Chapter 2
Lilith groaned aloud as she huddled under her 980 thread Egyptian cotton sheets. Perhaps tapping that cokehead's vein hadn't been such a good idea after all. Although she was practically immortal and immune to virtually all human illnesses, drinking drug-laced blood could still bring a hangover.
She rolled over and squinted at the alarm clock next to her bed. According to the numbers it was three in the afternoon. She had promised to hook up with Tanith before fi ve and do some shopping. Although she normally disliked going out before sunset, Lilith was willing to make the occasional sacrifi ce if it meant hitting Prada or Tiffany while they were still open. She stretched her lithe, lean body, savoring the feel of the twelve-hundred-dollar sheets against her skin.
Sitting up, she punched the call button on the intercom next to her alarm clock.
"Yes, Miss Lilith?" a male voice promptly responded.
"I'm awake, Curtis," she said. "Send my dresser up."
"Right away, Miss Lilith."
Lilith threw back the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, which had been in her family since the days of Louis XV. She had long since learned how to physically dress herself, but she still needed her dresser, Esmeralda, to help her with her hair and makeup and always would.
Before she went into her bathroom, she doublechecked to make sure all the curtains in the bedroom were pulled tight against the afternoon sun. Although she could walk around during the daylight hours without any adverse side effects, the same could not be said of the undead who served her family. The last thing she needed was her dresser bursting into fl ame just before she left to go shopping.
Satisfi ed that the room was adequately sun-proofed, she headed into her bathroom, which had separate chambers for her facial chair and tanning bed. While she waited for the shower water to heat up, Lilith shucked off her silk chiffon cami-doll and punted it into the corner of the room. She luxuriated in the feel of the water pulsing against her skin as she lathered up with a body wash made for her by the family's private perfumier.
There was a light tap on the door as she stepped out of the shower. "Are you ready for me, Miss Lilith?" the dresser asked, pushing open the bathroom door wide enough to stick her head inside.
Esmeralda looked to be in her early thirties, with an olive complexion, raven-black eyes, and long, thick dark hair pulled back into a simple ponytail fi xed with golden bangles. Lilith had never asked her, but she fi gured the dresser must have been a gypsy before she became one of the undead.
"Go ahead and set up, Ezzie," Lilith replied. "I'm going to get dressed."
"As you wish, Miss Lilith," the dresser said, stepping aside to allow her mistress to pass before entering the bathroom, her black-and-chrome makeup case trundling along behind her like a pet on wheels. Lilith darted across the room and opened the door of her walk-in closet. She snatched a pair of quartzpink silk Perla briefs and a matching underwire from the top drawer of the antique cherrywood lingerie chest. She looked with distaste at her school uniforms, which were hanging in their own section of the closet, as if they might somehow contaminate the rest of her belongings. After fi fteen minutes she fi nally decided on a pink Marc Jacobs blouse and a Chloe skirt, with fl owered wedges. Maybe she'd buy something new to wear tonight.
She reentered the bathroom just as Esmeralda was placing her last set of makeup brushes on a crisp, clean towel. The dresser's cosmetic case stood open, unfolded like some kind of exotic night-blooming fl ower, revealing the countless jars, tubes, sticks, and trays necessary to her profession.
As Lilith hopped into the leather facial chair, her eyes automatically went to the blank space where her vanity mirror would have been if she was like every other girl in her apartment building.
"Why can't I have just one mirror, Ezzie?"
"You know they're forbidden, Miss Lilith," Esmeralda replied wearily as she busied herself with putting Sisley foundation makeup on her mistress's face.
"I know, but it's not fair. I still refl ect. Just because everyone else around here is too old to look into mirrors doesn't mean I have to be punished as well."
"True, you still cast a refl ection," Esmeralda said as she continued to apply the cosmetics. "But not for much longer. Once you fully mature from fl edgling to adult, you will no longer refl ect. You know it is against the decree of the Synod to own mirrors."
Realizing there was no way to get around that particular argument, Lilith decided to shift the conversation. "Did you look at those magazines I gave you?"
"Yes, I looked at them." The dresser sighed. At one time Esmeralda had served as the personal beautician for some old French king's slutty girlfriend, and it was clear she resented having the latest Italian Vogue and W shoved under her nose all the time. It wasn't that Lilith thought Esmeralda did a bad job; she just wanted to look hot, that was all. One of the things they'd taught at school, which she had to admit was actually useful, was that it was important to stay abreast of the current fashion trends and not get stuck with a certain "look." If she wasn't careful, she could fi nd herself looking like Carmen's mother, who still dressed like a 1940s fi lm star.
"Do you think you can make me look more like her?" Lilith asked, pointing at a picture of a glamorous young celebrity walking down yet another red carpet. Esmeralda gave Lilith a deliciously evil smile. "Feh! I can make it seem that she looks like you."
Lilith wanted to giggle, but she knew she had to remain absolutely still so Esmeralda could fi nish her work. After all, it was important that she go out into the world looking more human than the humans.
"Good afternoon, Miss Todd," the doorman said as he held the brass-plated door to the Balmoral open for Lilith. "You're out and about early today, I see."
Lilith nodded to acknowledge the human thrall's comment, but she didn't dignify him with a reply. Although most of the other tenants who shared their Park Avenue apartment building had no clue about the true nature of the penthouse's residents, everyone on the building's staff was under her father's control.
The Rolls was there, as usual. The daylight driver was on duty, waiting to take Lilith wherever she might want to go. He touched the bill of his cap respectfully as he let her into the limo.
Once comfortable, Lilith began digging through her purse in search of her iPhone. There were a couple of text messages already waiting for her as she powered it up.
The fi rst was from Tanith, asking if Lilith was as hungover as she was; the second was from Carmen, who wanted to know if she was still going to Dolce & Gabbana. She quickly texted yes back to both, then hit the speed dial, counting the number of rings on the other end. Jules picked up on the third.
"I was wondering when you'd call," he said with a sleepy laugh. "I was beginning to think Van Helsings caught you on the way home."
"No such luck!" Lilith laughed. "Did I wake you up?"
"Not really," he replied, stifl ing a yawn. "I'm just taking my time getting out of bed."
"Alone, I trust."
"You wanna hook up at the Belfry later?" he suggested.
Lilith tried not to notice that Jules didn't return her laugh or acknowledge her comment about someone else being in his bed.
They'd gone through more than one argument about her jealousy. The last time they had a fi ght, he told her if she accused him of cheating on her again, he'd go ahead and do it for real.
Instead she replied, "It's a bit of a long story, but we've been temporarily banned from the club."
"What?!?" Suddenly Jules no longer sounded the least bit sleepy. "Lilith," he teased, "did you do something wicked?"
"It's nothing, really. Seb just got his panties in a twist. You know how he is. In a couple of days all will be forgiven."
"Yeah, but until then where do we go to party?"
"Why don't we go slumming in the Village?"
"I guess we could do that."
"Hey, we're here! Gotta go! See you later?"
"Later."
Lilith snapped her phone shut as the Rolls came to a halt outside the D&G boutique at Madison and Sixty-ninth. She made sure her oversize bug-eyed Fendi sunglasses were fi rmly in place before she climbed out of the limo. Although she could walk around during the day without fear of turning into a piece of beef jerky, the direct sunlight was still painful to her eyes.
"I'll page you when I'm ready to go," she told the daylight driver.
Lilith loved going to Dolce & Gabbana. Everything about the place, from the crystal doorknob to the gold ceiling fi xtures to the pillows adorning the couches in the fi tting room, was extravagant. Plus the fashions were a much-needed break from those dreadful uniforms she was forced to wear to school.
As Lilith entered the boutique, a couple of shoppers on the fl oor stopped to stare at her, then began to excitedly whisper back and forth behind their hands. From the looks on their faces Lilith realized they had mistaken her for one of the glittery divas the designers were so popular with.
As she browsed the fragrance counter, Lilith noticed a bearded man in his thirties standing off to the side, openly watching her. Although she was accustomed to being ogled by older men, there was something different in the way he was staring at her.
Lilith turned to meet the stranger's gaze. "Why don't you take a picture?" she quipped. "It'll last longer."
Unlike most of the dirty old men she caught drooling over her, he didn't hastily look away, but instead smiled at her. "Perhaps I will, someday," he said, placing a business card facedown on the glass countertop as he walked out of the shop. "Enjoy your shopping, my dear."
Lilith picked up the card and fl ipped it over. Printed on the other side in raised letters were the words kristof: photographer, along with a phone number. With a fl ash of excitement, she slipped it into her purse.
"Lili!"
Lilith looked up and saw Tanith walking toward her across the store's highly polished mosaic fl oor. Her friend was dressed in a cherry-red Gucci dress, silver wedges, and a pair of Prada sunglasses.
"I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten me!"
Tanith said as they clasped hands and air-kissed.
"Like that could ever happen!" Lilith chuckled as she slipped her arm through her friend's elbow. "So - have you had a chance to pick out anything yet?"
"I've got a lavender dress set aside, but I want you there when I try it on. Oh, and I saw this peacock-blue cocktail dress that would look perfect on you! It's supershort."
"What would I do without you looking out for me?" Lilith sighed.
"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Tanith replied.
"It seems weird that in a few years we won't be able to do this anymore," Lilith said wistfully.
"What? Go shopping together?" Tanith frowned.
"No," Lilith replied. "I mean this." She tapped the dressing room mirror, being careful not to accidentally damage its surface. Like all vampires, Lilith's neatly painted nails were exceptionally hard, like talons. "By the time we're twenty-fi ve, we won't be able to see our refl ections. And neither will anyone else! That means no more shopping in places like this, you know."
"Yeah, it's a bummer," Tanith admitted. "But try not to think about it. There's no point in dwelling on things you can't change. I rarely look at mirrors as it is. Besides, there are always shops like Sister Midnight's. Still, you know what they say - use it before you lose it!" She laughed.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lilith smiled weakly. Tanith gave her friend a curious look. "You seem a bit low, Lili. Things okay with you and Jules?"
"They're good," Lilith replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm still feeling the effects of last night, I guess."
"I know! What was that guy on?" Tanith shook her head.
"Anyway, you and Sergei seem to be into it."
"He's fun, but we're just fooling around. He's promised to some girl back in the Old Country that he's never met. He's very sexy, though." Tanith wiggled into the lavender shredded silk cocktail dress. "How does it look?"
"That color really suits you," Lilith said, stepping out of her own clothes and slipping into the blue dress.
"I didn't realize Sergei was already promised. Too bad. You make a cute couple." She ran her hands across her taut belly and over her hips as she turned fi rst one way, then another, admiring how the low, tight-cut neckline highlighted her cleavage. "You were right: I do look perfect in this dress."
"All you need is a pair of sexy shoes and you'll be set,"
Tanith said. "You know, Lili, you're pretty lucky - you and Jules actually have a chance to get to know each other before you're bound. For all Sergei knows, the girl he's promised to could look like an Orlock."
Lilith burst out laughing despite herself and quickly clapped her hands over her mouth. "You shouldn't say things like that, Tanith!" she said in mock reproach.
"You know Exo is Jules's cousin!"
Xander Orlock, known as Exo to his friends and family, was Jules's fi rst cousin. Exo's mother was Jules's father's beautiful younger sister, Juliana, who was the second wife of Count Boris Orlock, patriarch of one of the oldest and most powerful families in the world. The Orlocks were infamous for inbreeding to keep their bloodright, which went back to Urlok, one of the thirteen Founders, undiluted.
Having Juliana marry into the Orlocks had been a real coup for the de Lavals, even though all that inbreeding had resulted in the count being freakishly ugly.
"Exo's not that bad-looking, in a Mr. Spock kinda way, I guess," Tanith said with a shrug. "I was thinking more along the lines of his dad or that older brother of his."
"Brrr!" Lilith feigned a shudder. "Don't bring him up! Just thinking about Klaus creeps me out. I'm glad that the Orlocks are only going to be related to me by marriage, not blood."
As they returned to prowl the boutique's racks for more clothes, Lilith saw Melinda walking toward them with Carmen in tow.
"Let's shop!"
It was a half hour after closing by the time the quartet fi nished picking and choosing, their platinum credit cards guaranteeing the store manager's willingness to hang around to lock up after them. The setting sun glinted off their custom gold foil shopping bags as they gathered on the sidewalk in front of the boutique.
"What next?" Melinda asked.
"We could go back to my place for a few drinks,"
Tanith suggested. "My parents are leaving for Brazil tonight."
"That's a great idea!" Lilith grinned.
Melinda said, "Why don't we walk?"
"Sounds good to me," Lilith agreed. "I'll send my driver home and call Jules so he and the boys will know to hook up with us at Tanith's. We can double up and take a couple of cars to the Village. This is going to be fun!"
The girls chatted among themselves as they strolled in the gathering twilight. As the quartet moved past the opulent stores along Madison Avenue, every head turned to watch them go by. Lilith and her friends pretended not to notice the attention. Some of the humans out walking that evening stared because they thought the four incredibly beautiful, expensively dressed young women were fashion models or Hollywood starlets. Others stared out of lust. But a handful stared because they sensed the truth behind the mask and were unable to look away, like birds hypnotized by the sway of the cobra's dance.
When Tanith was a little girl, she used to tell people that she lived across the street from the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park. Now she preferred to give Jimmy Choo's as a reference point. Hardly glancing at the fabulous shoes in the window, the friends turned down Sixty-third to Fifth Avenue.
Three undead servants were standing in the hallway, loaded down with luggage, when the elevator opened on Tanith's penthouse fl oor. As the girls stepped off, the servants fi led onto the waiting elevator without saying a word.
"Damn it!" Tanith groaned. "They're still here!"
"Not for much longer," her father said dryly as he exited their apartment. With his wavy dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, Dorian Graves looked like he had just walked off the cover of a gothic romance novel. He gave Tanith a peck on the cheek. "Be a good girl and promise not to burn the house to the ground while we're gone, will you?"
"Only if you promise to bring me back something sparkly."
"Don't I always?" He chuckled. "Well, I'm afraid I must be going. Your mother is already downstairs. We'll be back late next week. So long, young ladies," he said, acknowledging his daughter's friends with a gentlemanly nod as he stepped inside the elevator.
"Well, that's over with," Tanith said with a sigh of relief as the elevator doors shut behind her father. "Feel free to make yourselves comfortable."
"Don't mind if I do." Lilith grinned as she tossed her shopping bags on the fl oor, shucked off her heels, and wiggled her pedicured toes in the plush carpet. Tanith made her way to the formal bar in the corner, where her father kept the good stuff. She opened up the refrigerator and took out a bag of A neg laced with Napoleon brandy while Carmen and Melly kicked back on the leather sofa. Tanith poured the blood into four crystal snifters and handed them out to her friends.
"To us," Lilith said, holding her glass merrily aloft.
"To us," Tanith, Carmen, and Melinda echoed, lifting their glasses in a toast.
"To the vampire princesses of New York City! Long may we reign!"