Page 17 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

“Uhm, hi?”

“Oh! Manners. Yes.” She strode across the room. I got the impression she could move much faster, but was putting me at ease. “Zola Pirani, darling. It’s an absolute pleasure.” Her voice was breathy, low, sensual.

My eyes dropped to her proffered hand. She nudged it toward me, so I shook it. “Lily Shaw.” The words came out uncertain. “Your skin—it’s not…”

“Cold? Of course not. You really believe all that nonsense?”

My mouth opened, then snapped shut. I wasn’t about to blame Laurent, even if he’d been lying. “So the rumors about vampires aren’t true? Holy water, crosses, garlic, all that?”

She laughed. The sound of it made my belly flutter. I couldn’t help myself. My gaze lingered over her long throat, down the length of her perfect body. What would it be like to be her? To live in a place like this? To wear dresses that cost me a year’s rent?

Her laugher cut off. She inhaled, nostrils flaring. They kept doing that around me. Inhaling.

A small, pleased smile curved her lips. “Don’t worry. I have that effect on everyone.”

“Effect? What…effect?” I stepped back, fisting the red fabric covering my legs. Heat crawled up my neck as my body responded in ways I didn’t understand. Was this one of their powers? To make humans lust after them no matter our sexual preferences?

Zola simply gave me a knowing look. She strode to my bed and flopped down, propping her chin in her palm to regard me. My lips parted at the sight. At how comfortable and natural she looked.

Once more, her hair shifted. “Why aren’t your ears pointed?”

“Would you like me more if they were?”

“Uhm…”

Her face changed. Her eyes blackened, skin turned to marble, and…the points of her ears stuck through her dark hair.

“Oh.” So she did have them.

“You like?” She lifted a hand, tucking her short hair behind one.

A nervous laugh burst from my lips. “They’re like…fae ears.”

“Yes. Fae ears.” A new smile stretched across her lips. This one made me shiver. It was a predator’s smile. I swallowed against the lump forming in my throat.

“So…” she said. “An amplifier, huh? Oh, come now. Stop looking at me like that. I’m not going to bite you. I had a little snack before coming up.” And just like that, her face morphed until it looked almost human again.

“A…a snack?”

“Oh, yes. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it for one moment. I won’t touch you, no matter how badly I want you. Besides, we’re going to be the best of friends. I don’t dine on my friends.” My mouth opened but all that came out was a croak. “Things have been so boring lately. Well, except for all the disappearing vampires.”

“Dis-disappearing vampires?” The words were little more than a squeak.

“Well, of course. Why do you think Laurent was at that party?”

“He said something about a demon.”

“A drug dealer, dealing something he shouldn’t. It’s called Red Allure.” My eyes widened. “Ahh. You’ve heard of it? I thought so. Wait, you didn’t have any, did you?” I shook my head. “Good girl. Drinking vampire blood would be very naughty. Very rude.”

“So vampires are allowed to take human blood, but not the other way around?”

“We only drink from the willing. Well, those of us who have morals.”

“And Red Allure?”

“I can assure you, no vampire gives up their blood willingly. Whoever is flooding the market is taking it by force, certainly not through honest means.”

My stomach turned. Those party-goers had been drinking vampire blood—stolen blood.