It looked like I was just in time. When I stepped out of the door, I was greeted by the sight of Roy standing with both fists clenched, glare leveled at the vampire. Aleric was casually leaning against the Porsche, both hands in his suit pockets, but from the calculating look in his eyes and the cruel hint of a smirk on his lips, I could tell he’d been needling my bodyguard.
Pretty brave, if you asked me. Aleric might have been a vampire and all, but even though he was very tall and obviously well-built underneath his expensive suit, Roy had at least half a foot and a good hundred pounds on him.
“All right, I’m ready. Let’s go,” I said as I walked down the stairs and patted Roy’s arm. “Thanks again .Go home and get warm—I’ll undoubtedly see you tomorrow, yeah?”
Roy rumbled a gruff agreement, not taking his narrowed eyes off Aleric.
“Great, get your ass in the car, snack,” Aleric said, apparently not the least bothered by Roy’s death-glare.
“I think I preferred ‘mouse,’” I said as I opened the car door and slipped into the passenger seat. The buttery leather embraced me in just the right way, and I allowed myself a moment to enjoy the luxury of it all. If only my family could see me now, dressed in the finest silk and sitting in a car that cost more than my mum’s and aunts’ houses combined.
But then again, the whole vampire thing would probably put a dampener on their rampant envy.
Aleric slid into the driver seat and set the car in gear, pulling out from the curb so fast I was thrown back in the seat from sheer g-force.
“Holy crap, some of us are still alive here!” I yelped as I grabbed for my seatbelt.
Aleric snorted. “So driving scares you, but walking into a vampire nest teaming with Ancients? That’s fine?”
“Your driving scares me. There’s a difference,” I snipped. “Why are you my chauffeur, anyway? Why couldn’t Roy drive me? No offense, but he’s about a thousand times nicer to be around.”
The vampire’s lips pulled up in a small smile. “I volunteered. You see, I think it’s about time I get to know my brother’s new pet, before he shows you off to the rest of them.” He turned his head halfway, letting those disturbingly icy eyes rest on me. The predatory glean in them made a cold shiver make its way down my spine.
I pushed the primitive note of fear down and rolled my eyes demonstratively. “Why, because you think I’m a witch? What’s the theory then, have I’ve enthralled your brother with my magic devil vagina?”
Another amused snort. “You’re funnier than the last one, I’ll give you that.”
I frowned, not prepared for the stab of jealousy behind my ribs from his blasé comment. “Which ‘last one’?”
“I’ve talked to Warin about you. He’s my blood-brother, he hides nothing from me. Imagine my surprise when he told me, in complete seriousness, that he not only spends his nights with a pitiful human… but he’s also not fucking you. What I would love to know is what you do to keep his attention so thoroughly, without even so much as spreading your thighs.”
“Why didn’t you just ask him, if he really tells you everything?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at the auburn-haired vampire’s profile.
“See, that’s the curious part. I don’t think even he knows.”
“Maybe that’s because there’s no mystery here,” I said. “We like spending time together, that’s it. No great conspiracy, no magic. I’m sure if you weren’t a massive prick, people might like hanging out with you too.”
“Cute.” Aleric smiled that creepy, cold smile of his as he leveled me with a stare that had my pulse pick up speed. “But then let me leave you with this small… let’s call it warning: If I get a whiff of the faintest drop of magic from you… if I hear even a rumor that you are working with whoever is trying to cause trouble in his territory… you will wish Warin let those skinwalkers eat you alive.”
19
The rest of the car ride to Warin’s house was pretty damn quiet.
Aleric seemed content now that he’d said what he wanted, and I was trying to pretend like I wasn’t struggling to keep my sandwich down. I hadn’t really worried about Warin’s rude brother before, despite his abrasive manners. As scary as was, I knew Warin would never have let him around me if he was a danger in any way… but that was before his little warning.
I had no doubt he meant every word.
Nor that, should he ever find out the truth about the dormant magic inside of me, not even Warin would be able to protect me from him. If he’d even want to.
“Since Warin insists on keeping your mind free, I suppose I better explain that even though you can deny his requests tonight, you would be wise not to,” my chauffeur finally said, breaking the silence. The houses in the neighborhood we were traveling through were beginning to look mighty grand, and I guessed we were nearing Warin’s place. I hadn’t been there since that night in August, and I hadn’t exactly had the presence of mind to look out for road names then.
“Is it frowned upon if a lowly human tells a lordly vampire ‘no,’ then?” I arched an eyebrow at Aleric’s profile, but he wasn’t looking at me.
“It’s more than frowned upon. Let’s just say that it would be very, ah, unfortunate for both of you, should some of his guests realize what kind of lip he allows from you. So if you could be less… irritating, that would be great.”
“Less irritating. Got it,” I snarked. “If you keep your distance, it’ll probably help.”
Aleric turned off into a grand-looking driveway then, and I vaguely recalled the manicured hedges. A multitude of fancy cars were parked along it, and at the end Warin’s manor sprawled. Torches flamed on each side of the grand entrance, the double doors flung open in invitation. I got a glimpse of several well-dressed people making their way toward the house as Aleric parked the Porsche, and felt a stab of gratitude for the dress Warin had provided me. I sure didn’t have anything in my closet that wouldn’t have made me feel like an impoverished gatecrasher tonight.
“It’s not a joking matter,” Aleric said, his hand shifting from the gear shift to my arm. “They cannot know you have free will. Whatever else your sordid little relationship with my brother is, for tonight, you will sit by his feet like a faithful dog, you will smile prettily and you will not utter the word ‘no.’ Have I made myself clear?”
“Jeez, yes, calm the fuck down,” I said, trying—and failing—to shake his cool hand off my arm. In contrast to Warin’s touches, it didn’t make me feel warm in the slightest. “I’ll be a mindless doll. I just don’t get why you’re making such a big deal out of it, if Warin never bothered? Is it perchance possible that you’re being a tad overzealous?”
“Just do what you’ve been told, Snack,” he said, voice low. Then, finally, he released his grip on my arm and turned to look over his shoulder. “Stay in the car until I come get you.”
Realizing for the first time that we weren’t alone in the car, I jolted and twisted around so fast my neck cracked. A pretty blonde, blue-eyed girl with long false lashes and a vacant smile sat in the backseat. She didn’t so much as blink in my direction as I stared at her, mouth agape.