Chapter Twenty-One: Aralyn

Aralyn had never been patted down by a vampire before. It was not a pleasant experience.

She might have gotten used to Caldric's hands on her body, but not this vampire dressed in a black suit with a menacing expression stuck on his face as he checked her for weapons.

Weapons that she felt practically naked without. She never thought that she would be around a vampire, let alone a whole party of them without any sort of protection, and she had to grit her teeth and fight the rising desire to turn around and punch the vampire searching her square in the face.

"Safe," the vampire finally grunted, although the look he flashed her said that he would much prefer it if she had pulled a weapon on him since that would have given him an excuse to retaliate.

But Aralyn was not going to spoil a good heist by getting into a brawl.

"Thank you," she said sweetly. "You are as thorough as a hawk searching for prey."

The vampire minder stared at her unblinking and then turned to Caldric, who held up his arms to be searched while smothering a smile. When he was done, Caldric sidled up to her and whispered, "You are more striking than a peacock's full display."

As his cool fingers traced the length of her arm, she shivered, and retorted, "Is that supposed to be a compliment, you old goose?"

"Don't break character," he replied lightly as he threaded his arm possessively around her waist and pulled her close.

"So who's this Sylvi?" Aralyn asked as they stepped inside the door of the Tolioni mansion under the watchful eye of the sultry vampire. "She watches like a…uh, a lynx, nothing escapes her gaze."

"I'm not sure, but she is more dangerous than a wounded tiger." Caldric's grip on her tightened. "I used to know her well and was always wary in her presence."

"Well, I am as…thirsty as a…wolf after a long hunt," Aralyn said. "Shall we get a drink?"

"We shall," he agreed.

As he opened his mouth to add more, probably something ludicrous to do with animals, she interrupted him, "I think we can break character when it's just us."

"Whatever you say, my deer ." He smothered a chuckle, but Aralyn found herself laughing along with him as they crossed the expansive hallway, with its sweeping staircase that no doubt led up to the turret. Now that would be a much more preferable place to break into rather than a dank basement.

Aralyn adjusted her mask, her skin prickling at the sheer number of vampires gathered together. There was no way she was going to be able to switch off tonight.

Not that it was a bad thing. She might need her senses to keep herself and Caldric alive this evening. And she certainly would need them if she was going to pull off this heist and reclaim the Myasma Stone.

"My, Caldric, you look as sharp as a wolf's fang in that shirt." There was no mistaking Silas's dry tone as he approached, wearing a raven mask, with Merri on his arm, in an emerald green gown that fitted her perfectly, and along with an owl mask. But most people's eyes would be drawn to the stunning emerald necklace and matching earrings she wore. They must have been worth a dragon's hoard. "You cut quite the figure when you put in the effort."

Aralyn noticed that Silas was holding his wife close around her waist.

Perhaps possessive. Or maybe protective. It was always hard to read older vampires, especially someone as ancient as Silas. Who had been around long enough to hone his craft to a fine point.

However, Merri seemed perfectly relaxed by her husband's side, a smile on her face.

"Ah, Silas, ever the flatterer," Caldric replied with a smirk. "But I see you've come dressed as fine as a fox in the moonlight. Careful, or the night might decide to keep you for itself."

"You look wonderful, Merri." Aralyn rolled her eyes as she leaned forward and kissed Merri on the cheek.

"But not as wonderful as you," Merri said warmly. "That dress is fabulous. The color is so daring, I don't think I could ever pull it off."

"It's not really me." Aralyn ran her hands down the skirt.

"Oh, believe me, it is so you ," Merri said with an admiring smile.

"My wife is never wrong," Silas said with mock warning.

"I believe you and I are about to agree on something," Caldric said with a nod to Silas.

"Okay, shall we go get that drink?" Aralyn asked.

"Uh, is this where we have to drink the Sanguignon Rouge?" Merri asked. "You had better not get my glass mixed up with blood."

"Impossible," Silas reassured her, with a lick of his lips.

"So, how are you both?" Merri asked as the two couples made their way toward one of the many small round tables set out with ornate goblets each filled with a ruby-red liquid. But the goblets were distinctly different and individual, making it almost impossible to confuse them.

"We're fine," Aralyn answered with a questioning look at Caldric. Had the vampire been spilling the tea about their night together in the tavern?

"She means how are you this evening?" Silas said with emphasis. "You know, your plans ."

"We're good, thanks," Aralyn said as she cast a look around the room and instantly locked eyes with Sylvi. "Like pigs in mud."

"If there is anything we can do to help," Merri whispered.

"Without putting us in danger," Silas said. Then added, "We do have a family to think of."

"I intend to keep everyone out of danger," Aralyn assured him. "Including Caldric and myself."

"Unless we need a distraction," Caldric reminded her.

Not that she needed reminding. She had not expected Sylvi to be so interested in her. If interested was the right word.

Aralyn shuddered and adjusted her mask. How was she going to sneak away and crack the safe in the basement when Sylvi was watching her like a hawk circling its prey?

"Isn't your playing going to be enough?" Silas asked.

"I cannot wait to hear you play," Merri gushed. "Silas has some of your records on vinyl and we often dance to them. I'm sure those old things don't do justice to the real thing."

"Does he?" Caldric asked with an amused arch of his brow. However, he also looked pleased, but not in a smug way.

"You spill all my secrets," Silas chided Merri.

"Oh, I do not," Merri snorted.

"Ah, drinks." Silas stepped forward quickly, letting go of his wife for a moment as he picked up one of each of the glasses.

Caldric mirrored his movements, raising one goblet to his nose, before handing the other to Aralyn. " This is Sanguignon Rouge."

"You're sure?" Aralyn asked as she sniffed it suspiciously.

"I might need something stronger to listen to Bertram's usual droning speech," Silas complained.

"Hush now," Merri told him as if she were talking to a child, not a millennium-old vampire. "Don't spoil it."

"Well, it's all right for you and Aralyn," Silas said. "This is your first time hearing the damn thing."

"Does he really make the same speech every ball?" Aralyn asked.

"Yes, I can't work out if he can't come up with anything original to say in the decade between balls, or if he believes we will all have forgotten what he said last time, and the time before..." Silas turned as a hush fell over the people gathered and their faces turned upward as a beautiful man, in his thirties descended the stairs.

"Thank you all for coming," Bertram began in a voice that resonated perfectly through the room.

"Do you have any thoughts on how we're going to get the..." Aralyn pressed her lips to Caldric's ear as Bertram began his speech, talking about life and...his garden. Not what Aralyn was expecting as he talked about pruning his rose bushes. "Blood."

"The dance," Caldric replied. "That will be our chance."

"It will?" Aralyn asked.

"You try to get to Bertram. I will attempt to draw blood from Sylvi," Caldric murmured in her ear.

"How?" Aralyn asked. "I don't have a weapon."

Caldric arched an eyebrow at her. "You will have to be as sly as a serpent, ready to strike." He made his hand into a claw and growled at her.

"You mean improvise?" She kept her face deadpan.

"I do," Caldric said with a nod.

"Oh, it's over," Aralyn hissed, aware that everyone was raising their glass. She did the same and took a breath. "And may life be eternal, and blood be warm!"

Her eyes met Merri's as they each took a drink. She didn't want to draw Merri into the heist, but if they could not come up with any other means of distraction, they might not have a choice.

But would Silas agree?

No, that was the wrong question.

Could Silas stop his wife if that was what Merri wanted? Because, seeing them together like this made it obvious that even though Silas was an old and very powerful vampire, Merri was his equal in every way.

"Now, we dance!" Bertram called out and with a whoop, and a few howls, the gathering moved as one toward the ballroom.

Somewhere above them, a bright spotlight appeared, shining onto a wide balcony that housed a plethora of orchestral instruments, each attended to by a serious-looking vampire dressed in white.

A cello sounded, low, bellowing notes, and the whole congregation began to move to the outside of the hall, all looking in toward the now empty room.

"This is it. Let us take our positions." Caldric guided her toward the edge of the room, specifically toward one of the columns upon which was carved a theater-style mask. "Remember, you want to try to find Bertram toward the climax of the dance, but don't be swept up and lost in it like everyone else."

Aralyn nodded, glad that her mask hid her tense expression. It was intimidating enough being surrounded by her mortal enemy, but there was something even more so when they were all masked up. She felt as though everyone in the huge ballroom was staring straight at her, though it was really impossible to tell.

With everyone seemingly ready, the barking cello began to slow into longer, more drawn-out notes, before it quieted completely, and the soft sounds of a flute began. As soon as the air was filled with the sound, almost as one, every figure in the hall began to move.

She was glad to have Caldric to lead her, at least through the beginning stages of the dance. It was like everyone was little clockwork figures, moving perfectly in time with one another. The dance itself started slow and gentle, just like the music. Aralyn wasn't exactly an expert on dance, but it reminded her of a waltz, though instead of a box step, they moved in shallow arcs, everyone moving toward the center of the room.

Just when it was starting to feel crowded, and all the couples were nearly pressing against each other, the steps reversed, and they spread out again before certain people began to break off on their own to fill the empty space. Caldric had mentioned that everyone should know where they were supposed to go based on their relation to the pillars on the outside of the room. However, Aralyn didn't understand how everyone seemed to get each movement exactly right.

When moving this slowly, it would be incredibly noticeable if anyone were out of step.

The other instruments slowly began to join in, adding a backdrop to the previously lone flute, and Aralyn held Caldric tight as the dance sped up a little. She knew at some point she was going to have to let him go, not only because that was required of the dance, but because she had to seek out Bertram. However, the thought of being lost, alone in the crowd of vampires concealed in an array of masks that ranged from outlandish to ghoulish, made her feel a nervousness she hadn't experienced since the beginning of her career as a vampire hunter.

She looked up to Caldric for reassurance, but his eyes were already searching the dancers for his mark.

As the flute was drowned out by the rest of the orchestra, the steps of the dance increased in pace. Aralyn took a breath and steeled herself, reminding herself why she was doing this.

For Caldric.

There, she had admitted it, if only to herself. She was no longer putting herself through this ordeal to fight against vampires, or to please her superiors, or even herself.

No. Now she was doing this for a vampire who had become more to her than she had ever thought possible.

And with that they pushed away from each other as cymbals crashed like thunder, swirling away into the crowd as the previously synchronized dancers broke into what looked like chaos. Spinning and twirling around the room between one another before the instruments began to settle to a steady rhythm, though they kept up the tempo.

Aralyn found herself in the arms of a small, wiry-looking vampire. She couldn't see his face through the mask, but she could feel his undead nature.

Surprisingly, she found the beat easier to follow now that it was faster as they wove through the crowd. The vampires seemed to glide across the floor as they danced, effortless and fluid, and although proficient, she could easily spot any non-vampiric guests in the crowd. They didn't flow the same way, and as she glanced back at her current partner, she realized that anyone would be able to see that she was mortal, too, despite the mask.

She pushed any and all fear from her mind, just as she had done on countless occasions before facing down some of the scariest vampires alive. There was a task that needed doing.

As she raced to keep in step with the vampire, her eyes scanned the room. With every twirl, she watched for the somewhat pretentious phoenix mask Bertram wore. Just when she was beginning to think he wasn't even in this crowd, she saw it.

Now that she had spotted him, she kept him in her sights, waiting for her moment. The cymbals crashed again, signaling the exchange of partners. It was supposed to be a random, chaotic break in the otherwise orderly dance, but there was to be nothing accidental about her next move.

As soon as she and the vampire pushed away from one another, she shoved her away through the crowd, trying to at least make it look like she was still dancing with the odd twirl or two as she beelined for Bertram.

Just as the melody picked back up, she reached Bertram, practically colliding with him as the bodies of the other dancers pressed against her. But as she felt cold hands in hers and looked up at the imposing figure of the head of the Tolioni family, she knew that she had her chance.

The tempo was at breakneck speed at this point, and she was fighting to not trip over herself while trying to keep up with the speed and grace of a vampire while she was wearing heels.

Perhaps she could blame the heels for what was about to happen.

Aralyn let her movements become more erratic. When they stepped away from one another, she twirled and then let the crowd push her closer to Bertram. However, this time she aimed to miss his hand and lash her ringed hands toward his face.

As her fellow dancers jostled her, she feigned a stumble, but somehow, even though it seemed he barely moved, he deftly caught her, as if it were all coordinated into the dance.

Beneath her mask, Aralyn was scowling as she tried again and again to nick the vampire's skin, to just draw one drop of blood. Frustration built within her, to anyone who might be watching it probably looked like they were fighting. Her movements became more exaggerated as Bertram weaved around everyone without missing a step of the dance.

Before she knew it, the cymbals crashed again, and she lost Bertram to the crowd as everyone flowed in circles around the room almost at a run. She gritted her teeth in frustration but then took a deep breath and set her face in the most serene expression she could muster as the soothing bell-like sound of a steel tongue drum rang out.

She'd failed.

Everyone tore off their masks, launching them into the air, Aralyn included before the music slowed back down. The waltzing step returned, though everyone remained alone in the crowd as they searched for their original partners.

Aralyn easily spotted Caldric, and drifted over to him, feeling relief when she was back in his arms.

"Did you get it?" Aralyn knew the answer from Caldric's expression. And that answer was no.

Damn it, this whole thing hinged on them using blood from one of the Tolioni vampires to open the door to the basement. If they didn't get it, they might as well go home now.

"We'll find a way," Caldric assured her, his gaze sweeping the room as he searched out Sylvi and Bertram.

"I'm open to ideas," Aralyn fanned herself as she caught her breath. The dance was certainly energetic.

"Then it's a good thing I have one."

They turned to see Merri and Silas approach them as the dance was beginning to wind down.

"Why don't we get a drink and then go and enjoy the view of the roses from the terrace?" Merri asked as she fanned her face with her hand.

"You mean the roses that Bertram has tended for the last three hundred years?" Silas said.

"You were listening to his speech." Merri tapped Silas playfully on the shoulder.

"I have heard it enough times I could recite it word for word," Silas replied. "This family has lived in this house for centuries. I think I'd be bored out of my mind if I didn't take a vacation every decade or so."

"Wait, isn't there an older brother, too?" Caldric asked. "A recluse." His eyes traveled up the staircase. "It's said he doesn't leave his room. Maybe that is why they stay here."

"A sitting duck." Aralyn clapped her hands together as if she had won the lottery.

"A sitting duck," Caldric said with a wink. She was beginning to like this new Caldric. One that seemed to show more and more humanity with each day.

"And why the sudden interest in the older brother?" Silas asked, his eyes like pinpoint lasers as he focused his attention on Caldric.

"We need blood from a member of the Tolioni family," Caldric replied.

"So that's why you two were acting so strangely during the dance," Merri exclaimed.

"Why were you trying to get blood from Sylvi or Bertram?" Silas asked incredulously.

"We…need it to open a door." Aralyn was not too happy about sharing information with Silas, but if they were going to get the blood they needed, they might need to enlist his help. Besides, they knew what they were up to, anyway. "I don't suppose you are a long-lost distant relative, are you?"

"Me?" Silas rolled his eyes. "I am much older than this family. And no, they do not share my bloodline. I think they would turn in their coffins if they did. They are far too posh for the likes of me."

"Then we need a distraction so we can get up those stairs and find the older brother," Aralyn said.

"Or you could simply fill a vial from one of the goblets that does not contain Sanguignon Rouge," Silas suggested.

"What do you mean?" Caldric asked.

"Why do you think they only hold one of these things every decade?" Silas asked. "It takes time to fill…"

"Oh," Merri said, covering her mouth. "I don't think I want to know."

"It's their blood in the goblets?" Aralyn asked.

"Yes. They..." Silas began, but Merri's eyes widened, and she shook her head as she made a small retching noise.

"Okay. That seems a bit odd to put the key to their artifact collection in the glass of every vampire, but sure." Aralyn sucked in a deep breath as adrenalin threaded through her veins. This was it. She was about to pull off a heist right under the noses of the Tolioni family. "All we need now is a distraction."

"I can come up with something," Merri said, and Aralyn sensed the witch summoning her magic.

"No." Silas knit his brows together as he shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

"Silas is right," Caldric said as Merri opened her mouth to protest. "I will be the distraction. You go and retrieve the Myasma Stone."

"What's your plan?" Aralyn asked.

He leaned forward, his hand on her upper arm, sending thrills through her body as he whispered, "Why, play, of course." He kissed her cheek and then stepped away.

"I'm sure I can cast a little spell to help with the performance. We'll make sure everyone is so enraptured with Caldric's playing that there's no way they'll notice when you slip away," Merri said, casting Silas a defiant glance.

"If you're sure, we'll certainly appreciate the help," Silas said, although he did not look too pleased about the situation. "Good luck, Aralyn. If things go awry, I will do what I can." His eyes were a deep shade of violet as he stared at the vampire hunter for a long moment.

"Thank you," Aralyn said. "All of you." She'd never had real backup before, no one to fight her corner if she got into trouble. It was a humbling experience.

"Go," Caldric said, gave her a small smile, and then turned away, heading for the grand piano that was situated on the small, raised dais toward one end of the room. The family seemed to have brought it out just for him.