Page 93 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“He’s got enough on his plate. And I’m no snitch.”

Verity supposed that was fair. It was an accident. She hadn’t even told Theo yet, not wanting to get Adam in trouble, because Theo would cause trouble.

“Fair enough,” Verity said, and they both raised their glasses to the unspoken truce and Sienna smiled.

It felt good to have someone else on her side. Theo told her not to talk about what they’d found in the donor registers, but Verity would be interested to find out exactly what Sienna knew.

The rest of the table was quiet. No one she recognised. A man with freckles and a nose ring next to Sienna, not acknowledging the existence of anyone as he scrolled his phone, and two women sat opposite. Though women might not have been the right word. They looked more like girls, barely old enough to be in a club no mind about donating. One spoke in the others ear, clearly conveying something very important while the other girl listened, staring towards the table of raucous vampires like a deer in headlights.

Verity glanced over to the table, unable to work out who she stared at. Perhaps into oblivion. The vampires laughed and shouted, spilling drinks and slapping back. Then there was Theo and Harris, who looked as miserable as each other. Theo watching her, unsurprisingly. Forcing an over-the-top smile to her lips, Verity pointed to her mouth and he rolled his eyes. Apparently, she was the only one expected to play along.

“What’s wrong with him?” Sienna asked.

“Same thing as Harris, I suspect.”

Sienna gently kicked Verity under the table, and it was an effort not to laugh. How many times had she watched the Queen-Bee kick someone to shut them up?

A nervous giggle slipped free and the deer-in-headlights switched her attention to Verity. She was pretty, they both were, a blonde and a redhead. Their dresses were similar, jewellery and hair styles almost the same. Identical makeup that made Verity wonder if they shared.

Either they shared everything, or the same person had chosen it all for them.

“Hi,” Verity waved to the girls, getting another kick from Sienna. “I’m Verity, I’m with Lord Chapel.” She tried not to cringe at the title. “What are your names?”

“I’m Chloe,” said the blonde with a smile that didn’t reach her cheeks. “This is Mable.” She gestured to the other girl who nodded.

“This is Sienna; we go to the same donor group. Are you two donors?”

She felt Sienna shift but moved her legs before she could be kicked again. If she wasn't allowed to talk to them, Viv shouldn’t have put her on the children’s table.

Children potentially being the right word, as Mable turned to Chloe for help.

“Yes,” Chloe said. “We’re travelling with… the group.”

The man at the table wasn't paying any attention, so Verity shuffled closer. “It’s okay,” she said in a stage whisper. “We know about Abe and everything. I’m a friend of his.”

“Oh,” Mable squeaked. “So, you know about…” she looked over to the other table again before leaning closer, “…Salvation?” Shit. Verity knew it existed but not a great deal else. “Is it nice?” the girl asked, brows drawn with an eager smile that made Verity feel sick. Why the fuck should this girl care if Salvation is nice?

“The sea isn’t very clear there, but I hear the town is beautiful,” Sienna said, joining the huddle. “Lots of countryside and rolling hills.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Mable said. “I do so love the sea.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely,” said Chloe, pushing Mable’s drink towards her and giving Verity an unobstructed view of her inner wrist. No bite marks. No twin punctures like the ones that peppered her and Sienna’s wrists. Nothing.

They weren’t donors.

“How long…”

A hand landed on her shoulder making her flinch and pull away until she realised Theo was bending down to talk to her.

“Green Room,” he said, and Verity stifled a groan. They were going to a private room.

Viv, Abe, Harris and a couple of other vampires along with all the humans said their goodbyes to those who didn’t make the cut before walking off ahead. Downing her glass of champagne, Verity shuffled from the booth and took Theo’s hand.

“You okay?” he asked as they followed the others.

The dance floor was devolving into a horrifying display of blood and lust. They walked past two women, a human with her back against a vampire and moaning loudly as she was fed on. The vampire’s hands roamed her body as she sucked hard at her neck.

In fact, almost every couple she saw was feeding in a similar way, some vampires even on their knees, teeth buried in thighs or… well, Verity assumed that’s what they were doing as she looked away from one woman who seemed on the edge of ecstasy with a vampire’s head between her legs.