by Lila Dubois
She checked the search she’d started running after getting Aed into bed. There were over three thousand results. Dragging them onto another screen, she started narrowing down what she was looking for, adding parameters to the query.
Three thousand became three hundred, then no more than a dozen.
“Much better.” She smiled, tucking one leg under her on the ergonomic office chair.
Isabel pulled up each of the records for the twelve she’d narrowed it down to. Of those, half were historically recent enough to have pictures accompanying the news articles. On the seventh one she found what she was looking for. Isabel considered the image, then checked the date. Her fingers tingled—this was it.
She read over what little information she had in the database, committing everything to memory in a matter of moments.
When she slipped out of the data room, her fangs were out, but not from fear or arousal—from excitement. The hunt was onChapter Twelve
Aed was simultaneously fascinated and horrified. There were humans everywhere.
Isabel touched his arm. “You okay?”
“What is that?” He pointed at a pink, blue and green sculpture made out of light.
“That’s the sign for a strip club.”
“Strip club.” Though they were speaking French, he didn’t understand.
“It’s a place where humans preform dances for each other, but while they’re dancing they take off their clothes.”
“Ah, then the rather risqué nature of that sculpture makes sense.” He examined the overly curvy woman’s silhouette depicted in light.
“That’s not a sculpture, just an advertisement.”
Aed hurried to keep up with Isabel, who wound her way effortlessly through the groups of humans on the sidewalk. Ionel had brought them into the city in a car—Aed had heard of cars and even seen them in photos of the mortal realm, but he’d never been in one. He liked the sound it made.
He heard at least three different languages being spoken as they walked. Sometimes the human groups were exclusively one gender, sometimes they were mixed. When a woman wearing a very small amount of pink fabric broke away from her companions to touch his arm, her hair sliding over her bare shoulders, Aed froze.
Isabel rescued him, bumping the other women out of the way and skewering her with a glare. The pink-clad human sneered at Isabel. Aed held his breath, ready for the fight, but Isabel merely tossed her head and tugged him away.
“I guess I should have expected that you’d attract attention, looking that good.”
She was still holding his arm, and it reminded him of the way they’d walked together through the halls of Tara. He relaxed.
“I am surprised she dared challenge you.” Aed felt less out of place with Isabel at his side.
“She doesn’t know I’m a vampire.”
Aed nodded. He’d forgotten that humans thought vampires were myth. “And you didn’t take offense at what she did?”
“The human world doesn’t work like that. Frankly, neither does the Vampire, though there are a few who find the formality of manners and class structure comforting.”
“What do you mean ‘doesn’t work like that’?”
“Even if I had been offended by what that woman did, I couldn’t have acted on it.”
“Because you have to keep your nature a secret?”
“That, and because it’s a stupid waste of time. That woman—” Isabel gesture behind them, “—was putting on a show, nothing more.”
“In Fae, to look at someone like that is to invite trouble.”
Isabel laughed hollowly. “I know.”
He could have bitten his tongue. Reminding her of Fae was probably not a good thing.
They crossed another street onto a sidewalk that was crowded with what felt like hundreds of humans, but these were all standing to the side, clustered in small groups and chatting. Isabel led him past these people until they reached a set of doors. Music poured out, and the people closest to the doors were smiling and preening.
A large man with a clipboard blocked the entrance—a guard. Aed assessed the human, who was slightly taller than him and heavily muscled, but he doubted the human’s strength could match his own. Isabel released his arm and went to whisper in the man’s ear.
She laid one hand on the human’s folded arms and stretched up to reach his ear. Starting at her feet, Aed let himself drink in the sight of Isabel in human clothes. Black shoes with a tall, thin heel were strapped to her feet by thin bands that sparkled. Her legs were bare from the ankle all the way up to the top of her thigh. Her only garment was a small black dress that fitted the curves of her body from below the swell of her ass to the top of her breasts. The bodice was covered with sparkles like the shoes, and she also wore glittering earrings that were barely visible amid the soft waves of her long hair. Though he was familiar with her body, it was deeply enticing to see her like this. Many of the human females he’d seen were dressed in a similar manner—some with dresses even shorter and tighter.
Aed wondered if the humans could tell Isabel was different. From a distance she seemed human enough, but up close she was more—her beauty more powerful than a human’s, her gaze more captivating, her strength of both spirit and body more intense than any human could possess.
Or maybe he thought that because he was in love with her. Aed grimaced at the thought and looked away. He’d read enough poetry, listened to enough old stories, that he knew what love could do to a man. Yet knowing that didn’t seem to make him any less susceptible to the effects.
Isabel’s hand on his arm brought his focus back to the moment. “Aed?”
He examined her lovely face—she’d darkened her eyelids, which made her seem more dangerous than before. He liked it. “Did you want me to take care of the guard?”
Her lips twitched. “No, but thank you for the offer. Drake is part owner of this place.”
Drake. Aed was glad when she led the way up the few steps to the entrance, because it meant Isabel didn’t see his expression.
Meeting the male vampire had been a shock. He was far stronger than Aed would have thought, and he had the air of a warrior, though he was hiding it. In some ways Drake reminded him of one of the princes, but the real reason Aed didn’t like to think about the vampire was because he was Isabel’s husband.
Isabel was married—had been married.
They passed through two heavy black drapes and Aed was hit by a wall of noise and light. Music crackled and spiked around him, humans gyrated together on a massive dance floor and green, blue and gold beams of light swirled and danced along the walls and the mass of humans.
A blonde human appeared to their left. She smiled and motioned for them to follow. They were led up another small flight of stairs and past another guard to a lush seating area that looked out over the dance floor.
“What would you like to drink?”
Aed barely heard the human woman’s words over the thump of the music. He looked to Isabel, who leaned in to whisper to the woman. The blonde nodded once, smiled, then left.
The balcony area had five curved couches, all of which were occupied except the one Isabel now sat on. Aed stayed at the railing looking down on the humans. After a few minutes he was able to pick out pairs and groups of dancers. Sometimes the couples were so close together and moving in such a way that Aed thought they were having sex, but they weren’t—the males all seemed to have their pants on. Everywhere he looked men and women touched each other only to turn away and touch and caress a new person as the dance continued, seemingly without end.
“Aed, come have a drink with me.” Isabel spoke as one song faded into another, the momentary lull enough that he could hear her.
She was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, the dress riding up enough that he couldn’t stop himself from imagining sliding his hand under
the fabric. He gingerly took a seat beside her, the unfamiliar feel of the “jeans” making him awkward. He slipped off his jacket and was gratified to see Isabel examining his upper body, which was displayed by the tight, thin material. Human clothes were made for ogling, and he liked it.
Isabel waved her hand and a silent human male appeared with a tray. He set down a bottle and two heavy, short glasses. Holding up a silver bucket seemed to mean something because Isabel nodded and he placed several square cubes of what Aed realized was ice into the glasses. The human opened the bottle, pouring clear liquid into the glasses, then left them.
Isabel handed Aed a glass, then raised her own in a toast.
“Aed, welcome to the human world.”
Whatever the clear liquid was, it was both cold and fiery in his mouth. He swallowed and then examined the glass.
“Vodka.” Isabel raised her glass and drained it, then raised an eyebrow.
Aed did the same, gaze locked on hers as he finished his drink, then set the glass down with a click.
“What do you think?” She gestured out at the mass of humans below them.
Aed leaned back. They were protected from the music enough that they could speak normally, which Aed was grateful for, though he was dreading the conversation he was about to have.
“Are the humans down there going to have sex?”
“All together? No. This isn’t a massive orgy.”
“I mean the ones dancing together.”
She looked startled by the question, but she answered, “Some will, some won’t.”
“But they are strangers to each other.”
“Most of them are, yes, though humans prefer to travel in groups. Some of the couples you see dancing may have come here together, but mostly this is a place where humans have fun—they dance, drink, flirt.”
“They touch each other as if they were going to have sex.”
“Yes—that’s flirting.”
“Flirting.” Aed had heard the word, but hadn’t understood it until now. “So if a human woman touches a man…in a way that he might think means…if she seems to be…” Aed stumbled over the words, trying and failing to express this idea he’d developed.
“You’re asking… I’m not sure what you’re asking. Here. Have another drink. That always helps.”
Aed tossed back a second glass of vodka. When he looked at Isabel, her gaze was fastened on his throat. She turned her head when he caught her looking. The alcohol was warming him from within.
Aed laid his hand on Isabel’s bare thigh. “When a human man touches a woman like this, or when a human woman touches a man like this—” he took her hand and laid is against his chest, “—they might be promising to have sex, but they might not.”
Isabel’s fingers curled, her nails biting him through the thin fabric of his shirt. “Exactly. The fun part is not knowing.”
Aed lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss. Isabel wrapped her free hand around his neck. The kiss was quick and over far too soon, but then Isabel was tugging him off the couch and leading him down the stairs and into the dancers. People jostled and bumped him. Aed fought the urge to react by shoving them away. Isabel found them a small area of floor that wasn’t so crowded.
Aed looked around, realizing he had no idea what the steps or moves to this dance were. There was no pattern. Isabel pressed her back against his front, then took his hands and placed them on her hips. She started to move, whole body undulating in time with the beat of the music. Reaching back, she grabbed his waist, urging him to match her movements. Using her body as a guide, Aed bent his knees and rocked along with her. The music thrummed around them like a heartbeat as the desire and arousal of the crowd buffered Aed. Isabel’s ass pressed against his crotch made it impossible to stop his cock from hardening, and soon he wasn’t content to keep his hands still. Isabel purred in approval when he ran one hand up her body to just below the swell of her breasts, then used the other to brush her hair to the side so he could nip her earlobe.
The beat changed and Isabel spun away, her hair flying out around her. She beckoned him with one finger, urging him to press himself against her once more. Face to face was even better. Isabel was nearly straddling one of his legs, her hip rubbing his cock, her hands roaming over his chest.
But it was her eyes that captivated him.
He leaned down to kiss her, but Isabel danced away. It became a game, and once he’d figured out the rules Aed played too—hands caressing Isabel’s shoulders and back, thumbs lightly brushing her breasts, but only enough to tease. When she rose up to kiss him, Aed stepped back, grinning at her shocked expression.
A human tried to dance with him, but Isabel wrapped her body around his, claiming him.
Soon the dance floor was so crowded that they spent more time being jostled than dancing, and Isabel took his hand, guiding them back to their private couch. Isabel knelt beside him, hands braced on the backrest on either side of his head. She kissed each corner of his mouth, then his lower lip. Aed stroked her thighs from knee to the hem of her dress, pushing it up a bit with each pass.
When her lips settled on his, Aed was hit by a flood of emotion—desire, joy, pleasure, need…and love. Wrapping his arms around her waist threw her off balance, tumbling her sideways onto his lap. Isabel grinned against his lips.
It felt good to have her in his arms again, and maybe if they had sex they could forget everything else—their positions, the issues between their people.
But there was something Aed had to say, something that could not wait.
Breaking the kiss, he dropped his forehead to Isabel’s shoulder.
“Aed?” Her fingers traced a path up his arm to his neck.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what? I’m having a very good time.”
He reluctantly released her. Isabel’s smile faded as he put distance between them.
Aed cleared his throat, then met her gaze. “I am sorry for not defending you, back in Fae.”
She stiffened but tried to hide it, brushing her hair off her shoulder. “You have your duty.”
“You were right. I could have answered their questions truthfully while also making it clear I did not think you killed the servant.”
“And why didn’t you?” The question was sharp.
Aed squared his shoulders. “I did not imagine that the prince would act the way he did.” Aed wished he could stop there, but he owed her the truth. “When we were walking, you touched Cairbe, whispered to him…the way you had to me. I thought you…” He looked down at the humans. “I thought you were going to have sex with him. I thought what we’d done meant nothing to you.”
Aed met Isabel’s gaze, expecting anger, but there was pain in her eyes. His heart clenched.
“Isabel, I didn’t realize, until we came here, that it’s a human thing, to seem like you’re promising to have sex when you’re not.”
Her hand moved so fast that he didn’t see the slap coming. His head snapped to the side, his cheek on fire.
“I don’t know why I thought you were different from every other man I’ve ever known. You arrogant, misogynistic ass.” She started cursing in a variety of languages, then took a deep breath and stood. “I will touch whoever I want, however I want. Just so you know—what we had, what I felt for you—it was different.” Her breaths were shaky, her eyes gleaming with tears.
Aed reached for her, but she held up her hand. “Don’t touch me. I won’t let you, or anyone, make me feel like a whore. Even if I had planned to sleep with Cairbe, an honorable man would have defended me against a false accusation.”
The accusation pierced Aed’s chest, the pain as acute as if she’d used an actual blade.
She laughed bitterly and wiped each eye with the heel of her hand. “Slut shamed by a man who comes from a place where women are paraded around like
dogs. I guess the world will never really change.”
Isabel walked away, leaving Aed alone with his regret.
It was stupid to be this upset.
Isabel jumped into the first cab she saw, leaning forward to give the driver directions and then settling back into the darkness.
Angry tears tightened her throat. Now it all made sense. Aed had seen her talking to Cairbe, assumed that because she flirted with him she was going to sleep with him and decided that made her a whore. And it was easy to let a whore suffer—she knew that from firsthand experience.
It took the cab forty-five minutes to reach the private airstrip. Pulling her phone out of her bodice, she sent a quick text to Ionel. They’d find Aed. She doubted he would have gone far, if he even left the club. Maybe she should have stayed with him—after all, he’d watched out for her when she was in Fae. But then again, when she’d needed an ally the most he’d abandoned her.
A sleek jet was ready for her, two humans standing at the bottom of the stairs. Isabel nodded to the pilot, a cousin of Ionel’s. The woman beside him was the flight attendant and his wife. Traveling was one of the most dangerous things a vampire could do, and so whenever they did use human transportation methods they surrounded themselves with loyal retainers.
“Sage.” The flight attendant nodded. “We have someone on board for you.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re still headed to London?” the pilot asked.
“Yes, this time we’re actually sticking to a flight plan.”
Isabel climbed on board, nodding to the pale woman in her thirties who was already strapped into a seat at the front of the cabin. The human smiled slightly in reply, then went back to the book she was reading.
There was a bedroom in the rear of the plane, and that was where Isabel went. The clothes she’d requested were waiting in the tiny closet. The Bucharest mansion was a well-oiled machine—she’d arranged all of this with only a few words to Ionel and Tereza.
