The Scarlet Dagger (The Red Sector Chronicles, #1)

by Krystle Jones

  Before I knew it, three whole weeks had flown by, and we were less than seven days away from Christmas. It didn’t feel like it, being underground. Festive wreaths and twinkling white lights had been hung along the walls and doors, and from the ceiling, cheering up the base a bit. Aden said it was a way for us to hold on to our humanity.

  I noticed a definite change in the air as Christmas Eve approached. Everyone seemed more excited, and I couldn’t blame them. Somehow, I still managed to feel a bit melancholy, though I tried not to let it show. No use in bringing down everyone else’s spirits.

  “So,” Angel piped up one day.

  “So what?” We were walking down the hall together toward the mess hall.

  She looked so excited, she could hardly control herself. “Has Aden asked you yet?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Asked me what?”

  “Oh, that’s right. It’s your first year here. It’s still somewhat of a new tradition, as we only started this last year, but on Christmas Eve, we hold a Holiday Ball, right here at the base. It’s glorious!”

  I blanched at the thought of dancing. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.”

  “No!” Angel tugged on my arm, pouting. “Please come! It’ll be a lot of fun, I swear!” She blushed, looking uncharacteristically shy. “I’m going with Rook.”

  “Shut up! You are not.”

  She nodded, grinning ear to ear. “He asked me last week. I thought, you know, we could all go together.”

  I sighed. “Angel, I can’t dance. Besides, I don’t have anything to wear.”

  Though I had gotten my first paycheck, they’d taken out a big chunk for court costs and hospital bills, which sucked. (I thought that was totally unfair.) What little Krillion I had left in my account had to last me through the next month, as I’d still need to buy groceries or have enough to cover a meal at the base. Right now, food definitely trumped a fancy dress.

  “Oh, leave that to me.” Her eyes glittered mischievously. “I’m sure we can find you a dress.”

  I hoped she didn’t mean my borrowing her clothes. Somehow, I thought I’d never be able to get anything of hers to fit, she was so petite.

  “But I don’t have a date,” I argued.

  She winked. “Yet.”

  Angel looked past my shoulder, and I turned around to see Aden walking up to us. She started slipping away. “I’m going to go see if I can find Rook. See you inside.”

  I tried to grab her, suddenly freaked out to be left alone with Aden, but Angel just gave me a knowing smile and disappeared through the doors.

  “Hey,” Aden said, sounding a bit out of breath. “I thought I was going to miss you. I got tied up with my last class.”

  I folded my arms, feeling very exposed, and shrugged. “Angel and I are just getting here ourselves. Class ran over a bit.”

  Aden nodded, and we stood there while other personnel and students passed us. I looked anywhere but at him. Now that Angel had mentioned it, they all seemed to be talking about the approaching ball. I supposed I was too wrapped up in thwarting the virus and thinking about Leo to notice much of the gossip going on around me.

  “Sloane,” Aden said, and my head snapped forward.

  “Yes?”

  He smiled. “There’s this event coming up –”

  “The Holiday Ball?”

  He nodded. “Angel told you, I see.”

  “Are you surprised?”

  He laughed. “No.” His eyes turned smoldering. “I don’t suppose she also told you I was planning on asking you to be my date?”

  My heart trembled, and I cleared my throat. “Um, yeah, she, uh, might have mentioned it.”

  “So will you go? With me?”

  I searched his eyes, my mouth hanging open. After an awkward silence, I found my voice. “Yeah, sure. It sounds like fun.”

  Aden’s entire face lit up. “Great. I’ll fill you in on the details when it gets a bit closer.”

  “Cool. Sounds good.”

  We stared at each other a few seconds longer before Aden gestured toward the doors. “Ready to eat?”

  “Absolutely. Starved.” I wanted to smack myself. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I think of anything to say other than disjointed words?

  Aden opened the door for me and we entered the hall. His hand brushed against mine, and I tried to deny the warmth spreading through me at his proximity.

  Somehow, against my will, I had started to fall for Aden Knight.

  Chapter 29

  After that, the rest of the week flew by and Christmas Eve was upon us. Classes still met, but they released early. I was dumping my books at my locker when Angel found me.

  “Surprise!” She shoved a package wrapped in red tissue paper into my arms. “Merry Christmas, Sloane.”

  “Oh.” I was taken aback; I hadn’t gotten her anything. Actually, I hadn’t gotten anyone anything because I was so poor. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have.”

  “Please,” she said, waving me off. “It’s nothing much, but I’ll bet Aden will be speechless when he sees you in it. See you tonight!” She winked at me and danced off before I could inquire what it was.

  I didn’t dally. Though the ball wasn’t until later that evening, I wanted to take as much time as I could to get ready. Thinking about my date with Aden – my first official date ever – made my palms sweat. I hadn’t forgotten about our kiss, and the thought of being twirled around in his arms all night made my stomach flip-flop. I was still a little uncomfortable with my outfit, a modest black dress I’d managed to scrounge up enough Krillion for at a local shop. It was clearly worn, with fraying seams, but I hoped if I did my make-up and hair well enough, nobody would really notice.

  Rook walked me home, jabbering excitedly about Angel and the ball that evening. Things between us still weren’t perfect, but I had decided Rook was the least of my worries.

  “You really like her, don’t you?” I asked.

  He gave me a small smile. “Yeah, I do. A lot.”

  I laughed. The holiday spirit was contagious. “I’m happy for you, Rook. You deserve it.”

  He beamed at me, and for a few precious minutes, it felt like it did before, when we were younger and the world hadn’t fallen apart.

  After we said goodbye, I raced upstairs to get ready. I was used to dressing up for my mom’s events, and was actually pretty good at applying make-up and doing my hair. Though I preferred jeans and t-shirts, “dressing to kill” was sort of a specialty of mine, as I’d had plenty of practice.

  I found myself growing anxious as I entered my room, eager to dig into Angel’s present. I set the package on my bed and tore away the tissue paper. My jaw dropped. It was an evening gown made out of flowing ruby red gauze. The material gathered at one shoulder and dropped to the floor in a form fitting flow of red rhinestone studded poinsettias. Not only was the dress “to die for,” but a pair of strappy silver heels came with it, along with some teardrop silver earrings and a matching bracelet. Angel had thrown in an entire outfit.

  “Thank you, Angel,” I whispered in awe, lifting the dress from the destroyed tissue paper.

  Feeling incredibly excited, I hung it up and jumped into the shower, making sure I shone by the time I got out. I dried and styled my hair into long barrel curls that framed my face. My makeup was a little heavier – I had applied silver eye shadow and ruby lipstick for dramatic effect – but I looked glamorous and not cheap. After pulling on some underwear, I slipped into the dress. It fit like a glove, showing off my small waist while flaring out slightly around the hips. It was soft and the material moved gracefully. The shoes I was a little more anxious about, but after putting them on, I found they weren’t nearly as scary to walk around in as they looked. After placing the jewelry on my wrists and ears, I gave myself one last once-over in the mirror before starting down the stairs.

  My first few steps were wobbly as I adjusted to balancing my weight on the spindly heels. I clutched the banister, just to be safe. The last thing
I wanted was to break an ankle.

  Aden was already at the door, decked head to toe in black military finery. The uniform was similar to the other one he often wore, only he looked more like a prince than an officer. His head turned and I swore his jaw dropped.

  “Wow,” he said, blinking. For the first time since I met him, he looked genuinely stunned. “You’re a vision.”

  I smiled, enjoying the peach hued blush staining his cheeks as I came to stand beside him. Seeing him up close, I had to admit he looked devilishly handsome, pale as a specter against the sleek black fabric of his jacket. The combination was striking.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said with a wink.

  He wriggled his brows. “Just wait ‘til you see me dance.”

  I laughed as he offered me his arm. Mrs. Knight appeared from the kitchen, decked in a flattering light gold ball gown. “I’ll see you there,” she said, smiling brightly. “Go easy on the champagne, Aden.”

  He looked at me and rolled his eyes. “Yes, mother,” he said politely, and I stifled a giggle. Mrs. Knight left, and he raised a brow. “Ready to celebrate?”

  “You mean, am I ready for a night of slightly drunken revelry? Yes, please.”

  His eyes sparkled with – affection, maybe? – as he gazed at me. “I’ll make it an evening to remember.”

  ***

  “Wow,” I said as we walked into the grand ballroom. “This place looks amazing.”

  The entire room “sparkled”; tinsel, lights, and glittery silver snowflakes hung from the ceiling, giving it a winter wonderland feel. A refreshment table ran the entire length of one wall, and the floor was covered in silver glitter. A humongous Christmas tree, decked in all the trimmings, stood at one corner. Security guards in formal military attire lined the room. Aden had told me they would be there as an added precaution, in case we encountered any more gunmen. Despite my trepidation at the shooting – and over dancing – I was determined to have fun tonight. For once, I just wanted to be a normal teenager again.

  “They do a good job,” Aden said. “My mom heads the decorating committee. And this room lends itself well to such occasions.”

  “Do vampires throw parties all the time?” I looked around at the polished wood floors and soft “mood lighting.”

  “We didn’t really start ‘til last year, after things had settled down a bit. Mostly, we throw events for Christmas and New Year’s. And of course the base-wide Thanksgiving potluck, for those who celebrate it. It was quite the turn-out this year. You really missed out.” He elbowed me slightly, and I playfully shoved him back.

  “The plate you brought me was good,” I said, remembering the sky high pile of food I’d found in the fridge the next day. “I bet the potluck was a great success, with your mom organizing it and all.”

  “She did a good job,” he said, smiling. “Actually, Mom’s usually in charge of all the parties. She really works at creating a sense of family around the base.”

  “No kidding,” I murmured. I was all too aware of Aden, as we were linked arm in arm. All day long, my stomach had threatened to take flight with all the butterflies hovering in it, a sensation that was amplified now that we were actually here.

  Aden sensed my tension. “Just relax,” he murmured, his breath tickling my ear. “You have nothing to be afraid of. You look gorgeous.”

  “That’s not what I’m worried about,” I muttered back. I was used to being in the spotlight. Being a Sovereign’s daughter, especially one as famous as my mother, meant many days spent being filmed or photographed. Even now, heads turned to look at us, their faces awestruck.

  “What is it then?” Aden asked. “Why so tense?”

  I pressed my lips together. “It’s the first official date I’ve ever been on,” I admitted.

  Aden looked amused. “Technically, it’s our second date.”

  My head snapped around. “Where was I on the first?”

  “With me, at the diner and arcade.”

  “That doesn’t count.”

  “Sure, it does.”

  I punched him lightly in the arm. “Not if I didn’t know it was a date, goofball!”

  He chuckled, pulling me closer to him. “Fine, then. If it means so much to you, it wasn’t a date. Satisfied?”

  “Maybe,” I said, giving him a coy smile.

  Soft music floated through the air, provided by a real chamber orchestra sitting off to one side. The atmosphere was regal, like something from the 1800’s.

  “Care to dance?” Aden said as a waltz flitted through the air.

  I swallowed hard. “I don’t know how.”

  “It’s easy.” He took my hand and guided me to the dance floor. “I’ll show you.”

  Nerves rattled me as he positioned my free arm along his shoulder, while clasping my other hand in his own. “Don’t think,” he said. “Just follow me.” Then we were off, turning to the lilt of the tune.

  At first, I was concentrating too hard on my own motions, making them stiffer and more awkward. Aden gave me a disarming smile. “Relax.” I felt him push his glamour on me, draining the tension from my muscles and calming my frantic mind. It still felt odd, feeling someone else’s influence inside my head, but it worked. I stopped thinking, and before I realized it I was floating along as if I had waltzed my entire life. I laughed, relishing the freedom of motion. “This is kind of fun!”

  He grinned. “I knew you would like it.”

  The waltz ended, and the audience clapped their appreciation to the orchestra. I actually felt a little dizzy and breathless, not because I was physically winded, but because it was surreal, like something out of a fairy tale.

  “Thirsty?” Aden asked.

  “Sure!” I said, smiling. It was the most lighthearted I had felt in days, no, make that years.

  I haven’t been this carefree since Orion vanished.

  “I’ll go grab us some drinks,” Aden said. “They make some killer holiday punch.”

  I stood on my tip-toes, trying to get a clear view of the table. “They’re not serving blood, are they? I mean, the punch isn’t spiked?”

  “Nope. You’ll find with us – meaning vampires like you and me, and not Rogues – blood is a necessity and not a delicacy. It’s just awesome punch.”

  I sighed inwardly. “All right, then.” While I knew I needed blood to survive now – that I would crave it – I still wasn’t keen on the idea of drinking it.

  “I’ll be right back.” Aden leaned in and kissed my cheek. I flinched at the feather-light touch of his lips, not sure how I felt about the gesture. Aden didn’t seem to notice my tension. He smiled at me and walked away, weaving through the crowd toward the punch bowl line.

  I sighed, cheeks flaming. It felt wrong to be enjoying myself with Aden right after Leo had declared his love for me, had kissed me so passionately…

  Right before I bit him.

  I groaned. It’s not your fault. You didn’t hurt him.

  My face saddened. That may be true to some degree, but I had also irrevocably severed our friendship, or whatever it had been. That made me the saddest of all, knowing things could never go back to being the way they were before.

  I am a vampire. I must accept that I belong here.

  “Sloane!”

  I looked up, following the direction of the bell like laughter. Angel and Rook were spinning together on the floor. I had to admit, Rook looked pretty damn good in his uniform. I could tell he was having the time of his life, holding Angel in his arms. She looked like a storybook princess. Her gown was one of those poofy, pink lace and silk numbers, complete with a tiara, which was barely visible in the mess of golden ringlets piled atop her head. Her cheeks were rosy, and her petal pink lips were spread into a wide grin. She was giggling as Rook spun her round and round, his affectionate gaze glued to her radiant face. She waved at me and I waved back, smiling at them as they spun by.

  “Well, well. Looks like Cinderella made it to the ball after all.”

&nb
sp; The voice slithered over my skin, and a bolt of fear and loathing cut through me.

  Ugh. Not now!

  I turned as Dezyre – wearing a flowing, skin-tight black dress – stumbled toward me. She was clutching a champagne flute to her chest, which threatened to spill onto her plunging neckline at any second. She might as well have been wearing nothing. On anyone else, the outfit would have looked completely slutty, however, Dezyre somehow managed to look sophisticated and sexy. Her hair was pulled back to one side, and massive diamond chandelier earrings dangled from her ears. Her eyeliner was dark and it looked like she had eyelash extensions on; her eyes, though beguiling, looked like they belonged on a Kewpie doll.

  I could feel my muscles knotting up as she approached, bumping patrons out of her way. I hadn’t seen her since the incident in the mess hall, when she’d “ratted me out” as a vampire hunter. Aden told me that Frost had ordered Dezyre not to come near me.

  Guess that restraining order is being breached.

  Anger burned in my chest. The scars from being chained in Scarlet Steel served as a constant reminder of what she had done to me, something I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive her for.

  I glared at her. “If I’m Cinderella, then you must be one of the ugly stepsisters. Can I help you?”

  Dezyre didn’t respond to my dig. She teetered on her six inch stilettos, grabbing hold of my arm to steady herself. I stood stone still, an angry frown on my face as she looked me in the eyes. Or, at least, she tried to. She couldn’t quite seem to focus on me.

  She’s drunk.