“Celine, Renata, Lexi,” she says, her eyes flitting back and forth between us. “There’s an urgent call that requires your attention. One of the big investors. You’re needed in the boardroom immediately.”
The bartender turns away to exit the suite. She takes the tender warmth of her heartbeat with her. I feel a flutter of disappointment in my chest.
“We’re coming, Lily,” I reply. Then I turn to Lexi. “You stay with Hallie.”
“What! Why?”
“She’s a newborn, you have to keep an eye on her.”
Lexi huffs. “That’s notfair, you two always leave me out!”
“Too bad,” Renata says, her pointed heels clicking on the hard club floor as she speed-walks away. “You’re younger, and Tudor said Celine was in charge!”
“Don’t let Hallie out of your sight!” I say firmly to Lexi as I follow Renata out, deaf to Lexi’s high-pitched protesting.
Both the living and the dead part as Renata and I make our way across the club.
As we go past the bar, I can’t stop my eyes from finding the bartender. She’s taking the order of a man who looks at her a little too attentively. I have a sudden urge to head to the bar and rip his head off…
Renata gives me a sharp look as we wait for the elevator. She crosses her arms, her Rolex glinting on her wrist. “What’s her name, Celine?”
I glower at her. It’s a stupid joke. When you’ve been sisters for two hundred years, you start to accumulate them.
“She’s a good bartender,” Renata says. “Whatever you do, try not to scare her away, ok? We’ve gone through six bartenders in the same number of months.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I reply icily.
She tilts her head, a smirk at the corners of her lips. “You mustreallylike her.”
NO VAMPIRE HAS A CHOICE
Amara
“I’m not ababysitter,” moans the vampire, as she shoves her way through the crowd to the elevators.
She’s the second youngest one, the one with platinum hair. In some ways, it’s refreshing to know that even obscenely wealthy, ancient vampire families have the same petty sibling rivalries that everyone else does. I wonder if that’s important information to pass along to Lavinia.
The communication with my High Priestess has been strained lately. She was incredibly upset after the failed mission to capture Oana and tried to blame the whole thing on me. Needless to say, I threw my scrying mirror in the bottom of my sock drawer and have been ignoring the muffled obscenities emanating from it since.
But eventually I do need to speak with her. Sheisthe High Priestess of my coven, and it’s tremendously disrespectful for me to avoid her like this.
“Two vodka sodas, please,” giggles a boy who looks barely old enough to drive, never mind drink vodka. He’s wearing a blindingly neon-green mesh tank top and very tight shorts.
Without needing to look, I reach for the bottle and quickly mix the two drinks. I’ve become extremely comfortable here. I suppose if Lavinia Nox kicks me out of the Hecate coven, I’ve already got a job lined up.
“Cheers,” I say as I pass over the drinks and the credit cardmachine.
He pays and takes a glass in each hand. Then his eyes flicker across the club toward the elevators. I follow his gaze, and see two figures glide past the security desk. I can tell they’re vampires by the deliberate, fluid way they move, and the telling pallor of their skin. They each wear black outfits and dark sunglasses. I’ve never seen them here before.
My instincts immediately kick in and I look around for Xia. But she took an earlier shift today, and I know that she’s probably gone home already.
“You ok?” says Nova, sidling up to the bar through the crowd.
“Do you know if Xia went home?” I ask. Maybe I should let it go. Better safe than sorry. I can always intervene if need be, but I can’t blow my cover unless it’s absolutely necessary. That would most certainly be the cause for another massive war, and I donotwant that. Not to mention what the vampires would do to me if they realize I’m a spy.
“Yeah, she was doing something for Celine earlier,” Nova replies. “Why?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. I’m sure it’s fine.”
