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My bare-bones studioapartment was within comfortable walking distance from the center of Laurel Cove even for a human, which was integral to keeping up my charade. Its central location was about the only comfortable thing about it, but I didn’t have to waste money on a car. The less I spent, the quicker I’d reach my goal.
It was clean and safe enough, but I had only the barest of essentials. One chair, a mattress, sheets, and a few dishes.
I strode through the front door, not bothering to lock it behind me, ignored the folded takeout menu someone had slid under the door, and headed straight for the shower. I had a half an hour to get drop-dead stunning.
I’d planned for at least an hour, but I’d stayed late to help close the bar.
It didn’t matter. A vampire girl could work miracles in a half an hour.
My gaze caught the embossed invitation, exactly where I’d left it on the corner of my bed. So much planning, so much effort. I’d thought of everything. I’d learned new skills to pull this job off.
And that’s where I’d splurged. Any tool or skill or article of clothing I needed to accomplish this goal, I bought without hesitation. A lady has to know when to invest in herself. I’d stuffed my one and only closet to the gills with any outfit I’d need to blend in to every social event imaginable.
I also kept a storage space on the opposite side of the cove where my safecracking equipment, practice safes, and explosives lived.
True, I could rip a safe door off its hinges with one hand behind my back, but that didn’t do me any good if that triggered other safety measures.
Namely, the hidden pneumatic stakes rumored to be built into the walls of the compound. I’d heard they used so much force to launch, a vamp would explode the moment the stake reached their heart.
The idea of becoming a gooey mess on the ground turned my stomach.
So I’d prepped my ass off.
I showered at top speed, took my long blonde hair out of the braid I’d worn to the bar, and fluffed out my waves. I didn’t bother with makeup.
I didn’t need it, thanks to…well, vampirism.
The moment I’d completed my transition, every physical flaw I’d had as a human disappeared while my attractiveness bumped up to nine.
Nine thousand.
I’m not kidding.
The blonde lashes that were the bane of my human existence were now thick and dark. My formerly watery blue eyes now sparkled a brilliant sky blue with a dark ring of indigo at the edge. My skin was always smooth and flawless.
Makeup just wasn’t necessary.
What was necessary was the perfect outfit. And I’d labored over that decision for almost as long as I’d planned the actual theft.
The dress had to be perfect.
I couldn’t draw too much attention to myself.
But it still had to be provocative enough to blend with other vamps.
And most importantly, it couldn’t restrict my movement.
Enter The Red Dress.
Laid across the other edge of my bed was the dress I’d painstakingly chosen. The ruby hue complimented my complexion. The slits were high enough that I could make a fast getaway if needed. And the neckline was low enough that I wouldn’t look like a prude at a vamp gala. I slipped into the silky material, letting the sensation course through my nerve endings.
It had been nearly a year and a half since I’d turned, and I still wasn’t accustomed to the heightened sense of touch.
The fantastic vision and sensitive hearing had certainly been an adjustment. Sometimes painfully so, but I barely registered those differences now.
And smelling people? That was just gross at first, but I’d grown accustomed to tryingnotto smell people.
The feel of a fine fabric across my skin, however, or the whisper of the wind on my cheeks…?
