“Really?” She eyes me up and down, like I’d be her drink of choice. “That’s so generous of you.”
Maria glowers and takes my hand in hers. “Miss Elizabeth.” Holy shit, she’s just kissed my hand. “It’s been wonderful to meet you.” She releases me.
Stunned, I wipe her lip-gloss from my knuckles onto my hip as she turns back to her group, and Adrien thankfully guides me away.
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “She’s four hundred years old. Female vampires become a little heated as the centuries fly by. They have to be handled carefully.”
“Four hundred?” I squeal.
“Keep your voice down,” he utters. “What did you expect?”
“Sorry.” I wince. “It’s just all a bit surreal.”
“Well, you’re going to have to get used to it. Come, let’s get you a drink.”
I can hear the music from downstairs. The beat vibrates beneath my feet. It’s fast, with more of a party feel to it, and is drowning out the slow dub-step being played on this floor.
Adrien goes behind the bar as Jimmy places a tray in front of me, containing a bottle of champers on ice. I peer over my shoulder and try to count how many vampires are in the room. I estimate between fifty and sixty. There are also two security men standing before the doors, to prevent fresh meat accidently stumbling in.
I linger in a daze waiting for Adrien, not knowing what to do with myself or where to look. I don’t want to gawp, but it’s hard not to as I hear Laurie’s creepy superior voice, meeting and greeting behind me.
Please hurry up Adrien. Do not leave me alone with him.
My heartbeat races as his voice draws nearer. I’m determined not to turn. Just be invisible, I tell myself.
I blow out in relief as Adrien approaches me, but he’s suddenly pulled away by another who wants to give their regards. I draw in a preoccupied breath, listening to Laurie saying goodbye, now only a few feet from me.
“Well, Miss Lovell.” Oh crap, he’s made it to me.
I order myself not to let him get to me as I turn with an indirect curl of my lips. “Laurie, hello again.”
“I see Adrien is being dragged away from you.” He places his elbow on the bar and leans right next to me. “It’s a working hazard I’m afraid.” Still nervously smiling, I hum like I’m interested in his company. “It must be difficult for you, having to take all this in.”
“It’s been enlightening, you could say.”
I place my sweaty palms against the ice-bucket, hoping it will cool down my rising temperature. He sniffs and folds his hand around my forearm. My breath quakes as his fingers squeeze and release my skin, again and again in a seductive way.
“It is very irregular to have a red in our presence as an equal. But I have the feeling that you are going to change things for the better around here.”
“Hmm, thanks,” I say through the lump in my throat.
He leers to the point I cannot take my eyes from the shelving behind the bar. This conversation is dead to me. How can I be comfortable when he’s touching me like this? He’s giving off vibes that he wants to do horrible things to me, and it’s turning my stomach.
“Adrien has always had an unconventional streak with the ladies. Whether that be good or bad, only time will tell.” I force my eyes to look at him. It feels like he’s warning me. “They say blind love is just that. Can’t see the truth or what is happening around you. Until it is too late that is. Maybe it will take a red to open his eyes. You Miss Lovell.”
My knees bend several times. It’s an anxious twitch that’s feeding his narcissistic shady ego.
“Adrien, well, he has disregarded that contract now,” I murmur.
He sniggers with a nod of his head. “Yes he has, but it is a crying shame.” His near black eyes slim. “Because I bet you’d make one very submissive red indeed.” He lets out a deep menacing sigh.
“I... I don’t think Adrien would appreciate you talking to me this way,” I utter breathlessly.
He snickers silently. “You Miss Lovell, have a lot to learn about how vampires work.” He gives my arm one last squeeze before letting me go.
Hell, I’m going to run away any minute. He really wants to put me off, and as much as I fight against his creepy intention, it’s not working. I thought tonight I’d be opened up to a different world, without being frightened half to death. If only Adrien would just come and save me, and make these stupid fears that I’m doing the wrong thing vanish.
Laurie glimpses over his shoulder as a rowdy group make their way to the bar. I turn, feeling instant reprieve. I never thought I’d be happy to see Dom and Sara. But my word, they’re my saviours tonight. It says a lot when I’m more relaxed in Sara’s company.
Dom staggers at my side. I think he’s been out celebrating the new year all day. His tie is undone, the top three buttons of his light blue shirt are open, and he’s splattered with beer stains.
Sara joins his side, looking quite natural for a change. She hardly has any make-up on, wearing a little black dress, and of all the things I never expected to see her in, patent flats. Laurie stares by me and Dom, right at her. But she doesn’t look. It’s as though she knows not to.
Dom swings out his arms and twists his drunken torso. “Connor, Ben,” he gestures madly. “Going to have to grab a seat. I’m fucked I tell ya!”
Connor and Ben make their way over. Both sober, and both clearly minding Dom.
I’m finding it difficult to relax. All I can think of is that photo of them all as soldiers. Each one of them are here, in the present. Then I go over last night, what I did and how I behaved. I completely omitted what Adrien was, all so we could enjoy each other sexually. Does that make me a dumbass slut for not going away to consider the dangers? Or should I go easy on myself, because I’m hopelessly in love with him?
“Liz, good to see you again,” Ben says, cuffing Dom around the back of his head. “I take it Laurie here is making you feel welcome.” He chuckles to himself.
Laurie drinks his whiskey, then thankfully puts more distance between us. He walks to Sara’s back, but she still won’t look at him. He bends to her ear and whispers something that makes her stop breathing for a second, then he strolls away. I can’t help but feel sorry for her. Perhaps that’s why she’s the way she is, cold, spiteful, and a little slutty, because she was once involved with that nasty piece of work. She glances at me and I can see the fear in her eyes. It’s frustrating how only Sara and I know there is something very off with Laurie. I guess it’s female intuition.
“Righto Liz. We’re here to save you.” Dom wobbles back and forth. “We shall show you that... that you have nothing to fear in this.” He belches out loud. “Wonderful world.”
Connor grabs Dom’s arm. “Buddy, you’ll be showing her nothing but you falling on your fat ass if you carry on.”
Connor waves at Jimmy and orders a bag, which I’m presuming is blood. I swear if they all start to drink blood in front of me, I’m out of here. Jimmy hands Connor a small box, and mercifully shoves Dom toward the bathroom.
Ben slides a tray of drinks from the bar. “Liz, lets grab a seat. Sara.” He nods his head at her.
The weight of this room lifts as I sit in the corner of a booth, overlooking the area. Now I can stay out of the way and observe. Hopefully without meeting any more ominous characters.
Ben pops the cork out of the champagne bottle as Adrien appears over his shoulder.
“My job,” he states as Sara shifts so he can sit down beside me.
“Sorry boss.” Ben pours into a glass flute. “But your dating skills leave a lot to be desired.” He hands me the glass of bubbly with a smile.
“Yeah.” Adrien squeezes my thigh discreetly. “Laurie wanted to discuss a matter with me. It’s been dealt with now. Sorry Elizabeth, wasn’t what I had in mind. I forgot when we have these gatherings it always ends up in work.” He takes a glass of bubbly. “Anyway, happy new year.” He clinks his glass against mine.
Dom and Connor return to the table. Less than ten minutes ago Dom was on the brink of passing out. Now, he’s stone-cold sober and helping himself to the champagne. Connor huffs and with a swipe of his hand, Dom receives another cuff to the back of his head.
“Idiot, you won’t learn will you,” Connor barks. “That’s your third bag today, and I’m sick of babysitting for a drunken little shit.”
Dom downs the glass and beams a smile. “Hell, tis the holiday season you know. Be jolly and all that. I feel fucking awesome. See.” He stands up and like a bolt of grey hazy lightning, he’s at the bar. Shit, he’s just flashed from here to over there in a blur, faster than the speed of my sight.
My mouth opens wide and I can’t breathe without making a droning noise. In anger, Adrien stands up, waiting for me to move my legs so he can squeeze through. But I can’t move because I’m astonished. How the hell did Dom do that?
“Fricking idiot,” Ben mumbles.
Dom returns to the table in the same superhuman manner, holding a tray of drinks. Sara yanks on his arm, telling him to sit the hell down. He puts the tray on the table and holds out a cocktail, as I stare at him in amazement.
“What have you been told,” Adrien says furiously, sitting back down. “Don’t flit in here. Do that again and I’ll have you barred from every club and bar in London.”
I’m still gawping, and Dom is still holding the glass out to me.
“Sorry, feeling all energised after that feed,” Dom explains, sheepishly. “It just happens. I can’t control it.”
Adrien looks at my stunned expression. He takes the glass from Dom and puts it down next to my wine flute.
“Yeah well, you better learn, because you’re not having another bag. Do you understand?” Adrien snaps.
“Liz,” Dom chirps. “Apple mojito, thought you’d like one.”
I move my eyes onto the cocktail. He’s right, I would like one, more than ever now. Maybe it will settle my nerves.
“Thanks.” I pick up the glass and sip the sweet fizzy flavour. “So...” I squint. “You can all whizz around like that?”
“Yeah, it’s called flitting,” Adrien explains, relaxing back into the seat. “But we don’t use it.” He eyeballs Dom. “It’s a survival tool, nothing more. We don’t do anything that draws attention.”
Ben hits Dom’s back in a pally way. “This new blood has yet to master the art of self-control.”
“It’s a cool gift. Don’t know why we don’t use it more often,” Dom shrugs. “Get things done much faster.”
“Because...” Adrien’s tone stretches. “We are not stupid Dom. Are you stupid?”
“No,” Dom replies, sinking into his chair.
“Don’t do it then!”
Sara stands up and leaves the table. She’s not her usual bitchy self tonight. She seems deflated and doesn’t really want to be here. Maybe I should go after her and try the girly talking thing. I shuffle to the edge of the seat, but Adrien covers my hand with his.
“Leave her. She’ll be fine,” he says. “She always is.”
“Will she?” I ask, unconvinced.
“Ex trouble, and I’ve sorted it,” he says firmly.
“You mean Laurie?”
“He’s feeling unappreciated, and he’s sulking because I refused one of his business proposals. He’ll get over it. Besides, tonight is about you. So drink, loosen up, and question away.”
There are probably a thousand questions I could ask. Each one will struggle to part from my lips with ease.
I watch Dom knock back a whiskey, then I remember he wasn’t in the photo I saw at the penthouse, but seems very close to Adrien. So I inhale and ready my voice box to discharge the question.
“Okay. Dom.” He flinches because I’ve singled him out. “How did you become, well you know?” The delight on his face at my query creates a grin from ear to ear.
“Anything but that,” Adrien grumbles.
“No shit. Seriously Adrien.” Dom laughs aloud. “What’s wrong with telling her you’re a goddamn hero?”
I turn to Adrien. His fingers hug his jaw and his pupils are high. I don’t get it. He said ask, so I did.
“So let me get this straight. I can only ask anything that you agree to?” I huff at him. “Okay, tell me why you have a problem with me asking that particular question then?”
“Ah-ah, nice come back, Liz.” Ben chuckles. “I like this girl.”
“Touché.” Adrien grins awkwardly. “Right, I’m going to get a drink.” He kisses my cheek as he stands up, then quickly he slopes away.
His reaction is that of someone whose baby photos are about to be shown to all and sundry. I think it’s really cute.
“Ready for this?” Dom asks eagerly. “Two years ago, while back at home in Seattle, I was a resident in St Mary’s Hospice,” he explains. “I had AML. If you’re unsure what that is, it’s acute myeloid leukaemia.”
“I’m really sorry. I...I...” Silence catches my voice.
He chuckles at me. “Don’t get all emotional about it. I’m here aren’t I?” He folds his arms across the table. “I had only hours left, and I was being pumped with all kinds of drugs to try and delay the reaper coming for me.” He looks over his shoulder to the bar. “That’s when I met Adrien. I don’t know whether it was because I was near death, but I knew what he was.”
I frown. “What was he doing in a hospice?”
“Work. You know, looking for new sources,” he says, casually. “It was like a sign, him being there.”
“Jeez Dom, you better stop before I shed a tear,” Ben jokes.
“Shut up, it’s the truth,” Dom yaps. “Anyhow, I called him over and begged him to save me. To which he replied, hell no my friend, greet death with dignity.”
“How did you change his mind?”
“Well, he sat with me for a while, and we got onto the topic of work. I worked for a pharmaceutical company that doesn’t only research and provide new drugs, but performs blood testing. Then we got onto the topic of family. Well I don’t have one, but won’t go into that right now.”
“So, he turned you for his own benefit; because you were useful?” I ask, because that’s how it sounds.
“No, it wasn’t like that,” he says in a high tone, frustrated because I’m not getting it. “I wasn’t ready to die alone at twenty-two. And eventually he came around to the idea. He told me if he did it, I would have to work for him. I would become a part of his family. His coven.”
“And you agreed?” I pucker my lips. “What about your soul?”
“Hell yes, and I’d do it all over again.” He flings his hands out and slumps his back into the chair. “My soul, well, I look at it as destiny. If I weren’t meant to be this way, then I wouldn’t have been shown the truth,” he says. “Adrien saved me, even though he could have been punished for it. He sired me and has looked out for me ever since.”
“And you’re happy with your choice?” I squint.
“Do I look happy? The world’s not black and white, good and bad. There are thousands of variations of all things. Adrien was an angel sent to me that night.”
“Jeez Dom.” Connor blows out. “You seriously need to stop preaching that devout holy shit. Do not let Adrien hear you calling him an angel. He’ll kill you.” He sniggers.
Adrien approaches the table slowly. I can see that he’s hoping the storytelling is now over. I don’t really understand why he left in the first place. Maybe he thought I’d be horrified. But I can see why he did it. No one wants to watch death, and if there’s a way to stop it, I guarantee ninety percent of the human population would take it to save a loved one.
“Have we finished?” He sits down beside me. “If he’s telling you I’m his hero, it’s bullshit. He’s been kissing my ass ever since that night.” He takes a swig from a bottle of Bud.
“And I will carr
y on kissing it boss.” Dom laughs loudly and the others join in.
I peer sideways and watch him. He’s very modest, and I’m learning new things about him all of the time. I have to admit, I’m captivated by all of this.
The conversation has been flowing for over an hour. Dom and I have been cast aside as the old army buddies reminisce. He’s been playing out American football positions for me, using beer coasters. I would usually find this sort of topic boring, but his passion on the subject is entertaining me greatly. There was a time I was wary of him, but now I’ve come to realise he’s harmless. He reminds me of Nathan in many ways. His binge drinking for one, and his need to party and lighten everyone’s mood.
I take a sip of my drink as Ben, Connor, and Dom go and mingle. Now I’m alone with Adrien, I shuffle up closer and face him.
“So, every vampire in this room is in your coven?” I ask.
He nearly chokes on his beer. “If that were the case, I’d have quit years ago,” he says with a sweet grin. “I’m the head executive here. A kind of a political leader everyone loads their crap onto. A coven is a family. And mine, you’ve already met them all tonight.”
Okay, I’m reassured by that. That Maria I’m glad I’ll probably never have to see again. Wish I could say the same thing about Laurie though.
“We look out for each other. It’s a tough job, having to split my time between my own business and this,” he says. “I’ve got it to the stage now where both are somewhat intermingled. Downstairs is used for stock and distribution. And up here, well this is my own. It has nothing to do with the Sange Pentru.”
An aggressive commotion suddenly occurs by the doors, disturbing our conversation. Security are having a great deal of trouble trying to shift someone who shouldn’t be in here. Adrien stands and elevates up on his toes, then he looks down at me with a stern face. I can tell he doesn’t want me to see what’s going on. His unsettled eyes are ordering me to stay seated, but I get up regardless. I’m way too curious to do as I’m told.
Oh my god, it’s Nathan, and he’s just punched one of the bouncers in the nose. There’s blood everywhere, and in a room full of vampires. I have to go. I have to get him out of here right now.
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