Chapter 21

21

EVANGELINE

I t was a restless night. I had to be up to check on Lissa every hour or so, so I puttered around, using the vampires' spotless kitchen to brew more potions. Gabriel, who seemed equally twitchy, volunteered to go on a supply run and brought back two large grocery bags of ingredients, and a box of tiny vials, each individually wrapped in charmed paper. Around two in the morning, I'd done everything I could for Lissa and collapsed into bed. I was asleep before Pothos had even finished curling up on me.

The stress of the past day—hell, the past few weeks—had clearly caught up with me. I slept late and woke up well after noon. Somebody had left two trays outside my room. One was an elaborate brass monstrosity, with a covered dish and a large polka-dot Thermos on it, and the other was a smaller wooden tray with a cloche barely the size of my palm over it.

I lifted the dish on the bigger tray to find a fragrant bundle wrapped in greasy paper. It couldn't possibly be, could it? But, yes, when I peeled back the paper I found a bacon, egg, and cheese from Big Sal's. The Thermos was full of coffee, very strong, and already sweetened. I didn't know what it said about me that a breakfast sandwich nearly brought me to tears, and I didn't want to think about it too much. The metal dome over the smaller tray was covering an elegant cut-glass dish with a gilded rim. It was full of kibble.

I scarfed down the perfect, greasy bliss, and pretty much chugged the coffee. Pothos purred loudly as he devoured his kibble, and I could relate.

"Oh no," I told Pothos. "Oh, I really, really like him."

"Aaaaa," said Pothos sagely, before rolling onto his back and licking his mossy tummy.

"Thanks for the pep talk, bud," I said.

Fortified with the breakfast of champions, I went to check on my patient. Lissa was sitting up in bed, clear-eyed and cheerful. Vic was curled up next to her, sound asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. When I came in, Lissa was petting his hair lightly and reading a thick, leather-bound book. She brightened when she saw me.

"Evangeline!" she said, raising her arm as though she was presenting a game show prize. I glanced down at Vic, but he didn't even stir. "Oh, don't worry about him. He can sleep through anything."

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Practically good as new." She flicked her hair back from her face, and it settled sleekly back into its perfect bob. I'd once tried to cut my hair to that length and ended up with a clumsy, triangular mass of curls. Was flawless hair a vampire thing? "You're a miracle worker, truly. I cannot thank you enough."

"Don't mention it, seriously," I said, waving it off. "I'm just happy I could help. Being in the right place at the right time isn't exactly a specialty of mine. Glad it worked out this time."

"I can see why Gabriel likes you so much," Lissa said cheerfully.

I could feel myself going pink. "Really?"

"Oh, absolutely. Stunning, extremely competent, level-headed in an emergency? And, I do hope you don't mind me saying this, a fantastic figure."

"Gabriel talked about my figure?"

Lissa waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, no, he would never. He's far too much of a gentleman. And, frankly, too stupid around women. He says things more like…" She shifted into a low, brooding tone. "She's more talented at her craft than I expected her to be, and she has many assets in the community."

I snorted out a laugh. "One time, he told me I was less incompetent than he expected."

Lissa groaned, putting a hand over her mouth. "Oh, the poor, stupid boy. You've the patience of a saint, clearly."

"He's not that bad," I protested. "He's patient and kind. Sure, he can be stubborn and kind of aloof, but he cares so deeply, and at first I thought he was intense in kind of a drama queen way, but when he puts his full attention on you, it feels like you're the most important person in his world, and…" I trailed off.

Lissa grinned impishly at me, her cheeks dimpling. "Interesting. Very interesting indeed."

"Please don't tell him I said that," I pleaded, mortification prickling at my cheeks.

"Of course not," Lissa promised. "I wouldn't dream of it. It's much too fun to watch him twist himself into knots over you."

Apparently, I wasn't going to stop blushing any time soon.

"Now, we have very important business," Lissa said. "I understand you'll be accompanying Gabriel to a masquerade tonight."

"Yeah, he figured it would be a good way to get some intel on whoever's behind all of this."

"Yes, yes, intrigue, spycraft, all that," she said dismissively. "What are you going to wear?"

"What?"

"To the ball," Lissa said. "There is a dress code, you know."

"I, uh…" I hadn't gotten that far. "I guess I could run out and buy something?"

The vampire let out a tinkling laugh, then realized I wasn't joking and bit her lip. "No, that won't do at all," she said. "Come on. I'll take care of you, darling."

She managed to untangle herself from her husband and led me to a door. She flung it open dramatically, revealing a walk-in closet bigger than my first two apartments combined. "Welcome to my domain," she said regally.

Lissa measured me, whisked me into gown after gown, and held up swatches of fabric to my face with the assessing eye and seriousness of a bomb technician. One entire wall of her wardrobe was dedicated to a sewing studio, and she worked incredibly fast, armed with enchanted tools that, to my eye, must have cost thousands.

"So many dresses made for women of my proportions are frumpy," Lissa explained around a mouthful of pins. "Back when I was young, this sort of voluptuousness"—she emphasized the word with a shimmy—"was highly desirable, a sign of opulence and fertility. These days, designers seem to think I want to buy potato sacks with cheap rhinestones." She scoffed, tossing her head. "I decided to take matters into my own hands."

"You made all your stuff?" I asked, eyeing the sheer quantity of clothing around me with awe.

"Most of it. A few are commissions, couture from the very best of houses. None from human designers, unfortunately, since they tend to have an unhelpful number of mirrors in their fitting rooms. Besides, I find making my own clothing immensely satisfying."

"That's amazing," I told her genuinely. "Seriously, you're so talented."

"Yes, I am, aren't I?" Her eyes crinkled as she smiled up at me. "And now you get an exclusive creation of mine, all for yourself. A rare pleasure. Only a few have had the honor, and most of them live here."

That evening, I stood in front of the mirror in the guest suite. The gown was… well, it was a masterpiece, and easily the most beautiful thing I'd ever worn. It was a stormy dark color, somewhere between blue, gray, and purple, fitted and slinky with straps that Lissa had managed to make look like they were about to slip down my arms. The silk velvet had been adorned with delicate golden beading that formed tiny constellation-like shapes. The slit up the one side damn near showed my entire leg. It was a little higher than I would've picked for myself, but when I looked in the mirror, I had to admit that Lissa's creation was perfection. She'd even included accessories—long gloves that left barely an inch of pale skin showing between where they ended, and the dress's straps began. A delicate golden chain with a single purple-gray pearl hung perfectly between my collarbones, and pearls hanging on long, golden chains from my earlobes emphasized the long line of my neck. There was even a little clutch, which I had already loaded up with potions and charms. Well, potions, charms, and my lipstick.

Lissa had insisted on doing my hair and makeup, while Vic and Theo helped Gabriel. Somehow, she'd managed to tame my curls into an elegant updo, held in place with tiny gold pins that caught the light when I turned my head. The mask was the same color as the dress, but made out of layer after layer of something sheer and satiny that twisted away from my face like flames, blending into the embellishments in my hair.

I looked hot as fuck. Ethereal, otherworldly, and powerful in a way I wasn't used to. I took the mask off, feeling the bizarre need to reassure myself that, yes, it was still me. I smiled at myself, a little bemused.

All right. I could do this.

I gave Pothos a pat for good luck and headed out into the hall. A door opened behind me, and I turned around. It was Gabriel, wearing a full-on tailcoat, the entire outfit in black fabric so dark that it looked like someone had cut a hole in reality.

It suddenly struck me all over again how tall he was, and how sharp the taper from his shoulders to his waist was. He looked like an apex predator.

He looked like a prince.

I stepped closer. Delicate gold embroidery had been worked over his shoulders, trailing down his sleeves and chest as though someone had sprinkled starlight over him. His pocket square was the same stormy color as my dress—the same color as his eyes, I realized. I felt hot all over. We looked like a matching set.

"You look…" Gabriel said hoarsely.

"Yeah," I said, my voice just as rough. "You, too."

The other vampires were waiting for us in the atrium. I felt a little like it was my prom night, and my parents were waiting to take photos of me and my date posing awkwardly on the stairs before we left. This time, though, my bra wasn't padded with tissues, and my date was much handsomer. Less likely to barf Smirnoff Ice on my shoes, too.

"Oh, you look perfect," Lissa murmured, clasping her hands together. Vic hovered by her side as though he was waiting to catch her if she fell. Theo let out a wolf whistle, and I smiled. Lissa adjusted the fall of my skirt, then the knot of Gabriel's bowtie. Although, as far as I could tell it looked exactly the same afterwards.

"You've outdone yourself yet again," Gabriel told her, his voice soft and affectionate.

"Yes, I know," Lissa said, fluttering her eyelashes. I grinned. "Evangeline, darling, how's the fit on everything?"

"Flawless," I told her.

"Wonderful, wonderful. I had to make a few guesses with the undergarments, of course. Not too skimpy?" she asked, her face a mask of innocence.

"Just skimpy enough," I said, completely deadpan, carefully not looking at Gabriel.

"You're truly a woman after my own heart," Lissa said.

"Yeah, we might have to keep you around," Theo agreed. "You two should get going, though. Car's waiting."

We headed out into the cool night air. Just before the door closed behind us, I heard Theo say, "You know, they really do grow up so fast."

"I have an idea," Gabriel said once our car had pulled away from the curb. "But it may not be something that you're comfortable with. I understand completely if you're not willing."

"You can tell me the idea before you give me the disclaimer," I told him. "I trust you, okay?"

He gave me a small, sweet smile. "We'll be going into a situation that has the potential to be very dangerous. There will be people everywhere, and we won't know who will be listening in. It may be too risky for us to speak, even if we think we're in private. I know my mind-reading abilities have concerned you in the past, but this may be the time to utilize them."

I blinked at him. "You want to read my mind?" I tried to ignore how many less-than-wholesome thoughts I'd been having about Gabriel recently. Would he be able to see those?

"It would just be at the surface level," he said quickly. "I'd only be able to hear the thoughts you directed at me, and if you felt a very strong emotion, I'd feel it as well. I'd also be able to hear what you hear. I wouldn't do it without your permission, and I thought if you were willing, you could signal me when you'd like me to do it."

I glanced sidelong at Gabriel. His face went in and out of shadow with every streetlight we passed. Maybe I should have been afraid of him, mistrustful, eager to protect my secrets, but…

"I'm in."

There was something in Gabriel's eyes I couldn't read. "I'm glad. It's—it'll help. And if you need help, it's useful." He reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a slim box. It held two rings—simple bands of plain gold. My stomach fluttered, and I did my best to ignore it.

"Roving rings," he said, holding the more delicate band out to me. I held out my hand, and he took it gently, slipping the ring onto my pointer finger. "If you brush your thumb over yours, mine will vibrate slightly, and vice versa. They're meant for lovers who are far apart to let the other know that they're thinking of them."

"Clever," I said. I was pretty sure my heart was pounding hard enough for Gabriel to hear. He slid his own ring on. When he brushed the pad of his thumb over the smooth metal, the ring on my finger buzzed.

"If you touch yours, I'll take it as permission to communicate telepathically. And if I need to get in contact, I'll press mine, but I'll wait for you to activate yours in response. Try to stay within eyesight when we're there," he said. "If something happens and you need help, press the ring three times."

"Got it."

Our car pulled up past a massive stone wall with a twisting, wrought-iron gate, and Gabriel pulled his own mask out of his pocket. It was a match for mine, black instead of nebulous purple, with a few delicate threads of green twisting through it. We both put our masks on.

"Here, let me." I reached out and touched the very edge of Gabriel's mask, right where the fabric pressed against his sharp cheekbones. He watched me with wide, cautious eyes as I murmured a few words and twined a spell into the mask, then leaned back to admire my handiwork. Now, even though Gabriel still looked infuriatingly, breathtakingly handsome, suspicious eyes would slide off him just a little, making him harder to recognize beneath the mask. I cast the same charm on myself just as we pulled to a stop.

We were in front of a massive manor house; a foreboding blocky thing with at least three architectural styles mashed together. It looked like it had been a huge stately Georgian once, until someone got unfortunate ideas about brutalism and postmodernism. Big concrete and glass extensions grew out of the building like a hulking invasive species. The whole building was lit up with thousands of shimmering lights. A steady stream of eyewatering expensive cars stopped to drop off people dressed in finery.

Our driver opened the door, and Gabriel slid out into the night air, then offered me a hand. I took it. Gabriel handed his invitation to one of the two burly vampires flanking the front door, and they waved us inside. Gabriel gave me his arm, and I tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow, my nerves and adrenaline already going wild.

The ballroom was enormous and opulent. It was clearly part of the older area of the house, with a terrace and a grand, sweeping staircase. Modern windows in tiling triangular shapes took over an entire wall, overlooking garden filled with elaborate topiaries and beautiful people. The room had been hung with thousands of colored lanterns, and the walls were draped with layers of sheer fabrics, making the whole place feel otherworldly, and oddly soft-edged.

Below us, hundreds of people danced to the music being played by masked musicians. Every single one of the guests was dressed in something glittery and spectacular, their faces hidden behind masks that ranged wildly between simple, beautiful, and grotesque.

I tightened my grip on Gabriel's arm.

"Remember, three presses if you need me," he murmured. "I'll stay as close as I can. Be safe."

I nodded, trying to force my face into a charming, mysterious smile. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, we separated, splitting off to mingle. I walked a slow circuit of the room, trying to get the lay of the land and map out possible entries and exits. A laughing couple brushed past me and went to a wall, pushing aside some of the draperies and disappearing through the door hidden behind them. I bit back a curse. How many more hidden doors were there? It would be damn near impossible to keep track of comings and goings.

A few tables had been scattered around the edges off the ballroom, all well-stocked with champagne flutes. A few of the tables had fountains of blood, surrounded with quaint little punch cups. I gave those a wide berth. I was pretty sure they were using synthetic blood since it didn't clot, but I didn't want to get close enough to smell it and find out. Taking a glass of champagne from one of the table, I faked a sip as I glanced around the ballroom.

The band began to play something sweeping and dark, and a tall woman in a blue gown with a creamy white mask sculpted into a tortured expression approached me.

"May I have this dance?" she asked, dark eyes curious behind her mask. She had an accent I couldn't place. Scandinavian, definitely, but I couldn't pin it down.

Time to mingle. I set down my champagne flute and took her offered hand, letting myself be whisked away onto the dance floor. Once the dancing began, I fell into a pattern quickly, moving from partner to partner as the evening went on. I heard all sorts of things, but most of it was idle gossip—little snippets of info about affairs and petty society scandals.

I brushed my thumb against the ring and immediately felt a gentle presence in my mind that was cool and comforting.

I didn't expect to be able to feel you, I thought to Gabriel. I felt a flicker of amusement through our connection.

I thought you might find it more comfortable if you were aware of my presence, he explained. Don't worry, the others won't be able to tell when I read their minds. It was definitely weird hearing him inside my head. It wasn't like he was speaking to me, exactly. It was similar to when you heard someone talk while you were resting your head on their chest, all rumbles and vibrations. Weird, but definitely not bad.

This is like how you walk differently around humans, I said, and he sent a pulse of agreement to me. Thanks. That's actually pretty thoughtful of you. I was being careful to keep my expression controlled during the internal conversation, although I probably didn't need to bother; my current dance partner had been talking about how hard it was to find proper lace these days for what felt like an hour without pausing to take a breath.

Have you spotted anyone useful for me to talk to? I asked. Because if I have to hear one more rumor about how somebody snubbed somebody else at poor little Lacrimosa's turning party, I might snap and start staking people. I don't even know who Lacrimosa is!

She's the daughter of one of the lesser clan heads. Wait, what happened at the party?

I did my best to convey an unimpressed glare telepathically.

No, you're right. Not important, Gabriel agreed apologetically. I've been pressing a few of the clan higher-ups for information, but none of them seem to know anything.

Well, keep your eyes peeled, I thought. Or your brain, I guess. Wait, scratch that. It sounds too gross. Gabriel's amusement flowed through the connection freely, without any of his usual poker-face bullshit. My smile grew a little more genuine.

Wait, he sent suddenly. The man who just came back in from the garden. Black suit, raven mask.

The big guy over by the stairs?

That's the one. He's wearing a signet ring I've seen before, Gabriel told me. One of the vampires we took care of in the shadow village remembered it. The man's face was magically concealed, but he was wearing that ring.

Can you pick up anything from him? I asked.

Frustration and worry came through our mental link. No, his mind is shielded.

Well, that's suspicious as all hell, I said, and Gabriel agreed. I'm gonna talk to him—see what I can get out of him. I brought a little something, just in case.

Gabriel's worry grew stronger, and I tried to send him some of my confidence. I made my excuses to my dance partner, straightened my skirt, and went over to the man in the raven mask.

The guy was big and bulky, built like a wrestler. Whoever tailored his suit had done a great job—I'd been around enough people hired for their muscle to know that it was easy to put them in shapeless blobs of fabric. Something in his posture said bodyguard, at least to my practiced eye. Off the clock, though. No professional wore pants that tight if they expected a fight to break out.

His raven mask covered most of his face. Even his eyes were hidden, concealed behind mesh panels and feathers. The only cut-out was for his mouth, leaving a trapezoid of bare skin that extended a few inches past his chin on either side of his jaw. He gave me a closed-mouth smile as I approached.

"Gorgeous night, isn't it?" I said, brushing my thumb over my ring.

The man hummed. "Clan Alinejad always throws great parties."

"It's my first time," I confessed, looking up at him through my lashes. "Do you come to a lot of these?"

"More than I'd like, honestly," he told me. "I don't have much of a head for politics. Especially not politics about who stole whose tie pin."

I let out a bright, tinkling laugh. "I know what you mean. I've been stuck listening to gossip about people I don't know since I got here."

"That sounds like thirsty work," the man said. "May I bring you some champagne?"

"Such a gentleman. I'd love some, but only if you get some for yourself. I can't stand drinking alone."

The man smiled, and I saw a glint of metal. One of his fangs had been replaced with a gold replica. "Well, if the lady insists," he said. As he went to get our drinks, I grabbed a little vial from my purse, popped the cork, and palmed it.

When the guy came back, he handed over a champagne flute, and I took it, clinking it against his in a toast. A silver signet ring gleamed on his finger, the light dancing over the shape of the crescent moon etched into it. A very faint bell rang in the back of my mind, but I couldn't figure out why.

"Oh, you have…" I murmured, leaning forward to brush a nonexistent piece of lint from his shoulder. As my hand passed over his glass, I poured the contents of the vial into his champagne.

"Thanks," he said, voice low. I didn't have to see his eyes to know he was looking at my cleavage. When I pulled back, he cleared his throat and took two long gulps of his champagne. I watched in satisfaction as he swallowed the truth serum I'd spiked his drink with.

"You caught my eye as soon as you showed up," he told me. "The man you came in with… is he…?"

"Just a friend," I assured him, and I felt a flash of hurt through my connection to Gabriel. I lowered my voice, pretending to be embarrassed. "I'd… actually hoped to meet someone here tonight. Nothing like a masquerade for that perfect fairy tale moment, right?" I looked up at him sweetly.

"Right," he murmured. He lifted his champagne flute again and drained it in a few sips. The band began to play something loud and quick, and the crowd cheered. I winced.

"It's so loud in here," I said. "Do you want to find somewhere quieter? So we can… talk?"

"I know just the place," he said, voice rough. I followed him past one of the fabric draperies and through a hidden door, making sure to catch Gabriel's eye as I went past. His face was utterly expressionless, but he nodded minutely.

I'll be right outside the door, he told me. Be careful, Evangeline.

Keep listening.

We were in a small sitting room with low, comfortable couches. On one of the side tables was a neatly arranged tray of lube and condoms. I rolled my eyes.

I pushed the man down onto one of the sofas, and he went eagerly. He didn't even seem startled when I pulled tendrils of magic up to pin his wrists and ankles. If anything, he seemed even more into it. Typical. I reached down and pulled his mask off.

He had large, slightly watery blue eyes, and a very square jaw. His brown hair was mussed from being under the mask, and he blinked up at me in surprise. There was a faint gray sheen over the whites of his eyes. I nodded to myself, glad to see that the truth serum had already hit his system.

"What's your name?" I asked, dropping the flirty tone.

"Damien," he blurted. "My name is Damien Sterling."

"Why is your mind shielded, Damien?"

He looked dazed. "My employer warded me," he told me. "He does it for all of his high-ranking men."

"Your employer?" I prompted.

"Can't tell you his name," Damien said. "Can't tell you any of their names. There's a… you know." He made a face. "Thingy. Spell."

Is he… drunk? Gabriel asked.

I kinda had to guesstimate how strong a dose I'd need for a vampire, I replied. I might've messed him up a little bit.

"What can you tell me about your employer's plan?" I asked Damien.

"Gonna… gonna use the art… arddy—arartif…" He shook his head, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"The artifact?" I said.

He nodded vigorously. "That thing! Gonna use it to suck up a bunch of magic. And then, and then, use it to get rid of light magic. Poof! All gone. Just a bunch of dark magic. All theirs. We already have one piece. It's working really, really well."

"And the missing vampires? They're a part of this?"

"Yeah, they're like fuel," Damien said. I felt Gabriel's rage in my mind at his words. "We take 'em, suck out their magic, and get rid of 'em. Just, just, you know, the ones that nobody's gonna miss."

Gabriel's anger hit me so strongly I had to take a few calming breaths to keep myself level.

"And you're one of the higher-ups in this operation," I said coldly.

Damien nodded blearily, leaning forward as much as he could in his restraints. "Yes, but… hey, do you want to know a secret?"

"I would love to know a secret."

"I'm doing my own thing," he said, trying to tug his finger up to his lips and failing miserably. "I'm a double agent. Shh Gonna… gotta bring 'em down from the insnsss. Inside. Gonna be. Sooo…" Damien trailed off, his head lolling against his shoulder. A second later, he let out a massive snore.

I think perhaps we should do some more research on proper dosage before you try this method again, Gabriel thought at me.

Might be a good idea, I agreed. I released the bonds holding Damien down, then stepped forward, undoing his tie, and popping a few buttons on his shirt.

Gabriel sent me alarmed confusion.

Relax. I'm not doing anything weird. He won't remember anything from after the potion hit him, so I'm just gonna set things up so he makes some assumptions.

I took my lipstick from my clutch, put a bit on my finger, and wiped some vaguely lip-shaped smears onto the unconscious vampire's face, neck, and chest. I stepped back and checked my work, hands on hips, before undoing his belt and leaving one of the condoms in his limp hand.

Gabriel, true to his word, was right outside the door, somehow managing to look comfortable and casual on a narrow chair against the wall. His eyes flicked over me, and even if he hadn't still been lingering on the outskirts of my mind, I would have been able to see the worry in his eyes.

We should go . If someone finds him in there, it could arouse suspicion, even with your set dressing.

I nodded, and we slipped down a side corridor, out into the garden. Our car was already waiting, idling in the drive when we made it around the front of the house.

"Do you have some sort of car-summoning spell?" I asked. "A charm or something?"

Gabriel gave me a dry look. "I texted the driver while you were finishing up."

I nodded sagely. "The magic of technology."