The Monster Ball: A Paranormal Romance Anthology

by Heather Hildenbrand

  Step by step, he moved backward. Like a moth to the flame, I followed, unable to tear myself away from the heavenly temptation of his broad shoulders and unrelenting draw to the torment I tasted in his kiss.

  “Lucas,” a voice said sharply, barely penetrating the haze in my mind.

  His lips leaving mine did break through, though. Instead of complete abandonment, he placed a kiss at the corner of my mouth then started a trail down my jaw to just over the frantic beat of my pulse in my throat. My skin felt on fire.

  He inhaled deeply.

  “Joseline, I—”

  “If you cannot control yourself, I will remove her.”

  Lucas lifted his head and our gazes locked. I shook with what I felt for him.

  “How?” I whispered. How could I feel this way? Like if he didn’t finish, I would die and not indifferently. I’d die angry. And it wouldn’t be good.

  He opened his mouth, but Julia interrupted yet again.

  “We don’t have time for this,” she said. “I’ve been looking for you. Mother and Father would like a private word with you.”

  The light in his eyes dimmed, and he straightened away from me.

  “I need to address this,” he said. “I won’t be long.”

  I nodded, trying not to look as shaky with need as I felt.

  Chapter Six

  Duty and Diligence

  Lucas

  Joseline stared up at me, her eyes reflecting the need I felt. She tempted me more than any other individual ever had in my entire life. She licked her lips, drawing my attention to her mouth. The urge to lose myself in her kiss, her flavor, consumed me.

  Julia’s knowing smirk while she stood just behind Joseline stopped me.

  “I’ll only be a few moments,” I said, barely resisting the urge to touch Joseline again.

  “Take your time. We have all night, right?”

  Need gripped me hard.

  “You are quite right, and I don’t want to miss a moment of our time together.” I placed my lips on her brow, giving myself permission to touch her just one last time. The heat of her skin beckoned for more than the brief brush I allowed myself, though.

  Growling in frustration, I released her and left. It was time to put an end to Mother and Father’s plans once and for all.

  Julia moved to keep up with me as I entered the crowded ballroom. Taking the arch on the right, I went deeper into the castle. Julia made no comment, quiet for a change.

  We passed a couple near one of the many doors that lead to private rooms. They were heavily kissing and barely noticed our passage.

  “The next door,” Julia said.

  The one she’d indicated opened with ease, and I felt the tingle of magic as I stepped into a formal room decorated in bold reds and deep purples. The twin chairs set at the front of the room made me want to growl again. The family binding chairs. The same chairs Father and Mother sat in to commit eternity to each other.

  Other than the chairs, the room was filled with well-connected vampires. Those invited to the Monster Ball who also had interest in the future of Vlad’s line.

  My entrance did not go unnoticed. My mother, who spoke to a group near the door, spotted me right away.

  “Lucas, darling,” she said with a loving smile. Her words called the attention of everyone in the room, including Father and Annice, who stood near the chairs speaking to another small group.

  “Mother,” I said with a formal bow. “I would like to speak with you and Father privately, please.”

  “Can’t it wait until afterward?” Father asked, moving across the room to join our conversation.

  “No. It cannot.”

  “He’s anxious to get back to his blood bag. They looked deliciously cozy outside just now,” Julia said.

  I glanced at my sister in annoyance.

  “Her name is Joseline. And she’s obviously not a blood bag if she’s here.”

  “The woman you were with earlier?” Mother asked.

  “Yes. Please join me across the hall.”

  “Very well.”

  I left the room and checked the door across the hall. Unlike the one my family had selected, this room’s bare stone walls and empty space said it was yet untouched by magic and available for use.

  When I turned, I saw that Mother and Father weren’t the only ones to join me. Annice had followed as well. Since the conversation involved her, I didn’t suggest she leave. Instead, I closed the door.

  “Annice, I apologize if you’ve been misled. I never intended to bind myself to anyone.”

  Mother made a noise of exasperation.

  “Enough, Lucas,” Father said. “We’ve been patient, thinking you only needed time. However, time is not helping you. You feel alone. It’s something I know well.” He reached out for my mother’s hand and she smiled at him. “This is why we bind ourselves to another. Our existences can be long and seem cold without another’s company.”

  “My existence is long and cold because I crave the sun, not another’s company.”

  Joseline

  Without Lucas’s touch to send my pulse racing, I began to feel the chill outside. Other couples moved around in the shadows of the fog covered lawn but no one on their own like me. Feeling out of place, I moved toward the arch. The thump of the music and the possibility of more food had me stepping back inside.

  As if anticipating my entrance, a server passed by the arch as I entered. I snagged another appetizer, this one an Italian skewer. While I savored the olive and cheese, I looked around at the dancers. So many beautiful men and women in lavish attire. Those near the wall conversed in groups near the black couches.

  One of the curtained beds on the floor opened, and a handsome man with blonde hair walked away. The missing tie, look in his eyes, and bulge in his pants let me know he hadn’t left fully satisfied. A moment later, a woman emerged. Her long black hair streaked with blue and eyes in a shade of turquoise that couldn't be human drew my attention. She was positively beautiful. And positively annoyed.

  I hid my amusement with another bite of my appetizer.

  “You look a little lost,” a male voice said from beside me.

  I turned to look at the man with the auburn hair. A feeling of familiarity washed over me. He looked a bit older, mid-thirties, and I was sure I’d never met him before. Yet, the familiarity remained.

  “Not lost. Just waiting for someone.”

  “This is the one night a year you shouldn’t need to wait,” he said with a playful grin.

  “Oh? What makes tonight so special?” I asked since I still hadn’t figured out what made the Monster Ball the be-all end-all of parties. Yes, the dresses were amazing along with the fact that everyone here wasn’t human. But, other than that. It seemed like a party like any other. Higher end but still a party.

  “It’s the night when anything can happen. The night when our connection with the magic that runs through our veins is the strongest.”

  “Magic?”

  “Didn’t you feel it when you walked in? When you went outside? It’s in the air, soaking into our skins, making everything that much more. Hunger. Desire. All of it.”

  His words stirred an unpleasant hint of doubt inside of me. Oh, I’d felt the magic all right when we walked in here. But was the magic why I felt so strongly for Lucas?

  “So everyone here has magic?” I asked.

  “No. Not everyone. Just a few of us. But we’re all connected to it and can feel it on some level. I’m Ren, by the way. Would you like to dance?”

  His invitation was open and friendly. I glanced around for Lucas, preferring his company but settling for Ren’s.

  “Yes, I would love to dance.” It would give me an opportunity to learn more.

  He guided me out to the dance floor, where another slow ballad played, and took my hand. The warmth of his fingers wrapped around mine as he led the dance. His touch wasn’t unlike Lucas’s; yet it felt so different. There was no spark. If there was magic influencing wh
at I felt, it didn’t apply to just anyone.

  “Will I have the honor of learning your name?” he asked.

  “Oh, sorry. I’m Joseline.”

  While we moved, he studied me, his amber gaze sliding over my face.

  “You seem very familiar to me,” he said.

  “I was thinking the same.” As soon as I said it, I realized why. The shade of his hair and the color of his eyes was the same as the drummer.

  My gaze went to the band.

  “Are you related?” I asked, glancing between the two.

  “Yes. One of my brothers. He saw you earlier and brought you to my attention.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “It’s not often there’s a face we don’t know in this crowd. When there is, we notice, especially one with your hair.”

  “My hair?”

  “We have a thing about red hair. Yours is a shade that only a few can pull off.”

  We twirled past the band and started around to the other side of the room. I struggled with a way to lead into a conversation that would tell me something about this place or the people.

  “What’s your dad’s name?” he asked.

  The question took me off guard.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You just look so familiar. Maybe I know your parents.”

  “My parents look nothing like me. I was adopted as a baby.”

  “Humans?” he asked.

  “As far as I know.”

  “Must have been a shock when you found out you weren’t one of them. How long have you known about this?”

  “Today.”

  He looked surprised.

  “You just learned you’re not human today?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m amazed you’re so well composed.”

  “It wasn’t as shocking as it should have been. Weird, right? Everything I’ve learned, though, just felt…”

  “Right?”

  “Exactly.”

  The song ended, and he guided me from the dance floor.

  “Thank you, Joseline. I hope you enjoy the rest of the ball and that whoever you’re waiting for doesn’t take too long.”

  “Don’t worry, it’ll give me a chance to taste some more of the appetizers I’ve been seeing on the trays around here.”

  He smiled and walked off, leaving me on my own at the edge of the dance floor. He’d barely disappeared into the crowd when someone touched my arm. I turned and found a dark-haired man standing beside me. Unlike many of the men, he wasn’t dressed in a suit and tie but a sport coat over a partially unbuttoned shirt and a pair of jeans.

  “My name’s Jace. I saw you dancing and had to come over to see if I could take you for a spin.” He grinned at me roguishly, the scruff of his short beard adding to his rugged good looks. Despite his physical appearance, though, he didn’t send off the safe vibes that Lucas or the other guy had. It didn’t worry me. I just knew not to dance with him.

  “Thank you for the offer, but I think I’ll sit this one out.”

  “Not much for the rock?” he asked.

  “It’s fun to listen to, but this isn’t the dress for it.”

  His eyes swept over my dress, and he made a hungry sound.

  “That dress is something.” He met my eyes. “You’re quite a sight in it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’d like to see you out of it too.”

  I snorted a laugh.

  “That’s pretty bold.”

  He shrugged.

  “The ball ends at dawn, and if I want to see you again, I only have a few hours to make a lasting impression.”

  “Perhaps next time,” another voice said. “Joseline arrived with Lucas.”

  I glanced at the newcomer to our conversation and found myself staring at another version of Ren. This one had darker hair, a deeper version of red.

  “I didn’t peg you for a cold fish,” Jace said, gaze sweeping over me. “Damn shame.”

  With that, he walked off, leaving me wondering how being with Lucas made me a cold fish. I turned to the newcomer.

  “Not sure whether to thank you or ask why you felt the need to point out who I came with.”

  “Go with thanking me. I’d rather play the hero than the jackass,” he said with ease.

  I smiled widely.

  “Then, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. My name’s Eben. Saw you with my cousin,” he said.

  “Nice to meet you. How is it you know my name?”

  “Ren. And word travels fast.”

  Like with Ren, I found myself feeling like I’d met this man before. Only the sense was much stronger.

  “Ah,” I said, acknowledging how he’d known my name. “So why does coming here with Lucas make me a cold fish?”

  Eben studied me for a moment.

  “You know Lucas is a vampire, right?”

  “Yes. I do. I fed him.”

  His brows rose high.

  “You did?”

  “Yes, well. He needed to eat, and I was the only one around.”

  “Ah.” A majority of his surprise faded. “Yeah, when they’re hungry, they aren’t as picky.”

  I frowned at him. “First, I’m a cold fish. Now, I’m not good enough for Lucas?”

  He held up his hands quickly. “That came out all wrong,” he said quickly.

  “I bet. It might be better if you walk away now. You’re heading into jackass territory.”

  “Heading? That’s generous of you. I feel like I bought property and started building a house. Look. I didn’t mean there was anything wrong with you. Vamps just tend to stick to humans. And you’re not human. That’s all I meant.”

  I considered him for a moment and read the sincerity in his gaze.

  “Fine. Misunderstanding.”

  “Can I walk you to the bar to get a drink? Just a friendly escort.”

  I knew I should tell him to get lost, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d met him before.

  Chapter Seven

  Afterhours Delights

  Lucas

  I struggled to keep my temper under control as minutes continued to slip by in our uselessly old and well-covered debate. Everything to say had already been said, which was the height of my frustration. My parents were wasting my time with Joseline for no valid reason in their repetitive attempts to persuade me that binding to Annice was in my best interest.

  “Nothing you’re saying is anything new, and it does not change my stance. Please excuse me.”

  Father actually growled at me.

  “If I may say something,” Annice said.

  Father indicated she should speak, and her light brown eyes met mine.

  “You don’t oppose the binding as much as you oppose making children who might regret their existence. And, I understand. To create that bond then watch them turn their back on it would be devastating.”

  Her words cut deeply as I’m sure she intended. Was that truly what Mother and Father felt?

  “A bonded pair is about bloodline, Lucas,” she said, continuing. “It need not be about raising our children together. All I need is your blood. I will create our children, and I will raise them. If any fail after four hundred years, you need not ever know.”

  I liked Annice even less now.

  “Tell me, Annice. How many children would you create?”

  “As many as it takes to cull the wheat from the chaff. I will ensure your bloodline with only the strongest and most worthy.”

  I glanced at Father and could see the spark in his eyes die. He hadn’t selected me because I was the strongest and most worthy. He’d selected me because I wasn’t. He’d been drawn to my compassion for life. In a time when fear ruled instinct, he’d known creating a merciless killer would have brought death to us all. Even Julia had compassion though she liked to hide it behind her crude “blood bag” and “livestock” talk. Every human in our home was treated well and usually recruited as our nourishment through the form of discreet
job applicants.

  Annice’s speech had just ensured I would not need to endure an unwanted binding ceremony tonight.

  “Father,” I said, addressing him. “If there’s nothing else you require of me, I would like to rejoin my guest.”

  He exhaled heavily.

  “Of course.”

  “Wait,” Annice said. “You won’t even consider my solution?”

  “That wasn’t a solution,” I said. “I apologize for wasting your time and hope you can still find a way to enjoy the remainder of your evening.”

  I turned and left the room. Julia was in the hall, waiting for me.

  “Well? Did you manage to worm your way out of another binding ceremony?”

  “We’re at the Monster Ball, sister. You’ve spoken of nothing else for weeks. Don’t you have something better to do with your time now that we’re here?” I asked.

  “I’ve talked about it so you wouldn’t forget. And what could be more entertaining than tormenting you?”

  I shook my head and started down the hall.

  “They will not stop,” she called after me.

  I hoped she was wrong, but after listening to Annice, I knew Julia was right.

  There had been other women thrown my way prior to tonight. I’d declined each one without needing to give a reason. However, Father’s patience had run dry weeks ago when our landscaper found me on the lawns, a burnt shell of nothing. It had taken days for me to heal. Days and Father’s blood. When I’d woken, he’d informed me I would be bound at the Monster Ball. That the arrangements had already been made. My reasons for what had happened hadn’t mattered. They didn’t understand my growing need to see a dawn or a sunset or how I’d lingered until it was too late to crawl back inside.

  No, Father and Mother had been heartbroken at the thought that I no longer wanted to continue my existence. And, given how they’d looked when Annice spoke of a child turning their back on their creator, I knew they would not give up on trying to see me happy with my lot in life.