get through
sixty minutes of hell if it meant an evening of heaven
afterwards.
Andrew’s forehead was still lined with
worry, but his guard dog stance had relaxed. “Swear on your life
that this woman will come back in one piece,” he ordered
Isaiah.
“ I swear it,” Isaiah said
soberly. “Nothing will hurt her.”
“ Except maybe the
paparazzi because I look amazing,” I amended. I straightened
Isaiah’s tie. “You look amazing, too.” The tuxedo, classic black
and white, fit him perfectly.
“ I look like a waiter,” he
said.
“ More like a handsome,
playboy millionaire.” A handsome, playboy millionaire with dark
skin, amber eyes, and full lips that I was dying to kiss. But that
would have to wait until after we’d partied with the
vamps.
Two
Hedda had outdone herself. Her party
was held at the prestigious Whitney restaurant, an elegant,
nineteenth century mansion that sat in the center of a decaying
neighborhood like a crown jewel in a rusting tiara. Stepping
inside, we were met with a two-story Christmas tree bedecked with
lights and glittery ornaments. Ropes of garland and tinsel hung
from the bannisters and crown molding. A stringed octet played
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker near a fire that roared in the massive
hearth. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
The moment I saw the vampires,
however, the warm glow building in my chest cooled. I couldn’t let
the splendor of the place overwhelm my common sense. We might be
Hedda’s guests and under her protection, but we were still humans
among vampires. A lot of vampires. Everywhere I looked, I saw
marble-white faces and the gleam of fangs. True, there were humans
here as well, but even so, those of us with warm flesh and beating
hearts were vastly outnumbered.
Although he didn’t comment, Isaiah
understood the danger as well. He tightened his hold on my hand,
and his shoulders tensed. He held me close to him as we crossed the
room, looking for seats.
The musical lilt of conversation and
laughter floated from both floors of the building as did the tinkle
of crystal as people toasted one another. Isaiah grabbed two
glasses from the tray of a passing waiter and offered me one. So
much for ginger ale. I sipped slowly, savoring the taste of fine
champagne.
Humans lined up at the buffet tables
which held everything from freshly steamed lobsters to
chateaubriand. The sight and smell of the succulent food, however,
didn’t tempt me. Not with so many soul eaters nearby. I clung
tighter to Isaiah’s hand.
“ You okay?”
I smiled bravely. “Sure. A
few dozen vampires don’t worry me.” As if. My heart pumped like a
piston in a racecar, and every lick of common sense was screaming
for me to run. These are friendly
vamps , I reminded myself. Hedda won’t let them touch you .
Touch, maybe not. But look? Every eye
fastened on me. As Isaiah and I parted the crowd searching for an
available table, murmurs followed in our wake. A few braver souls
leaned forward to sniff me as I passed. When a brunette in a blue
sheath dress reached out to touch my arm, Isaiah glowered, making
her reconsider. However, she kept staring as we passed, a hungry
gleam in her eyes.
All this attention came from my
uncanny ability to reclaim my shine – the essence of my soul.
Vampires craved it more than blood. Although my shine had been
drained to the dregs eight months before, I’d found a way to
restore it, and vamps found this irresistible. If I’d wanted to put
myself up for sale, I could have had anything I wanted: a leading
part in a Broadway musical, a home in Rio, my own theater. But I
was determined to keep my soul, thank you very much.
Seeing the lust in their vampires’
eyes, the human blood partners moved closer to their vamps, warning
me away with hostile looks. Each was worried I’d try to steal their
vampires away. As if.
We finally found an empty table, and
after promising Isaiah over and over again that I’d be fine, he
left me to fill his plate at
sixty minutes of hell if it meant an evening of heaven
afterwards.
Andrew’s forehead was still lined with
worry, but his guard dog stance had relaxed. “Swear on your life
that this woman will come back in one piece,” he ordered
Isaiah.
“ I swear it,” Isaiah said
soberly. “Nothing will hurt her.”
“ Except maybe the
paparazzi because I look amazing,” I amended. I straightened
Isaiah’s tie. “You look amazing, too.” The tuxedo, classic black
and white, fit him perfectly.
“ I look like a waiter,” he
said.
“ More like a handsome,
playboy millionaire.” A handsome, playboy millionaire with dark
skin, amber eyes, and full lips that I was dying to kiss. But that
would have to wait until after we’d partied with the
vamps.
Two
Hedda had outdone herself. Her party
was held at the prestigious Whitney restaurant, an elegant,
nineteenth century mansion that sat in the center of a decaying
neighborhood like a crown jewel in a rusting tiara. Stepping
inside, we were met with a two-story Christmas tree bedecked with
lights and glittery ornaments. Ropes of garland and tinsel hung
from the bannisters and crown molding. A stringed octet played
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker near a fire that roared in the massive
hearth. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
The moment I saw the vampires,
however, the warm glow building in my chest cooled. I couldn’t let
the splendor of the place overwhelm my common sense. We might be
Hedda’s guests and under her protection, but we were still humans
among vampires. A lot of vampires. Everywhere I looked, I saw
marble-white faces and the gleam of fangs. True, there were humans
here as well, but even so, those of us with warm flesh and beating
hearts were vastly outnumbered.
Although he didn’t comment, Isaiah
understood the danger as well. He tightened his hold on my hand,
and his shoulders tensed. He held me close to him as we crossed the
room, looking for seats.
The musical lilt of conversation and
laughter floated from both floors of the building as did the tinkle
of crystal as people toasted one another. Isaiah grabbed two
glasses from the tray of a passing waiter and offered me one. So
much for ginger ale. I sipped slowly, savoring the taste of fine
champagne.
Humans lined up at the buffet tables
which held everything from freshly steamed lobsters to
chateaubriand. The sight and smell of the succulent food, however,
didn’t tempt me. Not with so many soul eaters nearby. I clung
tighter to Isaiah’s hand.
“ You okay?”
I smiled bravely. “Sure. A
few dozen vampires don’t worry me.” As if. My heart pumped like a
piston in a racecar, and every lick of common sense was screaming
for me to run. These are friendly
vamps , I reminded myself. Hedda won’t let them touch you .
Touch, maybe not. But look? Every eye
fastened on me. As Isaiah and I parted the crowd searching for an
available table, murmurs followed in our wake. A few braver souls
leaned forward to sniff me as I passed. When a brunette in a blue
sheath dress reached out to touch my arm, Isaiah glowered, making
her reconsider. However, she kept staring as we passed, a hungry
gleam in her eyes.
All this attention came from my
uncanny ability to reclaim my shine – the essence of my soul.
Vampires craved it more than blood. Although my shine had been
drained to the dregs eight months before, I’d found a way to
restore it, and vamps found this irresistible. If I’d wanted to put
myself up for sale, I could have had anything I wanted: a leading
part in a Broadway musical, a home in Rio, my own theater. But I
was determined to keep my soul, thank you very much.
Seeing the lust in their vampires’
eyes, the human blood partners moved closer to their vamps, warning
me away with hostile looks. Each was worried I’d try to steal their
vampires away. As if.
We finally found an empty table, and
after promising Isaiah over and over again that I’d be fine, he
left me to fill his plate at
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