3. THREE

threeThe sound of puking came as Nathan started the car.

I looked into the backseat to find Connor bent over and heaving. “What happened to being able to handle it?”

Connor’s features held regret as he wiped his mouth and straightened from his hunched over position. “You were right. I was too ambitious.”

Nathan twisted in his seat. “Did he seriously just throw up in this car?” The stunned outrage on his face made me bite back a smile. “Right behind me too? Are you kidding me?” His voice held a touch of hysteria. “How am I supposed to drive thinking about it sloshing around? What if it comes up here when I hit the brakes?”

Nathan started dry retching.

I patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. “I’ve decided to forgive you for letting Anton drive Gwyneth. You were right; this was a much better idea than taking my car.”

Nathan’s shoulders went rigid. “Did you know this was going to happen?”

Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh.

“How could I?”

Nathan scowled at Connor. “Did you do this on purpose?”

Connor’s face was blank as he met Nathan’s gaze.

Unsatisfied, Nathan spun back to me. “What did you mean earlier by ‘handle it?’”

I tried to appear unaffected. Probably not very well since a smile kept trying to break out on my face. “Nothing much.”

Nathan squinted at me, trying to see through my facade. His eyes widened in realization. “He ate something, didn’t he?”

My shoulders started shaking with silent laughter.

He whirled on Connor. “What did you eat?”

Connor’s stare made it plain he didn’t intend to answer. It wasn’t until I made a small “come on” gesture that he deigned to open his mouth. “Triple cinnamon pancakes.”

Nathan’s face held disbelief as he looked at me. “You let him eat that crap?”

I shrugged. “He’s a big boy. And he said he could handle it.”

Which was why it was doubly satisfying to see that no, he could, in fact, not handle triple cinnamon pancakes with a side of bacon and ham.

“Are we going?” I asked after a few seconds when Nathan continued to regard us like we were aliens. “We’re going to attract attention if we keep sitting here.”

Nathan faced front in his seat, muttering to himself as he put the car in drive again. “He’s going to clean that up when we arrive. You know that, right?”

Connor’s silence spoke for itself as he stared out the window at the passing scenery.

“No can do,” I answered for him. “We have a meet and greet, remember? It’s why you interrupted our evening in such a rude fashion.”

“You’re enjoying this,” Nathan snapped.

“So very much.”

Words could not describe how happy Connor had made me. It was so perfectly timed that it made me wonder if he’d done it on purpose. A tiny revenge for Nathan’s high handedness.

If so—bravo, brother.

I chuckled at the idea of it.

“You realize payback is coming,” Nathan warned me. “It’s going to be hard payback.”

“But not before you have to clean out your ride,” I returned gleefully.

And that was going to take a lot of effort and time. The stench of throw up was as pervasive as death and would cling to everything. I was betting he’d have to detail the car several times to be get rid of it.

A vampire’s senses were heightened, after all.

The thought was oh so sweet.

“Enjoy it while you can, A,” Nathan rumbled. “I’ll be sure to return the favor in kind.”

But not before suffering for a while. I was petty enough to think the tradeoff worthwhile.

“How did you know where I was?” I asked as we headed south on Grandview Avenue toward Goodale Blvd.

“Do you really think I’m going to answer that?” Nathan asked with a sidelong look that told me he was still sore about the whole throw up situation.

By now, Connor had abandoned the seat behind Nathan in favor of the one on the passenger side. He was quiet as we drove, lost in his own world.

“Honestly, I expected a little bragging,” I answered.

Nathan snorted. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”

“You’re not a magician, though.”

“I could be if I wanted. I’d make an excellent addition to their ranks,” Nathan grumbled.

Of that I had no doubt. He was a master at misdirection.

“You ever going to tell me why you had blood leaking out of your nose before I showed up?” Nathan asked.

I looked out the window to avoid the question.

“Come on, A. What’s going on?” Seeing my reluctance, Nathan crooned. “Tell your big brother, Nathan, all your little secrets.”

I couldn’t help smiling at his cajoling. “It’s nothing.”

“If you’re bleeding, it is.” The playfulness dropped from his face as Nathan turned serious. “Nose bleeds aren’t normal for us. You should know that.”

I shifted in my seat, a little uncomfortable. He was right. I did know.

With a sigh, I explained what happened in the restaurant. The pain. The voice afterwards.

Nathan listened carefully as he turned onto Goodale and headed toward the Arena District near the downtown area.

“That’s not nothing,” he said after I finished. “Someone able to breech your mind like that is a concern.”

“I agree,” Connor said from the back seat. “Your mental defenses are some of the best I’ve ever seen. I don’t know of anyone who could have done that.”

“You have to tell Thomas,” Nathan said, looking over at me. “You don’t have a choice. He needs to know.”

I stretched my legs out as far as I could and crossed them. “Don’t worry. I’m aware. Not even I would take chances with something like this.”

Thomas had way more experience in these things. If anyone could help, it was him. Or at least he’d know someone who could.

Besides, he owed me.

“I’m surprised Thomas sent you and Anton,” I said, changing the subject.

As enforcers they had better things to do than retrieve the Master of the City’s offspring for a small meet and greet like this. No one particularly important was supposed to be there. Just the Clan Matriarch’s and Patriarch’s. Along with a few vampires hoping to petition to start their own House.

All of them were well acquainted with my eccentricities. My absence would hardly be a surprise.

“Thomas didn’t.”

I sent him a surprised look. “Liam sent you?”

A grunt was all the answer I got.

I sank into thought, troubled by this new piece of information.

In addition to being my lover, Liam was the head enforcer for the Master of the City—and Nathan’s boss. He didn’t normally step into the middle of Thomas’s power games. For him to interfere like this meant something was up.

Something big.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Nathan shook his head, his irritation vanishing. “I don’t know. They’re not sharing. Whatever it is, though, it’s got them antsy.”

An antsy Thomas and Liam. I didn’t think there was anything worse.

I glanced over my shoulder to find Connor paying attention to the conversation.

His gaze shifted to me. He shook his head, as lost as I was.

I faced forward again. “Great.”

The remainder of the drive was completed in silence. Each of us were left to our own thoughts as we passed under the highway and then over the Olentangy river a few miles north of where it joined the Scioto.

From there, we made our way toward the Arena District, an area known as the play center of the city. The district had gone through many incarnations before reaching its current version. In the late 1800s, it was an industrial corridor, complete with a railroad hub. Union Station and most of the train tracks were gone now, but an arch from its arcade remained in the McFerson Commons Park.

At one time there was a penitentiary that served as the city’s prison until it was closed and demolished. The prison held the dubious distinction of being home to the worst prison fire in history, killing 322 inmates in the 1930s.

By the time a proposal to revitalize this part of the city was put forth, the area was mostly abandoned. The houses and former factories had sat empty for years. It wasn’t until the mid-90’s that it was redeveloped into what it is now. A district with a thriving nightlife.

That was probably a big reason the vampires had claimed this section of the city as their hunting grounds. They owned the majority of the clubs, bars and restaurants in the area, using them to pick out their evening’s meal.

No one would notice a human who was staggering a little more than usual because of blood loss rather than inebriation. Most of the time, the human didn’t even remember the encounter. Likely the result of the combination of vampire compulsion and alcohol. If they did remember, they’d chalk up the bite to a kinky interlude with a stranger.

Nathan pulled up in front of Asylum, a trendy nightclub owned by Clan Davinish.

The spot he’d chosen wasn’t an actual parking spot, but that didn’t stop him as he climbed out of the SUV to toss his keys at the valet waiting by the curb.

“I want it detailed before you give it back to me,” Nathan ordered as he stalked past.

Connor and I followed.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Do you really think that will make a difference?”

Nathan herded me toward the club’s entrance, bypassing the line of waiting humans. “You’d better hope it does.”

“Ooo, threats.” I pretended to shiver. “We’re so scared. Aren’t we, Connor?”

The other man blinked and tilted his head to give me a confused look. “No.”

His response made me snicker as the bouncers opened the doors for us.

“Welcome to the Asylum.” His wide smile revealed the points of his fangs.

Vampire.

“Hey!” A woman yelled from the other side of the velvet rope. “Why do they get to skip the line?”

Another bouncer held up a pacifying hand and moved to block us from view. “Trust me—you don’t want to make a fuss about them.”

Her response was lost as we entered the club. The bass of the music ran through the floor, a mass of bodies heaving to the beat.

“Was Asylum renovated?” I asked, stopping to take a look around the club.

It looked different than the last time I’d been here.

The theme was macabre with a flair of steampunk. Red and black dominated. Velvet covered the booths, while bronze decorated the lighting fixtures.

The artwork on the walls was equally riveting. In one, a woman wore a black Victorian outfit. A large hat called attention to the skull where her face should have been. In another, a woman in a white nightgown stepped down into a pool of black skulls.

The wait staff were dressed to match the theme. Their clothes walking the line between costume and uniform. Their dramatic makeup made them appear as creepy as the decor. At my question, the bartender looked up from where he was serving a crowd of humans. The skin around his eyes had been painted black and a white powder used on the rest of his face.

Nathan brushed past me, moving deeper into the club. “Sofia felt it was time for a change.”

“It looks amazing.”

“She’ll appreciate the complement,” a woman declared from the top of the stairs that led up to the second floor mezzanine where only VIPs were allowed.

With one hand on the rail, she had the grace of a queen as she descended the stairs. Her poise was all the more impressive because of the sky-high, black lace-covered heels she wore. I knew they couldn’t have been easy to walk in.

Sienna reached the bottom of the stairs and gave me a faint smile. “You’re late.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that? I can only be considered late if I agreed to come in the first place.”

Which I didn’t actually remember doing. Barely audible “uh huh’s” on the way to work didn’t count.

Sienna’s smile grew into a real one, exposing the tips of her fangs.

African American, her hair exploded around her head in a halo of tight corkscrew curls. Coupled with her gorgeous cheekbones and well-defined jaw, she could have been a super model if she’d wanted.

Next to her in her full-length formal gown, I felt self-conscious in casual jeans and loose shirt. A sparrow who’d encountered a creature of pure elegance.

Sienna looked me over, managing not to come off insulting in the process. “Oh, dear. Your outfit won’t do.”

If her dress was anything to judge by, she was probably right. It was gorgeous. An emerald green dress with a slit up the side. It was backless except for the two thin straps that crossed over her shoulder blades to keep the front up.

“Let’s hurry and get you changed.” Sienna lifted her skirt and started up the stairs.

I reluctantly followed. “Do we have to?”

“The Master of the City wishes for you to make a good impression.”

I grimaced, wishing I had the courage to argue. If it had been Thomas’s former right hand, I would have.

The difference was that Kat had been an idiot who’d relished flaunting her power over others. She’d considered me a thorn in her side and challenged me to a duel, only to lose. Quite badly, I might add.

I wasn’t sorry she was gone. Especially since Sienna had done an amazing job since replacing her. She was efficient, with a brisk professionalism that didn’t rely on looking down her nose at those she considered weaker than her.

It was the reason I didn’t give her a hard time.

Nathan snickered from behind me. “Watching you fall in line almost makes the mess in my car worth it.”

I gave him a middle-fingered salute as we headed toward a room on the side of the club. Nathan’s warm chuckle sounded as he fell back, disappearing into the press of bodies now that he’d delivered us safely.

We entered a long hallway.

From experience, I knew the private side of the club was bigger than it appeared from the outside. It was a maze of hallways and secluded rooms where vampires could take their victims for a more erotic type of feeding.

Thankfully, the room Sienna led us to wasn’t far. We stepped inside what I would have described as a salon or boudoir.

The salon’s design echoed the club’s with a few feminine touches.

A bed sat in the corner, its sheets red. The canopy and posts had sheer black material that could be drawn to conceal those inside. A velvet settee was in the corner next to an antique looking end table. Beside it was an oriental folding screen.

“When Thomas said you’d be late, I took the liberty of choosing your outfits,” Sienna said. “Connor can get changed in the bathroom. Aileen—your dress is behind the screen.”

Connor disappeared into the other room.

I moved behind the screen, finding a black tulle dress waiting there.

“When you’re done, I’ll help you with your hair,” Sienna announced as I started removing my clothes.

I was relieved to find that Sienna had the foresight to provide a pair of undergarments to wear with the dress.

A few minutes later, I walked out from behind the screen and over to the dressing table where Sienna waited.

I took a seat in front of the mirror and table.

“Your hair is beautiful,” Sienna murmured, gathering my hair in her hands.

When I was younger, I liked to tell people my hair was auburn when in reality it had always been much closer to brown. Its reddish tint could only be detected under direct sunlight. Something I didn’t get a lot of anymore.

Now it was a rich brown that looked luxurious against skin that was less pale than it had been a few months ago.

It turned out a regular supply of fresh blood was exactly what I’d needed to not look like a pasty ghost.

“Yours is too,” I offered.

“Thank you,” Sienna murmured with a mysterious little smile.

Quiet fell as I studied myself in the mirror, taking in the grayish blue of my eyes and the toned muscles of my arms. The athletic build I’d been blessed with had been enhanced in recent months by the intense training regimen Liam and Nathan had subjected me to.

“Look here.” Finished with my hair, Sienna tilted my face toward hers, applying eyeshadow with sure strokes followed by mascara. A moment later she stepped back to scrutinize her work. “This’ll have to do. What do you think?”

She took my hand to help me stand before leading me to the full-length mirror on the opposite side of the room.

I stopped, the reflection in the glass taking my breath away.

The dress Sienna had chosen was exquisite. The sequined bodice shimmered in the light. A black see-through tulle overlaid the deep red fabric of the skirt. Around my neck, Sienna had placed an antique silver filigree necklace. A ruby was set in the center with another of a similar size dangling from the setting as a pendent. Smaller rubies decorated either side.

My eyes had a smoky, slumberous look courtesy of the makeup Sienna had applied. To complete the ensemble, she’d fastened my shoulder length hair into a simple low side bun. A few tendrils framed my face in soft curls.

While I was admiring myself, Connor stepped out of the bathroom wearing a modern looking, slim cut suit with a black lace tie that matched my dress.

“One last thing.” Sienna drew out a pair of heels that looked exactly like the ones she was wearing and handed them to me. “Your shoes don’t do that dress justice.”

I took them from her, surprised to see they were in my size.

Sienna approached Connor next, setting a pair of cufflinks in the palm of his hands. “Your sire hoped you would wear these in your first appearance as your House enforcer.”

I gave the cufflinks a curious look as I sat down to put the heels on. In the shape of a wolf’s head, they matched my necklace with tiny rubies in the place of the wolf’s eyes.

I stood, taking a few steps to test the fit of the heels. “Those are pretty.”

The weirdness in Connor’s expression and the way he hadn’t moved since Sienna gave him the cuffs finally registered.

I stopped. “What’s wrong?”

He started to shake his head before he froze, his gaze fixed on my neck.

A sad smile formed. “That belonged to my mother.” He held up the cuff links. “These were my father’s.”

I touched the pendant self-consciously. “Do you want me to take it off?”

I would if he asked.

He didn’t talk about her, but I knew the story from Liam. She, with the rest of their village, had dragged his father and uncle into the daylight shortly after their transition. While vampires could survive the sun, that didn’t apply to the newly turned.

She’d meant to kill them. An event I’m sure was traumatic for Connor.

Still, she was his mother.

From the conflicting set of emotions on his face, I could see he’d cared for her.

His movements were rough as he slipped the cuffs into his sleeves. “No, it’s fitting you wear that.”

“Are you sure?” I crossed the room to set a hand on his arm, waiting until he looked at me. “I don’t have to.”

The necklace was certainly pretty, but it wasn’t nearly as important as Connor’s emotional state. If the sight of it hanging on my neck was going to hurt him, I would rather not wear it at all.

Connor took my hand in his to give it a reassuring squeeze. “There’s no one more deserving to wear what she once did than you.”

He swept a courtly bow, brushing his lips across my knuckles before rising and offering me his arm. “Shall we, my Matriarch?”

I set my hand on his elbow. “Only if you never call me that again.”

The party was in full swing by the time Connor and I rejoined it. Music thumped from the level below. Somehow muted enough that it didn’t overwhelm the low drone of conversation.

Humans mingled in the throng of vampires. Dressed like the wait staff below, they wove through the crowd, offering refreshments. Only the refreshment on tap wasn’t alcohol but rather the blood in their veins.

As I watched, a vampire slid his hand along a man’s back. He guided his prey toward one of the nooks that existed along the edge of the room. The man didn’t resist, following willingly as the vampire pressed him down on one of the couches.

I looked away as the vampire exposed the human’s throat, knowing what came next. That didn’t stop the human’s moan from reaching my ears a second later.

It acted like a magnet, drawing my attention back to the pair. The human was already lost in pleasure, his hips bucking wildly as he sought relief. The vampire was rough as he pulled him more fully into his arms, nearly lifting him off the couch as a feral growl left his throat.

The feeding lasted only a few more seconds before the human’s features went slack. There was an unfocused look in his eyes as the vampire lowered him to the couch. Satiated, the human didn’t move from where he was placed, lost in a pleasurable bliss.

The vampire strode away, not stopping to check that his partner was alright. It was like the interlude was nothing but an afterthought for him. A necessary piece of business that didn’t impact the rest of his evening.

“Aileen?” Connor stopped, sending me an inquisitive glance that made me realize I’d fallen behind.

I shook myself from my distraction, sending him a strained smile. “Sorry about that.”

Connor didn’t say anything, his gaze peering through me and seeing too much.

“All the humans here are volunteers,” Sienna said, appearing beside him. “They’re well compensated for their time.”

I had no doubt about that.

The second floor wasn’t like the first. The humans up here knew about our world and what they were getting into by signing a contract with Clan Davinish, who owned the club. It was a service the clan offered when anyone hosted gatherings here.

The humans agreed because of the many benefits. Besides the monetary portion, there was the fact that our bites could cause extreme pleasure or pain based on our whims. It could also extend a human’s life by decades and cure most ailments.

Those last two only happened when a human was fed off regularly and supplemented with a little of our blood.

It was enough for humans to line up to be donors, though. Many of those here were probably hoping to make the jump to a formal companion someday. They didn’t realize the high degree of difficulty in reaching that level. Or the sacrifices that came after.

Sensing my hesitation, Connor offered me his hand. “I won’t leave your side. I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” I said, placing my hand in his.

Connor didn’t disappoint, remaining by my side as we worked the room.

“This is quite the crowd,” I commented, staring at the faces around us, noting the many new ones.

Sienna nodded. “There are vampires from all over our territory present tonight.”

No wonder I didn’t recognize them.

“Any reason for that?” I asked.

“Thomas wasn’t comfortable with how distant he felt from his constituents in other cities.”

Constituents. What a nice word. Like he was a politician elected for office rather than someone who had killed the other contender for his position.

For a control freak like him, I’m sure it would be hard allowing those in his territory free rein.

Vampire politics tended to be deadly. Living outside the city meant you were far from the halls of power and free to live without your every move being scrutinized. It also held the potential to give the ambitious naughty ideas. The sort that often ended with heads rolling.

I made a noncommittal sound as I scanned the crowd, finding Thomas holding court not far from where we stood.

He was aware of our presence, his silvery gray eyes landing on us in a silent demand that I ignored.

Possessing rare charisma that made him a person you couldn’t help but take notice of despite his average looks, Thomas had dark hair and a stocky build. More often than not, his jawline was covered in stubble. Today, it was smooth.

The expensive suit he wore would have funded a year’s worth of gas for my car. It was worth it, though, considering the excellent fit. You couldn’t buy a suit like that off the rack. That was for sure.

Several clan Patriarchs and Matriarch’s lingered nearby tended by their own sycophants.

Approaching Thomas in this environment was sure to draw their notice. No, thank you.

While I was distracted, a pair of arms slipped around my waist from behind to tug me into a hard chest. A familiar scent wrapped around me. The cold bite of winter in an old growth forest.

A smile tugged at my lips as I twisted to face the man behind me.

“Liam.”

His name on my tongue felt like a benediction. An invocation that laid my secrets bare.

If I had a weakness, it was this man. This vampire.

He had a face that made me want to sin. With cheekbones that could cut glass and soft lips perfect for kissing.

Turned in his early thirties, his features contained a maturity that added to his charm.

It was his eyes, though, that set him apart. A deep, electric blue like that of an endless summer sky. I could get lost staring into those eyes. Especially when he was looking at me the way he was right now. With a carnal edge that said he was just dying to gobble me up.

My breath shortened at the thought. I was tempted beyond words to let him do exactly that.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Mo chuisle, in that dress, you take my breath away,” he purred.

I took a moment to let my eyes trail down his body, my admiration for his outfit showing on my face. Like Connor, he wore a slim cut suit that was exquisitely tailored for his form.

Dashing wasn’t a word I used often, but it fit in this case.

“I could say the same,” I murmured.

A devilish smile tilted his mouth as his eyes grew half lidded with desire.

Oh boy. It was hard to resist when he looked at me like that.

His gaze dropped to the necklace around my neck. “He gave you her necklace. He said he would. I’m glad.”

My response stalled as I became aware of how close Connor was standing to us. Just staring. His clear lack of understanding of personal space made me drop my head onto Liam’s chest.

A warm rumble came from Liam as he closed his arms around me and dropped a kiss on my head. “Later, mo chuisle.”

With a sigh, I pushed away from him to regard my troublesome vampire brother with a vexed look.

Conner’s expression showed boredom as he sipped from the flute of champagne he’d procured from one of the waiters circling the room.

“Did you get one for me?” I asked, giving his hand an expectant look.

His face remained unchanging as he offered me the glass in his other hand.

I took it with a murmured thank you.

“I didn’t get one for you,” Connor informed Liam.

“I’m on duty tonight anyway. Alcohol would only affect my alertness.”

Connor frowned at his champagne flute as if he hadn’t thought of that.

While he was debating whether to finish his glass, Liam slid an arm behind my back to rest his palm against my hip. “I’m glad to see you two could make it.”

Liam pressed a kiss against my shoulder, sending shivers rocketing through me.

“Worried?” I asked in an arch tone.

“About you—always.”

I lifted onto the tips of my toes, placing my mouth next to Liam’s ear so others wouldn’t hear. “We’re going to have a talk about this later. Don’t think I won’t retaliate for that stunt with Nathan.”

I dropped back onto my heels, giving him a sharp toothed smile.

Liam squeezed my hip. “From what Nathan shared, it was a good thing he appeared when he did.”

Vampires. They were as gossipy as a bunch of teenagers.

“I’m looking forward to hearing the story of what happened later,” Liam said in a low voice.

A disturbance from the club below saved me.

Liam forgot about my matters as caution invaded his frame, everything about him going alert. He found his enforcers in the crowd and jerked his head at them in a silent order to investigate.

Nathan and Anton stalked toward the staircase as a blond mountain of a man and another with amber eyes and the sleek glide of an assassin headed to protect Thomas.

A fifth appear out of the crowd next to Liam. Of Asian descent, Makoto’s hair was one color for once and slicked back from his forehead in a debonair style.

He gave me a quick nod of acknowledgment as he handed Liam his phone.

Liam took it, watching the security video that Makoto had already pulled up for him.

I edged closer, taking a look at the screen over Liam’s shoulder.

There wasn’t much to see. Just three men and a woman stalking through the club like they had a purpose. One of the men looked up at the camera and winked.

Liam shut off the screen and returned the phone to Makoto. “I understand. Warn Thomas we have company.”

“What’s going on?” I asked as Makoto nodded and plunged back into the crowd, heading in Thomas’s direction.

Connor looked over in curiosity.

Liam pulled me into his arms in a romantic gesture that belied the words he said into my ear. “Something is about to happen. I have to go. I want you and Connor to stay here. Don’t draw his attention if you can help it.”

I reared back, looking up at in him confusion. Liam dropped a kiss on my lips. He was gone before I could ask any of the questions plaguing me.

At his disappearance, Connor stiffened. A wary vigilance filled his body as he cut the distance between us.

We found Liam a second later standing beside Thomas. He gave us one last warning look before his features smoothed into rigid lines.

At the same time, a wave of silence spread through the crowd like a virus. One by one, the vampires turned to face the stairs as the quartet from the security feed ascended from below.

Trouble had come to call.