someone had done this to her? Intentionally? “Is this funny to you?” she asked feeling dismayed, and slightly offended.
“No. Well, okay, maybe a little bit, but I knew you wouldn’t be harmed. It wears off. I sort of expected this from Alex,” he confessed slowly.
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
“I, well, honestly, I wanted to see what happened when another vampire tried that on you.”
She sat up quickly and her head swam painfully. “You told him to do that?” she asked horrified.
“No, of course not! I wouldn’t do that. I just knew he might try it, I mean I didn’t know he’d actually—I just thought perhaps—and I knew he wouldn’t hurt you,” he sputtered, and she could see that he was realizing his error, and was now scrambling to make it right.
“Oh, that’s just wonderful!” Her words were seething with sarcasm. “So, what did you learn?”
“It seems you can fight my magic better than the others.”
“Ethan, I didn’t want to spend the evening as a test subject. I can’t believe you let him do that to me!” She pushed him to the side so she could stand and stumbled like a drunk toward the door.
“Please don’t be angry. Danielle, I’m sorry! I swear I would have been angry if I’d thought you were in harm’s way, but I knew you weren’t. Where are you going?”
“I need chocolate!” But as soon as she got to the door, she stopped and did an immediate about-face, returning to Ethan. The vampire who put her under his spell was heading toward the drawing room. She sat back on the sofa and covered her eyes.
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
In reply she lifted one finger toward the doorway and kept her eyes covered.
“Ethan, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist,” said Alex, she guessed. He was laughing as he spoke, clearly thinking it was funny to do this to her.
“You know how Alex is, he can’t resist a joke,” a sultry female voice said. She was probably jerk-face-vampire’s date.
Her shoulders wilted. Great, she thought, now she’s the brunt of a joke, and she still wanted chocolate to comfort her. Parting her fingers, Danielle peeked to see if she could get past them, but they were still blocking the doorway. Darn.
“I think you need to apologize to her, not me,” Ethan said diplomatically.
“Yes, of course. Danielle dear, I’m sorry. That was very rude of me. Please accept my apology.” She noted that he’d moved further into the room, as his voice was coming from a different direction. His speech was perfectly genteel and his apology sounded genuine, but he could have just been a good liar.
Danielle felt gentle fingers touch her wrists, and figured it was Ethan. “It’s okay, you can look. He won’t do it again. And if he does, I’ll go get my sword.”
She lowered her hands and opened her eyes carefully. They were there in front of her, both looking off in different directions. Alex sat in a wingback chair with his legs crossed. His date sat on the armrest of his chair and she was leaning against him while she played with his long wavy hair.
They were quite a pair. Their outfits coordinated, like prom dates. She was wearing a fussy red dress while he wore a coordinating red vest made from the same fabric.
With strawberry blond hair, the woman carried a snobbish look on her pretty made-up face. She was playing with her ruby studded necklace while her long ruby earrings swayed with her movement.
Danielle’s gaze returned to Alex. Do I forgive him? Do I even want to? After pondering it for a moment, she decided to be polite regardless of how she felt. “Apology accepted,” she said quietly.
“Thank you.” His mouth twisted with wicked mirth and he then glanced at her. She felt a tug of his horrible magic.
“Hey!” She dropped her eyes to the floor and leaned toward Ethan. “Get your sword!”
Alex and his date laughed.
But Ethan loyally defended her. “Seriously, Alex, stop toying with her. She doesn’t like it.” He slipped his arm around her waist as though trying to keep her anger under control.
“Ethan, this is so odd, why are you keeping her mortal?” Alex questioned while he slung his arm nonchalantly across his date’s lap.
“You know why. I’m not in the mood to argue about it.” Ethan tightened his arm around her. His words didn’t sound ruffled, but the tense muscles in his arm told her otherwise.
“No one believes in that ridiculous prophecy,” Alex said, his tone pretentious.
Danielle sighed loudly and put her head on Ethan’s shoulder. Why does everyone have to bring this up? “Now go get your sword,” she repeated.
Ethan chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.
“Alex, I don’t care what the others think.”
“But, Ethan, you foolish prude, you’re missing out on so much fun.” Something wicked sparked in his gaze and Danielle dropped her eyes to his hand even though he wasn’t looking at her directly. Stroking his fingers suggestively along the girl’s arm, Alex went on, “Take her upstairs, bite her and...” The girl giggled in response as he trailed off.
“I hold Danielle in higher regard. She isn’t a toy to me, she’s immensely more. Therefore, I will not turn her. And I would never disrespect her in that way.” Ethan’s gallant defenses of their relationship earned back some of the respect he’d lost by allowing this situation to happen.
The smirk withered from the girl’s face.
“It was nice seeing you, Alex and Marguerite, but Danielle needs chocolate. So we must beg your leave.” Ethan took her by the hand, tugged her to standing and led her from the room.
“Nice exit,” she whispered as soon as they’d entered the hallway.
“Thanks. Again, I’m sorry about Alex. I was just curious—”
“I forgive you … I guess, but don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked at her with a narrowed gaze. “Chocolate cake?”
“Please.”
As they walked toward the kitchen, her mind returned to Alex and she wondered aloud, “Are you sure all of these vampires stick to the same diet as you? I’m finding it hard to believe.” Picturing Alex and his date as murderers wasn’t really a stretch at this point and she shuddered at the idea.
Ethan hugged her closer to his side. “As far as I know, they do, but no one here is policed, per se. So I cannot guarantee it.”
Another shiver moved up the length of her spine. Ethan snuggled her even closer as though he thought she might be chilled. But what chilled her was the possibility there were killers amongst the Order. He had told her they were repentant, but how many times did they fall off the wagon?
Her eyes dropped to the wonderful gown as it swished around her feet with each step. She really was enjoying tonight, and didn’t want it to end despite ... but.... “Am I really safe?”
When he didn’t answer right away, she turned her face toward his. He reached over to slide his fingers along her jaw, and then tapped the tip of her nose sweetly. “Trust me,” was all he said.
They entered the kitchen and Ethan invited her to sit on a barstool while he got the cake for her.
After retrieving a plate and fork, Ethan sliced off a thick piece of cake, with a long knife. Balancing it on the edge of the blade, he carefully set it onto the pretty white dish.
Before giving it to her, he asked, “Would you like it warmed?”
“You think of everything,” she said, now smiling.
He set it in the microwave and pressed a couple of buttons. After a ding sounded, he took it out and placed it in front of her while he slipped a cloth napkin across her lap. Next he went to the refrigerator and poured cold milk into a fancy goblet.
Danielle couldn’t stop smiling while she enjoyed the comforting treat of scrumptious chocolate
, because this was the perfect thing to get those other vampires off her mind.
“Mmm, Ethan, thanks for going to culinary school,” she said licking the fork clean.
Ethan watched covertly, as he leaned against the counter with his ankles crossed and his arms folded.
Staring down at her plate, Danielle decided she didn’t really want to go back to the ball. They’d gone through almost all of the dances she’d learned anyway and she didn’t want to risk another run-in with Alex. She wouldn’t put further teasing past him.
But she didn’t want to leave just yet and her mind wandered back to the photos they’d taken in the drawing room. “Can we go to your room and look at the pictures we took?” she requested hopefully, even knowing that being in his room alone was off-limits, according to Uncle Nick and perhaps Beon. They didn’t need to know. She felt safe with Ethan, so why let the evening end earlier than planned?
“You don’t want to go back to the ball?” He lifted one eyebrow as he gazed at her through narrowed eyes.
“I really don’t.”
“I don’t know if that’s allowed, Danielle.”
“Oh come on, you’ve been in my bedroom at night, we should be fine. Plus, don’t we only have another hour or so before midnight? I’ll have to go home soon anyway.”
Wondering if he might bring up the lines he wanted her to draw, she let her gaze again drop to the chocolate smeared plate and she ran her finger through it, waiting for his deliberation. She sucked the frosting from her finger. Danielle hadn’t meant for that gesture to come across flirtatiously, but realized when she lifted her face to his that it had. His lips had formed a tempted lopsided smile.
She sat up straight and her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Danielle thought for sure, he’d start lecturing her about propriety but was surprised when he simply laughed. “You didn’t mean to be a temptress?”
“No!” Taking in the look of wicked rebellion on his face, she asked, “Are you tempted?”
Stalking closer he revealed in a husky voice, “Yes, you tempt me.” He leaned down, touching his lips to the shell of her ear before nipping at her lobe. “But that isn’t new information, is it?”
With eyes rounding at his sudden intimacy, she thought, who’s tempting whom now? He was more than close enough to smell. Of course she’d been getting strong whiffs of his magical essence all night. Each time when she’d thought she’d lose the battle she’d held her breath. Like just before now when he’d led her to the kitchen. If she hadn’t been worried about Alex she might have been overwhelmed. “Does this mean you don’t want to go look at the pictures?”
“No. I’ll go get the camera,” he replied, his grin mischievous.
She believed Ethan was just as surprised as her when Sophia suddenly joined them. The young-looking, yet grandmotherly vampire had uncanny timing. Danielle wondered if she’d heard their conversation and planned to enforce the rule her uncle had set down.
“Could I make you some tea, Danielle dear?” Sophia offered sweetly.
Ethan halted in his stride and turned a shocked gaze onto Sophia. “But you’ve never—”
“Been around mortals at night? That is true, but I could smell her earlier and it didn’t bother me.” Sophia lifted her chin. “Ethan, do not worry yourself. I’m fine.”
“But—?”
“Hush.” She made shooing motions with her hands before opening a cupboard and collecting a teacup and saucer.
Ethan stood there like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. After a long pause he asked, “What was I just about to do?”
“The camera.”
“Ah, yes.” Another long hesitation, then, “I shall return.” The words came out slow, like he felt it important she knew he’d be back. Or was it a warning for Sophia?
With one more look directed at first Sophia and then her, he finally left.
“Have you tried blueberry yet?” Sophia asked, with eyes averted.
Drawing her gaze from the doorway Ethan had just left through, Danielle said, “Um.” Should she be worried about this innocent-looking woman? “No, but that sounds nice,” she managed.
Silence hung heavily between them as they waited for the water to boil. It seemed to be taking forever. Danielle tried to look anywhere but at Sophia who was watching her. Intently. Then Sophia moved closer. Bringing the teacup, Sophia set it on the bar in front of Danielle as she settled onto the barstool next to hers.
“This fragrance,” Sophia began, then corrected with, “This human fragrance is quite different from animals.”
That was a freaky strange statement.... “Ethan said you’ve never been this close to a mortal at night?”
“Never.”
Really? This pretty woman has really never been outside of this place at night since...? “And Beon allowed me to be here tonight?” she asked in amazement.
“He has always beleived it best to never taste mortal blood to be able to resist it and I suppose with me, he took it a bit further and made certain I never smelled it either. But he and Ethan resist the smell of fresh human blood all of the time. If they can handle it surely I can too.”
Another bout of intense silence filled the room, and Danielle decided this vampire was a little too close for comfort. She gathered up the plate smeared with chocolate, to take it to the sink. But when she turned, she managed to catch the edge of it on the teacup and the delicate bit of china rolled over the edge and shattered onto the tiled floor.
Bending to clean up the mess she’d made, Danielle began gathering the shards onto the plate. Just as she was wondering what could be taking Ethan so long, she cut herself and drew in a sharp intake of air with the pain. Lifting her hand, she examined the cut that was now blossoming with little droplets of crimson.
Danielle remembered the vampire in the room and glanced up. She was greeted with a pair of dilated blue eyes that were staring at her hand before shifting to her eyes. She snapped her eyelids shut. A sense of panic settled in the base of her spine because there was another thing she’d seen before closing her eyes. Fangs. She had to get out of there. Blindly lunging to her feet, Danielle wheeled around and ran right into a solid body.
She looked and blew out a sigh of relief because it was Ethan.
His nostrils flared and he said, “What happened?” It sounded like the words were forced out between clenched teeth.
“I knocked over the teacup and it broke, then—”
Flexing muscles rippled along his jaw. “Then you tried to clean it up.”
“I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes again as she hung her head, but opened them when his fingers tightened and bit into her arms. “What should I do?”
Tugging her fingers free of his coat, Ethan shoved something cold and hard into her hand. “Take my keys.”
“What?” Danielle shook her head and sought his gaze. “Ethan I trust you, won’t you just take me home?”
Ethan looked away, his brows furrowed. “We’re talking about the magical power of a curse here, Danielle. I’m not sure you can trust any of us right now. You must leave.”
“But,” she trusted him; he’d been around her at night. Backing away the truth began to sink in when she saw her blood on his brilliant while cravat. Yes, he’d been around her at night but never when she’d been bleeding. This was different. And she was in a mansion full of cursed beings. Ethan was right, she had to leave.
Turing on her heel she fled to the foyer when the toe of her shoe got tangled in her long dress and she stumbled to the floor. Reaching out to catch herself she cried out in pain when the keys bit into the palm of her hand, drawing more blood.
As she struggled to her feet in a long flowing gown, she noticed Alex, Marguerite, Beon and another male vampire she hadn’t met emerge from the drawing room.
Euphonious sounds of the band could be heard from the ballroom. The buoyant music was a disturbing contrast to the frightening scene before her. And the festivities of the
others continued as they danced joyfully oblivious to the possible murder scene unfolding in the foyer as Danielle stood bleeding deliciously in front of five cursed beings. Curling fingers into her newly wounded palm, she realized she’d just fallen from a Pride and Prejudice movie to a Hollywood horror film.
An immoral smile pulled up the corners of Alex’s lips, and Danielle covered her eyes.
“Let her leave!” Ethan thundered.
Danielle didn’t open her eyes until she’d turned and her back was to the cursed humans when she ran for the door. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might burst as she made her way to Ethan’s Jag. She unlocked the door with trembling hands, then slid into the driver side seat, pulled in the yards of fabric from her dress, and locked herself inside. She fought her shaking hand to put the key in the ignition.
The engine purred peacefully to life, despite her feelings of terror. She drove through the dark streets of London having no idea where she was going, or which way she should go. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she tried to drive a car that was unfamiliar to her and didn’t belong to her in a city that was now teaming with hungry vampires, somehow trying to remember to stay on the left side of the road.
After checking the rearview mirror, a scream clawed its way up her throat at the sight of the shadow that moved through the street behind her. It had to be a vampire, but whom? Terror gripped her lungs and she began gasping for air as tears continued to blur her vision, making driving impossible.
She’d left a mansion full of supposedly tame vampires only to enter a world of vampires who lurk in this city for mortal prey like her. Who was watching out for the weak mortals while the supposedly noble knights of the Order where reminiscing over the past with a party?
There was a sudden thump on the window. She screamed again and turned to see a vampire looking at her through the driver side window, while she was driving! But calmed when she realized it was Ethan. She slammed on the brakes and buried her face into her crossed arms on the steering wheel as the vehicle came to a halt.
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