by Joy Demorra
Vlad was tip-toeing his way across the gallery railing with exaggerated care, his arms flung out wide. He looked, for all the world, as though he was auditioning for the circus. Nathan couldn’t help but notice how he moved, almost like a dancer.
Riya turned, following Nathan’s gaze, then sighed emphatically. “Oh dear. He’s in one of those moods.”
“What mood would that be?” Nathan wanted to know.
“Dramatic.”
Vlad’s antics didn’t go unnoticed for long; a smattering of jeering applause went up. The vampire pivoted, twirling like an acrobat traversing a tightrope. His face was obscured by the outline of a bat-winged mask, but even at this distance, Nathan could see he was grinning.
“Mind you don’t fall!” someone called.
Vlad waved a dismissive hand. “Please, I am the epitome of grace,” he called back. “I never—”
Vlad fell, slipping sideways over the railing. An alarmed gasp cut through the room. A hair's breadth from hitting the ground, he blinked out of sight in a flicker of black, reappearing on the opposite side of the room unharmed. He dipped a florid bow, holding it for effect while the crowd cheered uproariously.
Nathan let out the breath he’d been holding and willed his heart to climb down out of his throat. “Arsehole,” he muttered.
Beside him, Riya snorted inelegantly. “See? Dramatic.”
“Friends,” Vlad called, throwing his arms wide in welcome. “Esteemed guests! And those of you who somehow made it past the doorman! It is my great pleasure to welcome you all here tonight, on this, our most unholy of nights: Hallows’ Eve! On behalf of my family, welcome to our humble abode. Enter freely, dance, drink, be merry, and in due course, though ‘twill pain us to see you go,” he said as he pressed a hand theatrically to his heart, garnering a ripple of laughter from the crowd, “depart safely and in good cheer. All we ask is that you leave some of the happiness you bring… and preferably the silverware. But enough from me. Let’s have a party!”
“That wasn’t the speech he spent all week rehearsing,” Riya said as she joined the applause.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say he enjoyed that,” Nathan said, following Kitty and Riya as they moved through the crowd. “I thought he hated being the center of attention.”
“He does,” Riya replied over her shoulder with a wave and a smile to those who greeted her. “Except for when he doesn’t—then I think it’s his very favorite thing in the world. Katrina! Rikki! Darlings!”
Two similarly-featured blonde women sashayed arm in arm toward them. They were very evidently twins even behind their ornate lace masks. One wore a pink silk gown, her hair flowing freely down her back; the other, slightly taller, was draped in deep purple velvet, her hair swept up into an elegant knot. They smiled in unison, flashing twin sets of fangs capped in mother-of-pearl.
“Riya,” they greeted before leaning into her embrace and returning the exaggerated air kisses Riya pressed to their round cheeks.
“It’s so good to see you.” Riya’s cheeks dimpled. “Oh, forgive me. Katrina, Rikki, allow me to introduce Miss Kitty Collins and Captain Northland of the Eyrie Guard. Kitty, Captain Northland, these are the Grosskopf twins. They’re part of the southern brood that live down by the coast. And I see you brought Hannah with you too!”
Another vampire materialized as if from nowhere. Only slightly taller than the twins, her long brown hair fell around her shoulders to frame a golden mask. Her red dress gave Nathan pause, however. She appeared to be wearing her stays on the outside of the bodice.
Well, he supposed, it was Hallows’ Eve. Anything seemed to go here on Eyrie.
“Ladies.” Nathan inclined his head.
“A pleasure to meet you, Captain.” Hannah smiled up at him. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“And you must be the infamous Miss Collins.” Rikki beamed at Kitty, who wobbled slightly when she curtsied. “Why, aren’t you sweet? You look just like your mother, doesn’t she, Katrina?”
“She does,” Katrina agreed. She placed a consoling hand on Kitty’s arm. “We were so sorry about what happened at the May Ball. It was utterly ghastly what Elizabeth did.”
“Ghastly,” Rikki agreed with a delicate shudder.
“I’m surprised I haven’t seen her yet,” Hannah said lightly, angling for gossip with all the subtlety of dynamite fishing.
“Oh, you won’t see her.” Kitty laughed before Riya could reply. “She wasn’t invited.”
All three vampires looked at each other, then took a step forward.
“So, it’s true then.” Rikki snapped her fan open as she whispered behind it, “He’s finally thrown her over?”
“Miss Elizabeth is no longer welcomed here. By anyone,” Riya said.
There was a pause as the three vampires shared another look, then let out explosive sighs. “Thank Gods!” Rikki fluttered her fan in front of her face.
“That is such a relief,” Katrina agreed, laughter bubbling out of her chest at Riya’s surprised look. “Oh, come now, Riya, you must know none of us liked her. Nobody down South does. Not after the fiasco with the bathtub.”
“Yes, I heard about that,” Riya replied.
Nathan and Kitty shared intrigued looks of their own.
“But you realize what this means, of course?” Hannah’s smile broadened into a grin to reveal a gold flash of fangs. “He’ll be on the prowl.”
Scandalized, Riya placed a hand on her chest. “Oh, Hannah! Vlad’s not like that.”
“Isn’t he?” Katrina laughed. “He might be on his best behavior around you, little Riya, but this is his first single Hallows’ Eve in over a century. I’m surprised he’s not already off necking somewhere in a dark corner.”
They laughed while Nathan squashed the irrational stab of jealousy. His gaze slid to where Vlad was ricocheting around the room between guests like a lightning strike searching for somewhere to ground.
He really does look lovely, Nathan thought. His eyes traveled up the length of the vampire’s body, from his shiny black boots to the immaculately coiffed curls of his hair. The rest of his attire was lovely too; the cinched-in line of his black velvet waistcoat was particularly eye-catching. But it was his smile Nathan couldn’t stop looking at. There was something almost vulpine about it—a raw crookedness made all the sharper for the mask resting over those high, flushed cheekbones. In that moment, Nathan knew he’d never truly seen Vlad smile properly before. Not until now.
“—your first Hallows’ Eve, Captain Northland?” Katrina tilted her head as she regarded him.
Nathan blinked and realized he hadn’t been listening at all. “Apologies, I’m a little hard of hearing; could you repeat that?”
The vampire’s eyes twinkled. “I was merely asking how you were enjoying your first Hallows’ Eve. I understand it’s not your custom.”
“Indeed, no.” Nathan inclined his head. “We prefer Yuletide. Any excuse to bring a tree inside.” The surrounding women tittered. “But I am enjoying it very much. The company even more so.”
“Aren’t you the tall, soft-spoken charmer?” Rikki smiled up at him. “Something tells me Vlad won’t be the only one making conquests tonight.”
“Oh, Rikki. Honestly, the three of you are terrible together.” Riya laughed, flapping her hand at them. With self-satisfied smiles, the trio joined arms and glided off, still gossiping.
They were replaced almost immediately by Sophie and Ree Collins.
“They’re here! They’re here!” the siblings cried, their faces flushed.
“Who’s here?” Kitty asked, catching both Sophie and Ree as they barreled into her.
All but hopping on the spot, the young ladies squealed, “The witches!”
Nathan caught a flash of Vlad zipping past at unnatural speed. The crowd parted, affording Nathan an unobstructed view of a short, robust woman wearing a pointy hat almost as tall as she was. Vlad bowed extravagantly and pressed his lips to the back of her pale hand.
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While Kitty and her sisters chattered amongst themselves, Nathan leaned in close to Riya and asked, “Who’s that?”
“That’s Madame Jenee,” Riya replied. “Vlad refers to her as his goth mother.”
“Do you mean Godsmother?” Nathan asked.
Riya pursed her lips in thought. “No, I really don’t think I do.”
“And she’s what, exactly? The head honcho?”
Riya’s mouth quirked. “Yes, I suppose you could say that. Of course, witches don’t have leaders. They’re more of an organized collective. But Madame Jenee is the most gifted witch of her generation, if not of all time. Vlad adores her.”
“Yes, I can see that.” Nathan watched as the vampire stood placidly with his hands behind his back, letting the little witch fuss over his immaculate attire, a doting smile affixed to his handsome face as she stood on tiptoe to pick a piece of imaginary lint from his shoulder. “They look close.”
“They are. Sometimes, I think she’s his only friend. Outside the brood of course.” She smiled up at him. “And you. I can’t get him to shut up about your chess games. I think he’s annoyed you keep beating him.”
Nathan chuckled and shook his head. “And yet he keeps inviting me back.”
“Yes, that’s how you know he likes you.”
Nathan tried to rein in the ridiculous grin threatening to split his face. It was one thing to suspect Vlad liked him; it was another to know for sure that the vampire wasn’t socializing with him out of some sense of obligation.
He turned his attention back to the coven of witches weaving their way through the crowd, noticeable by the varying heights of pointy hats they were wearing. “I take it witches are well liked here, then?”
“Oh, that’s right; I forgot. Werewolves don’t like witches.”
Nathan arched an eyebrow at her, and her cheeks darkened.
“Or, I mean, that is to say, I read…” Riya clamped her mouth shut with an audible click. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”
Nathan took pity on her. “It’s all right. You’re correct. There’s a history there. And not a very nice one. But our history with vampires isn’t very pleasant either, and yet, here we are.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s true.” Riya beamed up at him. “Times change, fortunately. Oh, I know.” She brightened even further. “You should get Madame Jenee to read your fortune.”
“Uh, no,” Nathan said.
But Kitty and her two sisters turned on him with a delighted squeal. “Oh yes, Captain Northland, you simply must!” Sophie said, her blonde curls bobbing as she bounced on her heels.
“She really is very good.” Ree tugged at her strawberry blonde braid. “It was Madame Jenee who predicted Mama would only ever have girls.”
“We have to know what she says about you,” Kitty insisted.
Nathan smiled down at her. “And what possible interest do you have in my future, Miss Collins?”
She straightened her spine and squared herself as she stared up at him, all five feet of her. “Why, every interest, of course.”
Nathan met her stare, amused by her persistence. “I will consider it,” he said at last. All three sisters squeaked again. “I said consider,” Nathan warned, feeling like he was schooling his younger siblings. “It’s all stuff and nonsense anyway.”
Kitty made an affronted sound. “It is not.” She turned to her friend for support. “Riya, tell him it’s not. Everything Madame Jenee says always comes true.”
“Most things,” Riya admitted, giving Kitty an apologetic look. “Sometimes I think she likes to tease people. Once, she told Vlad he was going to get married and have lots of children. And that’s about as likely as hell freezing over. Oh, hello, Beau.”
Nathan turned to find a blond, curly-haired vampire standing behind him. The vampire bowed deeply, sweeping his hair out of his face as he rose. “Lady Riya. Ladies. Captain. I uh, was just wondering if Miss Kitty would care to dance.”
“Me?” Kitty squeaked. “Beau Ashford, you could have your pick of any girl in the room.”
“Yes, Miss Kitty.” The vampire inclined his head, looked up at her from under thick lashes, and extended a hand. “And I have made mine.”
“Oh.” Kitty smiled shyly, placing her hand hesitantly in his.
Sophie and Ree exchanged glances as Beau led Kitty out onto the dance floor. “Beau Ashford,” Sophie hissed excitedly. “We have to tell Mama, excuse us!”
They tore off, leaving Nathan and Riya standing alone on the edge of the dance floor. “Well,” Riya said, “that will certainly put a bee in Mrs. Collins’s bonnet.”
“Or possibly a hive,” Nathan countered, and Riya laughed. When they’d lapsed into idle silence for long enough, Nathan asked, “Do you not like to dance, Lady Riya?”
“Oh, dearly,” Riya replied, her expression lighting up behind her mask as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “It’s my most favorite thing in the world.”
“Then forgive me for asking, but why don’t you? Not that I wish to be rid of your company, far from it, but please don’t feel obligated to stay with me if you could be off enjoying yourself.”
Riya chuckled, an uncharacteristically bitter sound. “In case you hadn’t noticed, Captain, there isn’t exactly a queue lined up to ask me. Beau might have, but he’s not high enough in rank.”
“Rank?” Nathan tilted his head.
“Yes, ugh. It’s a silly vampire thing. As the Count’s daughter, I technically outrank everyone here except Vlad. There’s rules to these things. A hierarchy. So, until Vlad dances with me, or someone else of similar or higher rank, no one else will ask.”
“That sounds horribly convoluted.”
Riya sighed, her shoulders drooping. “You have no idea.”
“So, what’re the qualifiers for rank? They have to be nobility?”
“At the very least,” Riya replied, ticking them off on her fingers. “Either noble birth or suitably titled. But higher than a baron. They can’t be lesser in rank than Vlad.”
“Oh, is that all?” Nathan scoffed. “My father’s an earl. Well, technically. Ingleton doesn't acknowledge Lorehaven titles. But he is the Wolf Lord, and a Lord of Parliament. And I’m a Captain, so I think we’re covered.” He held out his arm to her and nodded toward the dance floor. “Shall we?”
Riya stared at him, an incredulous laugh falling from her lips. “Captain Northland, are you asking me to dance?”
“I am.”
She hesitated for a moment, then looped her arm under his. “Well, if you’re asking, I’m dancing.”
“Not that this is proper dancing of course.” Nathan feigned disdain as he led Riya toward the dance floor, waiting for a moment to slot themselves into the music.
“Oh really?” Riya quirked an eyebrow. “And what do you consider to be ‘real’ dancing, then?”
“Why, the northern reel, of course,” Nathan said as he led her into a country quadrille.
“Do you know, I’ve never danced one of those before.”
“Shocking. We can’t be having that. I’ll have to teach you.”
“Be warned, Captain Northland.” Riya grinned up at him, twirling gracefully on his arm. “I will hold you to that.”
“I was rather counting on it, Lady Riya.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
“You’re looking well,” Jenee said as she leaned against the pillar Vlad was hiding behind.
Vlad had needed to escape the furor and exaltation of the party. It was just too much. Smaller groups were better. Safer. He glanced at the black lace dress Jenee was wearing. The style was so old-fashioned it had looped back around and become popular again… with one glaring exception. “I’d return the compliment, but you appear to be wearing your corset on the outside of your dress. Are you unwell?”
Jenee cackled, a short bark of wicked laughter that never failed to bring a smile to Vlad’s face. “Don’t be a prude.”
“I’m not. You just appear t
o have gotten dressed in a dark room. Possibly while concussed. I’m concerned, Jenee. This is my concerned face.”
Still smiling, Jenee swatted him lightly on the arm. Her blue eyes softened as they scanned him from head to toe. “I’m serious, though. You look good. Like you’re not trying to drink yourself back into an early grave.”
Vlad inclined his head, not sure what to do with a comment like that. It was true, he’d been drinking less. A lot less, in fact. He frowned, trying to remember the last time he’d needed a drink. June? July? Several months at least. “Work’s keeping me busy. And the Count’s still away, so…” He shrugged, leaving the sentence hanging in the air. Vlad had always been a lightning rod for his father’s ire; everyone knew that.
“I can’t help but notice he’s not the only one absent tonight.”
Vlad regarded her again. “And?” he asked, perhaps a tad more acidly than warranted. “Are you going to scold me too?”
“Scold you? No. I was just surprised, is all. Normally she would have wormed her way back into your good graces by now.”
“Well, she hasn’t,” Vlad muttered, plucking sullenly at the lace cuff of his shirt. “I uninvited her.”
“You…” Jenee’s breath hitched. “You uninvited her from Hallows’ Eve or you… uninvited her?”
“The latter,” Vlad replied. “She poured blood over one of our guests. What else was I supposed to do? She crossed the line.” He forced himself to stop tugging at the lace before he split the thread.
“Oh, she crossed several lines a long time ago. The lines are so far gone they’re dots on the horizon. And the dots are so small they’re one of those fancy atoms they keep talking about at the Academy.”
“Yes, yes. She’s a horrible person.” Vlad rubbed his temples. “Can we please talk about something else? How are your new witchlings coming along?”
“Good.” Jenee allowed him to change the subject. “So, Sage is coming along nicely. They’ll be ready to take over the fens soon.
“What about Nikolai, how are they settling in?”
