He nodded, then guided me through the crowd.
A vampire or two glanced over as we walked, but most ignored us. They talked among themselves—their words inaudible, but their gestures making clear the emotion in their eyes.
They were ready and waiting for something to begin. It was anticipatory magic.
As we passed one cluster, the vamp closest to us snapped his head to the side to gaze at us. His fangs had descended and his irises were silver, his pupils shrunken to tiny pinpoints, even in the moody lighting.
His upper lip curled, but another vamp in his knot pulled him back and into whatever argument they’d been having.
“I have to admit, this isn’t exactly what I expected.”
I looked around the space and noticed the plastic had been peeled back at one end of the room, and the opening led to a balcony. “Let’s try out there,” I suggested. “If humans are here, they’re going to want to take in the view.”
Jonah nodded his agreement and we maneuvered our way outside. The balcony was empty of furniture—but full of humans.
“Still not exactly what I expected,” he muttered.
They were sprinkled here and there, mostly women, probably under twenty-five or so. Like the vampires, the girls wore everything from party dresses and heels to goth ensembles with short skirts and big boots. One girl, a blonde who was a bit taller and curvier than the rest, wore a tiara with white streamers and a pink satin sash across her chest. When the crowd cleared, I could see BRIDE written across it in glittery letters. The girl beside her held her hand, both of them grinning in anticipation.
As nonchalantly as we could, we walked to the edge of the balcony, where a railing had been installed. The lake was spread on one side of us, the city on the other. Jonah slid an arm around my waist, and we continued the guise of two lovers enjoying a prebloodletting chat.
“A would-be bride looking for a final premarital adventure?” I said quietly.
“Quite possibly. They may be fully aware of what they’re getting into. Check the wristbands.”
I gave the girls another look. Around each of their wrists was a red silicone wristband. “What about them?”
“The bands mark them as vampire sympathizers. The ones who still think we’re dark and delicious.”
“Apparently. I support the support, although a plastic bracelet doesn’t exactly scream
‘long-term political allies.’ ” He shrugged. “But here they are, and as much as Scott and Morgan may deplore it, drinking from humans isn’t a sin.”
“Brave words for a non-Cadogan vampire.”
Jonah humphed. “I stand by my statement. In any event, we wait until we see something amiss—and then we move in.”
I smiled up at him, then tugged playfully on a lock of his auburn hair, playing the part in which I’d been cast. “Works for me.”
He grinned, and the look was effective enough that it made even my hardened heart trip a bit.
“And I thought you’d be stubborn and difficult to work with.”
This time, I gave him a pinch on the arm I hope looked playful—and not spiteful. “In case you’ve forgotten, Ethan Sullivan trained me. And in case you didn’t know, Catcher Bell schooled me in sword craft. I was raised on ‘difficult to work with.’ ” He chuckled. “Then you’re forgiven.”
“So magnanimous.”
He put his hand on his heart like a man confessing love. “That’s the nature of RG service.”
I gave him a quick pat on the cheek. “Darling, I’ll just have to take your word for it.”
We wandered around the balcony for a while, fingers intertwined, occasionally sharing strategically furtive whispers. If this was a real rave, there was a lot less drum-and-bass and many fewer glow-in-the-dark necklaces than I’d have expected. But pills and powders were still passed around, and there was enough glamour in the air that my skin crawled with it, my neck beginning to ache from my constantly shaking off the peculiar tickle.
We kept an eye on the humans, and from our perch hundreds of feet above the city, we watched the play take shape. Vampires moved in and around the sprinkling of humans, plying them with alcohol and glamour. The vamps were clearly in touch with their predatory instincts—and they acted on them. Once glasses of champagne were passed out, the humans were separated and divided, then escorted, one by one, back into the penthouse. They were probably unaware they’d been singled out like calves from a herd.
On the other hand, we hadn’t seen anything that looked remotely like crazed violence. This party was definitely bigger than prior raves, but it wasn’t exactly the free-for-all Mr. Jackson had described.
When a tall, dark-haired vamp took one of the goth girls by the hand and led her back through the plastic, Jonah nudged me. “Let’s head inside.
I’ll take her, make sure things stay aboveboard.
You keep an eye on the rest of them.”
“Will do,” I said, ignoring the flutter in my stomach when he kissed my hand and walked back into the room.
I followed him, and I’ll admit it: my boy troubles aside, I could appreciate a fine walk on Grey House vampire.
Unfortunately, I’d been doing just that when I found myself surrounded.
It started with a bump, an obviously drunk female vamp stumbling backward. We were inside the would-be penthouse again when she ran into me, pushing me into two guys at my back.
She glanced cattily at me. “Sorry.”
“No problem,” I said with a tight smile. But when I turned around to apologize to the guys I’d run into, they were even less thrilled.
They were both vamps, both average-looking, both in button-down shirts and jeans, one slightly taller than the other. The taller vamp had dark hair; the shorter one was a blond. They boxed me in, close enough that I could smell their cheap cologne and the faint tang of blood that surrounded them. They’d taken blood recently—but from someone in the room?
I started with politeness. “Sorry. I got bumped.”
“Yeah, well, watch where the fuck you’re going.”
Okay, bit of an overreaction, but we were at a party with a lot of people. Could be they’d been stepped on before and were sick of the crowd.
I smiled lightly. “Sure thing.”
The blond guy grabbed my elbow. “That doesn’t sound like much of an apology, you know. It doesn’t sound like you were truly sorry for running into us.”
Was this guy serious? I’d barely bumped him.
I pulled my arm away. “Again, sorry.” I glanced casually around, checking both for Jonah and any sign of the girls, but the crowd seemed to have thickened, and neither was in sight. For the first time, I actually wished I’d been with Ethan instead of Jonah. At least he and I could have communicated telepathically.
“I don’t appreciate your attitude,” the blond guy said.
“I’m sorry?” I offered. “I was just trying to get out of your way.” While batting my eyelashes, I looked him over, hoping to find some clue of House affiliation. But there was no medal, no jersey. Out of luck on that front.
“You know the password?” he asked.
“Um, temptress,” I said, boredom in my voice.
