I held up a hand and she stopped short. “I know you’re only trying to help, but right now, I don’t think I’m ready to climb out of the wallowing phase. Not yet.”
She nodded. “Do you need anything? I can go get you something to eat. I noticed you didn’t touch the glass I brought you.”
“It wasn’t synthetic,” I told her. “I don’t drink the real stuff.”
Her eyes rounded but she didn’t comment.
Years ago, when the witches and wizards created the secret havens that nestled in major cities across the globe, they’d invited vampires to take part in the supernatural community at large. We could live and work in the magically cloaked cities where we were free to be ourselves and not live in fear. Their only condition was that all vampires taking part in the haven were to submit to the Haven Council, a governing force made exclusively of witches and wizards, and follow their rules. One of which was that vampires were only to feed on the synthetic bloods they concocted, not from live humans—whether donors or victims.
Originally, my father declined their invitation and told them his Tarrytown estate was not to be included in the lines they were drawing for the slice of New York they wanted to enchant. The mansion was a historic landmark, and he argued that the humans would notice if it went missing. However, the real reason was that the Court did not want to give up their freedom to the witches and wizards, mostly because the Eastern Court vampires preferred to drink from live donors. Not all of the members, but the vast majority. It took a lot of time to become a high-ranking member of the Court, which meant those at the top who made the decisions were old school in nature. Or, rather freak-of-nature.
Several decades ago, the Haven Council annexed several estates in Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown’s neighboring community, and approached my father again with their offer. My father caved in and allowed the witches and wizards to cloak the mansion with their enchantment spells and counted it as part of the extensive New York Haven. Humans would still see the mansion, but all comings and goings were veiled. I wasn’t sure how it worked. Magic wasn’t my trade. But I was told it was quite a feat.
As to why my father eventually agreed to its inclusion in the havens, well, there were a few different theories on that. Most convincing was that at the time, there were some vampire hunters out of London who were making trouble, and while on the whole, vampires could protect themselves, it was right after I’d been born. Rumor had it that my mother forced my father’s hand because she wanted me as encased in magical bubble wrap as possible. Which, I supposed made sense. Bornlings are rare. Most vampire families are lucky to get one, let alone two. After Melanie was born, she’d struggled for years to have another, and once she did, she wasn’t about to risk my safety.
Regardless of his promises, my father skirted most of the Haven Council’s rules and governed his territories and those underneath him as though they didn’t exist. Secretly, I was pretty sure they were afraid of both him and the so-called Vampire Council, and knew that if pushed too far, it could lead to a supernatural war of the ages. If they knew he and his court were using live donors for feeding, they were turning a blind eye to it. For the time being, at least.
“I can get you synthetic,” Jupiter said, wringing her hands. “I would have to go to the kitchen. Your father keeps some on hand for whenever dignities from other courts come to visit.”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it. I brought some of the vacuum-sealed stuff with me. It’s in my suitcases upstairs. I’ll feed after the party. I just needed some air, mainly.”
She opened her mouth but then thought better of whatever she’d been about to say and closed it. “All right.”
I splashed some cold water on my wrists and the back of my neck and patted dry with one of the thick white towels folded in a neat pile beside the sink. “Let’s go. If we wait too much longer, he’s likely to send that brute Jerrod after us.”
We left the bathroom and started back toward the ballroom. Halfway there, we encountered two women, dressed up like it was prom night in the 1990s in revolting cotton-candy colored dresses. Ugh. The Dalore sisters. They had about as much common sense as they did fashion sense, which wasn’t saying much for either of them.
“Lady Vaughn,” they said in stunned unison.
“It’s so good to have you back at Court,” Farrah, the taller of the two, said.
“Yes! So good!” Denise, the shorter one, sputtered to agree.
Then, they both burst into giggles.
“Thank you.” Forcing a smile, I gave them both a polite nod and sashayed past them and down the hall. Their tittered laughter followed me and turned into a flurry of excited whispers as I hurried away.
“I can’t believe she had the audacity to come back to Court, after everything she’s put us through!”
“Do you think it’s true what they say about her?”
“Of course! It’s so obvious! She helped that blood traitor and got away with it. It’s only because she’s the baron’s daughter. If she was anyone else, she’d have been tried and punished. Which, as far as I’m concerned, is exactly what she deserves!”
The harsh words plunged like hot knives between my shoulder blades and I picked up my pace, suddenly eager to get back to the ballroom. The only good thing about being chained to my father’s side was that as long as I was in his presence, the judgmental harpies would have to bite their tongues.
Jupiter didn’t say anything as we walked, though there was no doubt she’d heard them. Her lips were pursed and anger radiated from her with every clipped step.
“It’s fine,” I told her.
The waltz music had changed to a lively tempo and I plastered a bright smile on my face before rounding the corner into the ballroom.
“Good girl,” Lord Vaughn said when I stepped back into place beside him. I frowned, biting back another bitter retort at being spoken to like a faithful hound. “I’d say it’s time we let everyone in on our plan.”
“Our plan?” I repeated, my upper lip curling back.
“Yes. Don’t you want to share your new happiness with the Court?” He gave me a cool look.
“Happiness? Is that what this feeling is? I was chalking it up to nausea from breathing in everyone’s puffed-up egos all night.”
Lord Vaughn’s cold smile faltered but quickly rebounded. The edges of his thin lips twisted into a smirk I knew too well. He’d won the game. A shiver ran down my spine, instantly stamping out the little glow from my snappy retort. Turning to the crowd, he raised his glass and called for attention.
The room fell silent. I sucked in a breath. This was it—the moment I’d so vividly pictured over the last five years. The snares had been closing in on me a little tighter with every passing day, and now … I was caught. Inescapably pinned right where my father wanted me.
Applause rang through the large room, echoing as Lord Vaughn lifted his glass in a toast. “Good evening, family. I’m so pleased you could all attend tonight’s soiree.” He paused to allow for polite responses from the crowd. His smile fell on me and I involuntarily shrank away. “Our guest of honor is indeed among us. My darling Lacey, has returned to us, ready for a fresh start here at Court.”
Another round of applause followed, even as I could see plenty of faces in the crowd whispering to their neighbor out of the corner of their mouths.
My father continued. “She’s prepared to take her rightful place and will be married at the annual Hallow’s Eve celebration ball.”
My eyes snapped open wide and the frail hold I had on my smile fell away. Hallow’s Eve was only six months away. He couldn’t possibly expect me to wed so quickly!