A Call of Vampires (A Shade of Vampire #51)

I was close to getting alarmed by her reaction and loud sobs, when Jax wrapped his arm around her. She turned and hid her face in the small space between his neck and his shoulder. He brought his other arm up and took her in a quiet embrace, his eyes flickering with emotions I’d never seen in Jax before. Hansa bawled in his arms, crying as if the world were ending, and I felt my heart starting to break, slowly but surely. I wanted her to stop. She didn’t deserve to feel so bad. So lonely. So sad.

“Heron, speak to Draven. Tell him what’s happening,” Jax barked at his brother. “Surely he has some herbs around for this. And get some fresh water, too. We need to get the spiced rose out of her system sooner rather than later.”

Heron nodded and looked at me briefly before vanishing into the hallway. He looked devastatingly handsome in his black tux, his short black hair faded on the sides, contrasting with his jade eyes. If it weren’t for his crude jokes and brutal comebacks, I would’ve embraced the sound of my heart thudding at the mere sight of him. He was a ladies’ man, a creature with commitment issues and a penchant for rough humor. He dated often, and with so many females that I’d literally lost track. And yet, he was one of the smartest Eritopians I’d ever met, his darkness leaving room for questions about who he really was beneath the heartthrob fa?ade, and his gaze peeking through my very soul. I was afraid of liking him because heartbreak was written all over him, yet I always found myself holding my breath whenever he was around.

I shook my head and shifted my focus back to Hansa, who was crying in Jax’s arms. He ran his fingers through her hair, shushing her gently while she sobbed and soaked his tuxedo jacket with tears. His pained expression made me feel sorry for him too—whatever she was going through, it seemed to affect Jax, as well, though I was pretty sure Hansa didn’t know that.

“Hansa, please,” he whispered, and I suddenly felt like I shouldn’t be there. “Please, let it go… Whatever is torturing you like this, let it go. I don’t like seeing you cry.”

“I… I can’t let go of that,” she mumbled. “If I let go of that, I might lose myself… I can’t…”

I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, and, judging by the confused look on Jax’s face, he didn’t either. What I was sure about, however, was that the Lord of Maras most certainly had feelings for Hansa, feelings I’d never seen him express or act upon. I had a feeling there was a lot of baggage in his past, but the succubus wasn’t carefree either.

Heron came back with a small leather satchel and a jug of water.

“Draven said to chew these and wash them down with water,” he said, handing both items to Jax. “It’s shadow bane. It strips the spiced rose from the system, almost immediately.”

Jax nodded and emptied the satchel into the palm of his hand, holding the herbs out for Hansa. She looked down, trying to regain control of her emotions. She grimaced as another wave of tears flooded her eyes, but she pinched some of the herbs and chewed them, then drank some water. She repeated the process a couple more times, until she had finished the herbs and sat back in her chair, taking deep breaths and patiently waiting to calm down.

I stood, and quietly moved away. Jax kept his eyes on Hansa, wiping her tears with his knuckles. Heron didn’t seem to notice the unspoken chemistry between them, so I figured it was time to drop a hint for the oblivious Mara.

“Maybe we should go,” I said slowly.

“Why?” Heron’s reply made me roll my eyes, grab him by the elbow, and practically drag him away from the balcony and back into the sumptuous hallway. “What did I do?”

“You clearly can’t take a hint, that’s for sure,” I huffed, then trotted toward the banquet hall’s main entrance.

I wasn’t exactly in the mood to go back in, but being around Heron made my temperature spike worse than being in the presence of an incubus. I didn’t have much of a choice, at that point.

“And where are you going?” Heron’s voice in my ear startled me.

I jumped to the side with a gasp, then glared at him. He grinned, and I wasn’t sure whether he was just being his usual self or whether he was actually aware of the effect he had on me.

“Back inside,” I muttered.

An incubus servant passed by with a tray full of crystal glasses and a jug of spiced rosewater. Heron swiftly snatched the pitcher and two glasses, then winked at me. The incubus muttered a curse under his breath, then walked back toward the service staircase, having to go replenish his tray before returning to the banquet hall.

Leave it to Heron to not care much about consequences, I thought to myself. It was yet another tiny alarm signal as to how dangerous he could be for someone like me.

“Why go back inside when the night sky is so beautiful and there are other, less… weepy balconies on this floor?” he asked with an innocent expression, which quickly turned into a mischievous grin as he lifted the jug between us. “Besides, there’s this!”

I wanted to say no. But the way his lips stretched into a smile canceled my mental processes, and I ended up giving him a nod instead. We found another balcony farther down the hallway, with chairs and a small table. I sat down, nervously fidgeting with my fingers as he poured spiced rosewater into both glasses and handed me one.

He watched me quietly for a while. I sipped my drink and looked up, trying to focus on the blanket of stars above us and not his dazzling eyes.

“You’re awfully quiet tonight,” Heron said.

“I’m just enjoying my drink.” I smirked, gulping the rest down and prompting him to pour me another. He seemed to carefully analyze my expression, and I felt determined to hold my own in front of him. I didn’t like the way he treated women—he wasn’t disrespectful, despite his inappropriate puns, and he had a boyish charm about him that I couldn’t help but find irresistible, but he was a handsome philanderer. I was attracted to him, and I knew that could leave me vulnerable before a guy like Heron.

“Okay then, here’s another one,” he replied, pushing the full glass back toward me.

I nodded and took another swig, my senses further amplified by the spiced rose. Everything felt more intense, including the night breeze brushing against my face and filling my lungs with much-needed coolness.

“I didn’t expect to get my ass kicked the other day.” He grinned. “You’re quite the fighter, Avril. I respect that in a woman.”

I instantly felt my cheeks burning, and I hoped it wasn’t noticeable. Thankfully, my vampiric features were designed for pallor and silence. I raised an eyebrow instead.

“You came in so cocky and arrogant, I kind of had to kick your ass,” I replied bluntly, and he laughed.

“Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he retorted. “I was caught unprepared, and I had no idea who I was dealing with. I’d be more than happy for a do-over, so I can return the… uh, favor.”

“You think you can beat me?”

“I think I can totally beat you, over and over.” Heron took a deep breath and finished a second glass.

“I think the spiced rosewater is making you overconfident.”

“I think it’s actually bringing out the best in me. My confidence is at the top of my arsenal. Well, that and my combat techniques. It’s a deadly combo. I’m a badass and you know it,” he replied, wiggling an eyebrow.