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“So Clement said.”
“That’s amazing! I can’t wait to see you! It’s going to be fantabulous!”
“Thanks again. I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
After making one last round around the ballroom, Leah headed back to her room. Sure enough, there was a box from Versace on her bed. Her pulse quickened as she opened it.
A sigh of pure feminine appreciation escaped her at the sapphire blue dress nestled within. Reverently, Leah ran her fingers over the soft and silky material and lifted a full-length dress with a deep V-cut in the front and back. It had a cinched waist before the bottom flared out in a loose skirt.
There was also a pair of matching moon drop earrings and… Leah’s face heated.
A matching thong.
Seriously, what was going through that man’s head? She sighed, confused, and smoothed out the dress on her bed with the gentleness of caring for a newborn baby while her emotions roiled in stormy waves inside her.
Why did he reject her? She’d been certain she had him, that he would fuck her then and there. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d badgered her about the night before, as though her answer would make a difference.
And… and she’d almost told him.
Not the whole truth, but she had felt compelled to tell him about her not-so-great experience with sex, hence the freak-out. But somehow, she hadn’t been able to say the words, to even admit that much to him. Stupid, stupid.
She promised herself if it happened again, she’d tell him
An uncomfortable feeling wriggled in her stomach. Was it wrong of her to use him? No, he was a vampire. Arrogant and domineering and tyrannical.Because he must be,a part of her whispered. He’d helped the man beaten up by the vampires. He maintained and paid for the shelters.
No, she had to do this. Leah gritted her teeth, determination cutting through any guilt and hesitation. It didn’t matter if Julian Blackmore had a heart under the rough exterior. It didn’t matter why he’d changed his mind and sent her the dress. She’d wear it and parade herself in front of him and a hundred vampires and humans if it meant accomplishing her goals.
Standing next to the bar with a glass of blood wine in hand, Julian wished he was anywhere but in the crowded ballroom. He didn’t understand what Alistair wished to accomplish with this party. So many things could go wrong with all these humans and vampires in an enclosed space.
While he had people scanning for any potential trouble, he also remained on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.
There had been more troubling reports of Hunters being spotted in the city. Two of his people had disappeared this week. Normally, it would be easy to track down the Hunters. However, with his people working security full time, he and Marek didn’t have anyone spare to handle the Hunters.
From his vantage point at the bar, he watched as Alistair walked up the small stage set next to the orchestra. An imposing man, the Vampire King stood at a good six-foot-nine. He wore a tailored tuxedo that failed to hide the raw and unfathomable power leashed beneath the sophisticated clothes. They hadn’t chosen him as King. He was the First and had the power to impose his will on any vampire with a single glance. Lesser vampires had made the mistake of challenging his authority.
Needless to say, those challengers weren’t around to regret their last decision in life.
Alistair lifted the wine glass and tapped it lightly with a spoon. People slowly quieted down as the ringing reverberated through the large hall.
“Good evening.” Alistair’s deep voice rang out across the room. Julian, even at his age, felt Alistair’s magnetism drawing his eyes to the Vampire King. The humans, despite their C2 implant, weren’t immune to Alistair’s power.
“Welcome to the first human and vampire Gathering. I am grateful that many of you accepted my invitation. Humans and vampires have had a sometimes uneasy but fruitful relationship this last century. I have the highest hopes that these next few days will strengthen the relationship between our two races. But,” Alistair’s smile transformed his demeanor from forbidding royal to amicable friend, “that is all for tomorrow. For tonight, please relax and enjoy.”
A round of polite applause sounded after Alistair bowed and left the stage. The orchestra resumed their playing. Groups of humans and vampires mingled while uniformed servers navigated expertly through the crowd.
Julian glanced at his watch. It was close to ten. Since he would be here for a while, he might as well make the rounds. He saw Logan, Head of House Paradise, a few feet away chatting with the Chancellor of Germany, which was part of Logan’s territory.
He was on his way to introduce himself when he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. It was a good thing he was facing the grand staircase, otherwise he would’ve missed her. With the amount of people in the ballroom and the myriad perfumes they wore, he must’ve missed her scent.
She stood at the top of the staircase, surveying the crowd like a queen. The full-length sapphire dress cut a sharp V down her front, leaving miles of milky skin exposed, skin he’d kissed and tasted for what felt like forever ago. Her dark brunette hair, swept to one side with a clip, exposed the graceful curve of her neck. Blood red gloss painted her pouty lips that had featured in his fantasies since meeting her.
Gods, she was beautiful, like a goddess of old.
His hands itched to wrap around her cinched waist and discover the curve of her hips hidden under the loose skirt.
He scowled. What was she doing here? What was she thinking? This was the last thing he needed, her announcing herself to everyone of import from his race.
