“Hmm,” I said, turning my attention to the crowd below. The jealousy drained out of my big green balloon, but I was still wearing some rando’s clothes. He had no reason to lie, but for some reason I wanted him to prove it.
“Did you think I was bedding women by the masses?” The mirth in his voice made me look back at him. There was a knowing smile on his face.
Before I could answer and wipe that smug smile off him, his gaze trained on something past my shoulder.
“She’s here.”
14
The Oracle strode up the stairs to my private lounge. I stepped forward to greet her. We kissed both cheeks, while Vivien looked on in awe. Bianca looked every bit the goddess she was. Voluminous blonde hair falling over her model-thin shoulders. Her bronze skin glowed even more vibrant than her emerald dress that was a mix of glitz and high fashion.
“Grim.” She said my name with fondness I reciprocated.
Despite Bianca’s glamorous visage, worry tightened the skin around her eyes. Manicured hands fretted with the matching satin clutch she’d brought.
I made the introduction, opening a hand to the vampire. “This is Vivien.”
Bianca’s breath caught and her blue eyes rounded as she took in the ostentatious vampire next to me. Her sight far exceeded mine, as Bianca was clairvoyant, and I wondered if Vivien’s sekhor aura was as drugging to her as it was to me. Even Timothy, the most even-keeled of our kind, shot Vivien the occasional hungry look.
I stilled, watching and waiting to see what would happen. The likelihood that Bianca would kill Vivien herself was high. Not because Bianca was apt for such carnage, but because of the danger sekhors posed. It occurred to me, Bianca might think the risk of keeping Vivien alive for any amount of time, even as bait, was too great.
The two stood staring at each other, and I found myself tensed, on high alert.
At last, Bianca held out her hand. Vivien hesitated, then took it. Bianca’s face broke into a friendly grin. “I’m Bianca. Nice to meet you.”
I relaxed my shoulders.What the devil was I worried about?
Then I realized what had me worried. I’d been poised and ready to fly in swinging if Bianca attacked. I had instinctually prepared myself to protect Vivien.
Because I need her to draw out the master, nothing more,I insisted to myself. When I ended Vivien, it would be because I had cleaned up this whole sekhor mess, and she would be the last tie I’d need to sever.
But the prospect of killing her caused knots to tighten in my chest. The idea of anyone else hurting her caused those same knots to twist with acute violence. Every fiber of my being forbade it. Never had I felt the need to spare anyone before. Why now? Why her?
Because she could be your other half, your life mate, your sekhor.Even thinking such thoughts was forbidden. I was grateful when the two women interrupted the madness churning inside me.
“So you’re the Oracle?” Vivien asked, letting go of Bianca after a brief shake. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said Bianca made Vivien self-conscious. But the vampire was shameless. Then again, I detected jealousy when she asked about the women’s clothes in my penthouse.
Bianca laughed airily and blushed. “Yes, well, we all have our talents.” She reached out and gave my arm an affectionate squeeze.
We sat, and a server appeared moments later with fresh drinks and champagne for Bianca. Vivien sent the red wine back and asked for a beer instead. That caused the corner of my mouth to twitch. We did not start conversation until he’d returned with her order.
“Oh my,” Bianca breathed, still riveted by Vivien.
Vivien squirmed in her seat. “What?” she asked.
“I haven’t seen a sekhor in…quite some time,” Bianca explained. To her credit, she kept her eyes on Vivien’s face and not the blatantly erotic getup she was wearing.
It took a great deal of willpower to keep my own gaze trained on her face. A mere glance, and I struggled to forget the milky flesh of her exposed hips, or the way the tight bodysuit pushed her breasts up.
“But you saw her, in your vision?” I prompted after clearing my throat and my thoughts.
Bianca’s voice dropped to a serious timber. “Yes. But first, I have to ask.” The glass shook in her hand as she brought it to her lips for a sip. “Does…the Original still slumber?”
“Of course she does. The first thing I did was check.” My tone was gruffer than I intended, but to assume I wouldn’t check to see if the Original was still secured was to presume I did not know my duties.
Vivien opened her mouth to ask, but I held up a hand to stop her in her tracks. She shut her mouth in what I could only assume was deference to Bianca because she’d never done so for me.
“I don’t know how this happened.” I gestured to Vivien, who frowned. “All I know is I’m the one left cleaning up the mess. And if I don’t contain the situation soon, we could have a real problem. My reapers are out looking for the trail of the vampires as we speak. The vampires leave death in their wake; I don’t understand why my reapers are taking so long to find the trail.”
