A sigh escaped her when Tanya glided over to the door and retrieved a metal suitcase. She plopped it on the bed and undid the metal clips, revealing a motherlode of make-up and accessories. Tanya selected a pair of tweezers and smiled with a mischievous glint in her eye. “But first, a little torture won’t hurt.”
The clock on the wall struck nine. Helena struggled to suppress the urge to run from this overbearing vampire while Tanya made the finishing touches to her look.
When she was done, Tanya put her hand on her hip. “I guess after dying your hair and getting rid of the bags under your eyes, you look kind of attractive for a kid. I look better though.”
Helena fought not to roll her eyes. No matter what she said, Tanya would deflect it or turn it against her in one way or another.
Tanya grabbed Helena by the arm and half-dragged her to a full-length mirror the hotel staff struggled to bring in a while ago.
Upon seeing her reflection, she was stunned. The person staring back couldn’t possibly be her. Helena’s hair was its natural, chocolate-brown and cut by Tanya into a bob. The straightened locks reached just below her jawline. The make-up wasn’t as flashy as she had expected. It was almost unnoticeable, hiding her dark circles well. Most of all, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the dress. The green satin had wrapped around her curves, caressing her body like a lover’s touch.
She found a large slit on the side. It exposed most of her leg up to her upper thigh. “This is…revealing.”
Tanya released her.
Without support, Helena was left to balance in her high heels. The metal heels sunk into the carpet, and she wobbled on the spot.
“What Alexander asks for, Alexander gets. He wanted you to look like an expensive toy and, voila, you do.”
Helena looked at the ground in shame. She shouldn’t have expected any kind words from Tanya, but to be compared to a human toy was a first.
Tanya prodded her shoulder, causing Helena to wobble. “Can’t you walk in heels?”
“I never had to wear these things before.” Helena snapped.
“It will be easier once you get onto solid ground.”
Helena was escorted to the hallway where she teetered along the corridor until she found balance in her stride.
Tanya lifted her phone from her jeans back pocket. “We have finished here,” she said, sounding bored. “Yes…yes…all done. On a scale of one to ten? I’d say four, but, if you ignore her walking, it could be a six.” She hung up and waved Helena over. “They’ll be up shortly. Alexander said you should wait by the lift.”
“Thank you for your help.”
“Don’t misunderstand. I did this because Alexander asked me to.” Tanya didn’t wait for her reply and sauntered off.
Helena was unable to keep up with her strides. At the back of her mind, her worry about Lucious resurfaced. What if he hasn’t recovered? She hugged her sides and turned the corner. Her eyes were focused on the floor when the lift doors slid open, exposing Alexander and Lucious as they took turns stepping out.
Even with her heels on, she was shorter than Lucious by an inch or two when they stood next to each other. Alexander’s snow-white tuxedo highlighted his platinum hair. She was no longer surprised with his monochromatic fascination and didn’t care. To contrast him, Lucious wore nothing but black. Not a sliver of colour tainted their choice of clothes tonight.
She was relieved to see him walking around and had to suppress her urge to question him on his wellbeing. So, she forced her lips into a reserved smile.
Lucious inclined his head. “You cannot possibly be happy we’re going to meet the Council.”
The distant way in which he spoke made her uncomfortable. He had shut his shields too securely for her to get an idea of what he was feeling.
“Lucious told me the details of what happened in the bathroom. He insisted the matter wasn’t your fault. I feel I should apologise for how I reacted,” Alexander bowed his head in what appeared to be a sincere apology.
She shook her head. “No. I shouldn’t have re-created the link. It brought nothing but trouble with it.”
Lucious grabbed her hand. “We’ll be right back,” he said and marched her back into the hallway where he pressed her back against the wall.
The coolness of his hands made her shiver, yet her discomfort didn’t faze him as he forced her to look at him. “Listen to me, my dear. I asked you to create the link. You are not to blame for anything from this morning.” His expression darkened. “The elders will look for any weaknesses, anything they can use against us. I suggest you put on your best game face because if we take one wrong step tonight, we are as good as dead.”
Helena blinked and felt it then, his agitation and fear. Unable to say anything, she forced out a slow nod.
They made their way back to the lift, and Alexander glanced at his watch. “We should have some time to spare when we get there. Let us enjoy the evening and hope that by the end of the night we will still have our limbs attached.”
No one laughed at Alexander’s obvious attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere. They bundled together into the lift, one at a time, without any further conversation.
Helena’s fidgeting fingers played with the small beads embroidered on her dress as the numbers above the metal doors decreased.
What have I gotten myself into?
12
Russian Roulette
The moment Helena laid eyes on Russian Roulette, she paled under her make-up. The club remained as an obelisk of bad luck to her.
Alexander parked his Mercedes in the VIP parking area out front, and Helena observed the people outside, swarming the place like the bee hive.
They climbed out of the car and, before she could grasp the situation, a group of reporters rushed them, screaming their questions at Alexander.
Helena wanted to hide her face away from the flashing lights, but her new haircut didn’t provide her with much protection. She was grateful Lucious took note of her distress. He drew her closer to him and planted her hand on his biceps. His muscles flexed under her palm, and she fought to keep her attention on anything other than the strong body she was pressed against.
Alexander reverted to his pleasant business-self and answered the onslaught of questions.
A young busty brunette, whose face was caked in make-up to the extent that her natural skin tone vanished, elbowed her way through the group of other reporters and pushed her microphone into his face. “Alexander, why did you call it ‘the night of a century’? What is so special about tonight?”
He shot her his practised million-dollar smile and, in response to his outrageous flirtation, the reporter licked her lips.
“Every night holds a mystery.” He winked at her. “Tonight is simply more special than the other nights.”
“Has it got anything to do with the people you’re with?” another reporter added.
“My friends may or may not be a part of it.” He left the riddle hanging in the air and shot the reporters a cheeky wink.
Helena relaxed when he omitted their names. She didn’t want crazed paparazzi chasing after her when this was over.
Lucious whispered something into Alexander’s ear, and he nodded without losing his smile. “I apologise, but I must get inside. There is much to take care of.”
The reporters’ faces fell, yet curiosity never left their shining eyes. With obvious reluctance, they cleared a path for her and the others to pass.
At the entrance of the club, Helena overheard people whispering to one another. Some women chose to be brazen and shouted Alexander’s name, begging him to take them with him.
The vampires ignored their pleas as if they didn’t hear them.
Not wanting to stand out any more than she already did, Helena pretended to do the same.
Two bouncers opened the doors upon Alexander’s approach. He exchanged some words with one of them, which she couldn’t make out over the background noise, and the man eagerly trooped away.
He whispered in her ear. “Not really, Alexander called in a favour to get as many as he could. The Council should be more careful with this many eyes watching us.”
His closeness provided an odd sense of security to her. Although she did her best to hide it, she couldn’t tell if he could feel her emotions.
“Makes sense,” she replied, averting her eyes. These feelings she was having couldn’t be real. Her racing heart certainly had nothing to do with the handsome vampire at her side and everything to do with meeting the dreaded Vampire Council, or so she hoped. Getting a crush on someone like Lucious would be a mistake she couldn’t afford to make.
Helena studied the modified interior of the club. Glistening chandeliers irradiated the reception area, bringing colour to the once dull-looking space. She almost tripped over her dress while gaping in awe at the myriad of colours reflected off the tiny crystals.
Forcing herself to pay attention to the room, Helena recognised a few faces she had seen on television, crowding around the main desk.
What kind of favour did Alexander call in if there were more than enough celebrities around?
Tanya approached them in a short, silver, hip-hugging cocktail dress. She held a digital tablet in her hands. Her slender fingers skimmed the glass surface with light taps here and there. Once she finished what she was doing, her eyes landed on Lucious. The woman lit up with a bright charming smile, and Helena groaned inwardly.
“Looks like you made it.” She gave Alexander a quick hug then gave Lucious a longer one. Tanya proceeded to wrap her arms around Lucious’ neck, drawing him in for a kiss.
He didn’t seem to mind and kissed her back.
Helena jerked her hand away from him, creating some distance between them. She didn’t want to intrude on their intimate moment that made her stomach churn.
“Are the preparations ready for tonight?” Alexander asked, fighting a smile.
Tanya peeled away from Lucious with much reluctance. “The room has been cleared and the entertainment for humans was organised to perfection, sire.”
Alexander checked his watch. “They should arrive in about half an hour. I guess now would the best time to enjoy yourselves.”
“Then I best get back to work, as much as I hate conversing with these…people.” Tanya separated from their group.
Lucious placed a hand on Alexander’s shoulder in the same reassuring way he had done at the hotel. “You have done your best until now. Let us hope they arrive here in a good mood.”
“I wish I could do more about it.” Alexander hesitated for a moment and added, “I will be here if you need me. This is my business after all, and my guests need to be formally greeted. You will be notified by the staff when the time comes.” With that, he brushed Lucious’ hand off and strode to where Tanya was animatedly chatting with someone.
Helena was unsure of what to do or say. What could she say when she didn’t know whether she would live through the night?
Lucious studied her. On the outside, he seemed composed, but she knew better than to trust his appearance. The string between them quivered with his anxiety, taking away the usual peace she felt around him.
He offered her his hand and bowed at the middle. “Would you like to dance, my dear?”
“Dance? Now?” She shot a glance at the entrance. “What if they arrive early?”
“You’ve heard Alexander. We have time to spare, and I want to enjoy it.”
The unnatural pull of the string made her want his closeness and the cool touch his hand offered. Her rational mind knew better. It screamed Michael’s warnings at her—words she had dismissed so many times without a second thought.
“It is only a dance,” he assured her.
Helena diverted her gaze. It was silly to worry over something so unimportant. She accepted his hand. “Just one.”
The string in her gut calmed, soothing her nervousness and warming her from within.
He led the way past a flock of people accumulated around them, through a set of doors, and into a long purple hallway. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dimmer lighting. In the middle of the hallway, another set of doors blocked their way. A loud boom of dance music came from the other side.
The doors were opened by a woman with short, blonde curls that bobbed from side to side as she led them to the dance floor. She didn’t bother speaking since the huge space spoke for itself. After pointing her manicured index finger at the large mass of dancing bodies, she went back to her post.
Helena stayed tethered to the spot. It was hard to see anything in the semi-dark. When the neon lights shone at the overdressed crowd, she cringed. She shouldn’t have accepted his offer to dance. There was no way she could keep up, nor did she want to. She realised that she was clinging to Lucious’ arm and mouthed an apology.
A mixture of strong perfume and sweat hung in the air. People in here weren’t worried about ruining their designer clothes.
The lighting changed without warning, illuminating more of the dance floor. Bodies of dancers were pressed so close together, she imagined they would eventually merge into one large mass of flesh and material. Couples, or so she assumed, were devouring each other with their mouths against the dark walls. Some people were more adventurous when they thought no one noticed.
She tugged on Lucious’ jacket, and he bent down.
“What kind of club is this exactly?” she shouted so he could hear her over the music.
He gave her a sly smile and moved his lips closer to her ear. “What kind of club does it look like?”
Helena couldn’t see her own face, but she knew it turned tomato-red. This was not her usual venue for a party. To be more specific, she never went out clubbing, even when Laura offered.
A second later, she was pulled into a stream of dancing people and his jacket became her anchor to safety.
“Come closer,” he said.
Balancing on her heels became harder as more people joined in. Someone bumped into her, trapping her against Lucious and the crowd. She quietened in an attempt to calm her quickening heartbeat.
His large hands touched her bare back. She had forgotten about the exposed back of her dress until now. This whole scenario was making her misunderstand his intentions. She repeated in her mind that this was something to cheer them both up. Yet, her heart kept on galloping like a horse.
They began moving with the crowd, dancing to their own rhythm. She saw little of what was around her, so she buried her face in his shoulder.
Lucious’ breath brushed her ear. “I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight.”
Those words made her blush. Trying to act unaffected, she lifted her head. “Thanks for the compliment. You look dashing yourself. Tanya is a lucky vampire.”
He tilted her chin up with his index finger. “What has she got to do with this?”
Helena cursed the link between them. It was making his touch feel as something much more magical than what it was. She slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me. You have Tanya, and I have Andrew.”
She tried pushing away from him, but he held on.
“Let me go!” she ordered through gritted teeth.
“As you wish,” he said and released her.
She lost her balance, and he caught her, bringing her back to where she first started—in his arms.
“You did that on purpose!”
He chuckled at her outburst. “Relax. I am not planning on doing anything to you.”
The music changed to a slow-paced melody. The crowd dispersed, leaving them amidst a dozen other couples on the dance floor.
She glared at him. He was toying with her. Wasn’t he supposed to be scared of the Council’s arrival?
The thought of the Council returned the heaviness she had forgotten since they had arrived at the club. Closing her eyes, she let her head rest against his hard chest. His familiar sc
ent of sandalwood surrounded her, taking away the overpowering stench of everyone else. She snaked her arms around his waist and let him take the lead.
The link between them burned with energy at this proximity, shooting tingles through her.
“Do you feel that?” she asked.
When she glanced at him, his eyes were closed. He looked like he was enjoying the same feeling. Once he lifted his heavy lids, his eyes were glowing with a mesmerising blue flame.
“Indeed. The link is much more stable when we are not fighting.”
Helena concentrated on their bond, examining the energy coursing between them. It was warm and calming.
The tranquillity didn’t last long. Not far from them, something powerful approached, leaking prickling energy around the building.
He must have sensed it as well because they both stopped dancing. The hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention and her hands slid away from him.
When she looked up at him, he was already alert and had reverted to his serious self. The music picked up the pace once again, bringing more people to the dance floor.
Lucious took her hand and brought her closer to the door.
Another blonde in a black business dress approached them. Helena couldn’t pinpoint if Alexander only hired blondes or made them dye their hair as part of the job description. Thank God my interview failed.
The employee studied Lucious and Helena before tugging on his sleeve.
He lowered himself to her level, and the girl whispered something in his ear.
“Thank you. Just one moment,” he muttered and took Helena to one side, blocking her view of the room with his body.
She already knew what he was going to say as the tension had set into his broad shoulders.
“They are here. We must go. And, Helena…” He seemed to search for the right words while his fingers dug into her arms. “Do not reveal anything about the link to them. The less they know about your involvement the better.”
Her words were stuck in her throat, so she bobbed her head in agreement.
Russian Roulette (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 1) Page 17