“I would like to see your collection.” Ariana spoke breathlessly, something about the way Quinn had said it making an excited sensation flutter inside her, as that connection between them flared more.
“I would very much like to show you.” He spoke with true smolder now as he stared her down. As Ariana felt his dark aura stroke her wrist subtly like it had last night, oilslick-black mist and eclipse-bright fire poured through her veins. Coiling around her wrist now, his power became tight like a bracelet, making Ariana catch her breath. As Quinn held her gaze, his energy stirred deeply around her, though she could barely see it. As their connection strengthened, Ariana’s heart raced.
Feeling Quinn’s darkfire energy roar around her – as her own oilslick-bright darkness rushed towards him also.
But with a brisk smile, Quinn suddenly straightened, blinking his long dark lashes as if breaking some trance they’d just shared. Smiling wryly, he glanced to Devi and Curio, and once more, Ariana felt their connection interrupted. “Give Ariana my gift, then take her around the party. See if anyone is reacting to her like I am. Thank you Devi, Curio.”
“Master.” Devi and Curio both spoke now as they nodded. But Quinn’s instructions were not explained as he suddenly glanced to a group of people lingering by a devilish painting that looked like Hieronymus Bosch. Moving away, he went to his guests, leaving Ariana with Devi and Curio.
As Ariana was finally able to shake off her strange magical connection to Quinn, she saw that the gallery was occupied by thirty or so individuals dressed in the finest haute couture. Stunningly beautiful men and women, all of them were Vampires, she knew as she came back to herself from her magical trance. Pale-skinned and elegant, these Vampire guests of Quinn’s hailed from all around the world. With every color skin along with stunning russet hair, bright white, luscious silver, and jet-black, they were dressed in modern tuxes and gowns, some with outfits from the last five centuries while others wore modern slinky red-carpet couture.
Gazing around, Ariana felt like she’d stepped onto a Hollywood movie set, but the appearance of all the Vampires in the hall was not what struck her about them. As she focused now with her opening power, she could feel a myriad of energies swirl through the underground gallery. As Vampire after Vampire met her gaze, she felt their powers whirl around her like darkly seductive winds; perfumed, each seemed to have a different character and scent. Some were sleek and mysterious and smelled of exotic scents like myrrh and sandalwood, while others were robust and demanding, smelling of more forceful scents like char and musk. But all had a darkly seductive character, impressively strong; all at once, Ariana was reeling from the depth of desire she felt flowing around the gallery. As she gripped Curio’s arm, he glanced to her with an amused smile.
“Close your mouth, darling. It’s rude.” Curio spoke as he nodded in greeting to a stunningly tall white-haired Vampiress. Dressed in an Arthurian-era gown with armor that had an almost elvish twist, the Vampiress was a stately woman, her long white waves of hair done back in ornate British Isles half-braids. Her dark grey velvet gown had long draping sleeves, a woven golden belt, and a golden circlet graced her brow, though the battle-armor made her beautifully fierce. As she moved past, Ariana saw her eyes blaze with dark grey fire, a massive nimbus of opal-grey mist swirling from her as she quietly watched Ariana with Curio and Devi.
“Who are all these Vampires?” Ariana asked as the Arthurian woman glided by – not actually walking, Ariana saw, but floating with her soft-booted feet two inches above the marble. Though Ariana’s heart beat hard to realize she was in a high-level Vampire crowd tonight with such intense magic flowing all around her, she did her best to control her response. She had begun to understand Vampires were far more complex than they seemed; and though these magics were terribly powerful and dangerously seductive tonight, Ariana could also feel an egalitarian restraint in this high-level crowd.
But as if reading her mind now, Devi turned to Ariana briskly in the foyer. “Ariana. You’ve come to us at a unique time. Unlike the Vampires you’ve met in the rest of the Hotel, those you will meet here tonight are Master Vampires – far more powerful and rare than the regular Vampires who live and work here. These Vampires are some of Quinn’s strongest allies, invited for the Meeting of the Havens. Quinn does you a great honor, allowing you to meet them this evening.”
“What’s the Meeting of the Havens?” Ariana asked, standing with poise in her dark silk dress as drop-dead gorgeous Vampires sauntered by, chatting and laughing as they sipped glasses of red wine. As they admired Quinn’s collection, Ariana had the impression this was a casual gathering. Beside her, Devina effortlessly greeted people, clasping hands and kissing cheeks before continuing.
“The Florence Dark Haven’s allies are invited here each year by our Master, in a weeklong meet-and-greet called the Meeting of the Havens, which will happen in a few week’s time.” Devi spoke as she nodded to the hall. “Those who are here tonight are Quinn’s strongest allies, invited for talks in advance of the actual Meeting. Quinn does it to take the temperature of our allies, to hold councils with them and smooth tenuous relationships. But as you are new to Vampire society, stay by our side, with either myself or Curio this evening, or our Master. We will keep an eye on you and protect you…”
Cutting off suddenly, Devina turned, pinning Ariana with her fierce chocolate eyes. As Ariana stared into them, she suddenly felt what seemed like Quinn’s power in the air rather than Devi’s – stroking her with dark tendrils and compelling her to obey Devina tonight. It was the oddest sensation, as if Quinn rode Devi’s power with his darkfire nimbus; and as Ariana realized it was Quinn’s command she felt in the Vampiress’ magic now, as she suddenly saw Quinn’s umber fire manifest in Devi’s dark-chocolate eyes.
As Ariana startled, seeing Quinn now through Devina’s eyes even though he was across the gallery talking with a group of Nordic Vampires, Devina’s suddenly spoke with Quinn’s silken, no-bullshit tones in her alto voice. “Though you are not bonded to Quinn yet, already he protects you, asking Curio and I to remain by your side this evening – his two most powerful Vampires in our entire Dark Haven. Masters from numerous Dark Havens are here tonight and will be curious about you. And so, for your true protection this evening—”
Suddenly, Devina’s hand shot out, pressing hard to Ariana’s bare chest above her décolletage. As Ariana startled, she found Curio had seized her shoulders in an iron grip, not letting her struggle away from the Vampiress’ touch. As Ariana growled and tried to fight them off, which was impossible with how ridiculously iron-strong both were, she felt an immense flood of Quinn’s smoke-dark nimbus surge into her. With a gasp, she felt that power dive into her bones as Devina stared her down, Quinn’s bright crimson fire sparking hot in the Vampiress’ eyes. Devina suddenly seemed like a mirage of Quinn’s tall grace combined with her own, and her hand pressing to Ariana’s chest had the strangely cold-hot weight of Quinn’s touch now. As Quinn stared Ariana down through his Second, pouring his power into her, she saw the slightest smile curl his beautiful lips.
And as Ariana gasped and glanced around to him across the room, she saw him watching her – that same smile upon his lips as he stared at her with a dark, mysterious intensity.
CHAPTER 9 – BLOOD
As Ariana slapped Devi’s hand from her chest in the underground art gallery, rubbing her skin, a strangely cold yet scalding sensation rushed through her. Though Quinn’s foreign energy poured through her now, making something deep inside Ariana rage at the intrusion, she found it wasn’t unpleasant – as if Quinn’s dark nimbus had a strangely comforting sensuality to it. Deep and delectable, Ariana found herself paused now as she breathed hard, adjusting to the sensation of Quinn’s power inside her body.
Feeling as if he touched places deep within – arousing the bright-dark energy of her new magics even harder than before.
Though none of Quinn’s Master Vampire guests had been nearby when Devi made the exchange, heads turned in the hall now as if they could feel the power rushing through Ariana. It seemed to interest them as many paused, eyeing her with intrigued looks. But she felt none of the strangeness that had flooded the hall previously from their immense abilities – and Ariana blinked, realizing that Quinn’s energy inside her was protecting her now from the magic of all the other Master Vampires here tonight.
“You have Quinn’s cloak of power now.” Devi spoke succinctly as she retracted her hand, shaking it as if it stung. “The effect is not permanent; it will only last the night. But it will give you some resistance against Vampire mind-games once we mingle. Are you ready?”
As Ariana glanced at both Devina and Curio, seeing their tense gazes, she suddenly realized they were afraid of Quinn’s decision to parade her around in a high-level Vampire crowd tonight. But it was his decision; and as their Master, his Second and Third in the Dark Haven of Florence had to obey. It was the first time Ariana saw how much Quindici DaPonti ruled here, though he put a pleasant façade on it. Trepidation hit Ariana now, wondering what Quinn might ask her to do if she agreed to take his Master’s Kiss and become blood-oathed to him.
But as if reading her mind, Curio smiled as he took Ariana’s hand. “Don’t think Quinn too harsh a Master, Ariana. He is stern when there is danger – and danger flows through these catacombs tonight, even though these Vampires are our allies. He is trying to manage a difficult situation right now with you coming to him so suddenly with unknown Dark Fae powers. The Summer Fae King surrounds our establishment with his Brightwatch to capture you. The Summer Fae Prince is sending emissaries daily to inquire how you fare. And all of it is happening just prior to the Meeting of the Havens, a tense event under normal circumstances made even more tense by the Summer Fae watching us.”
“The Summer Fae Prince Lucca Bellari has been asking about me?” Ariana blinked, something warm filling her suddenly to recall her Prince from the Pitti Palace five days ago. She could almost feel that dark energy inside her lighten with flares of gold and silver as she thought of his beautiful summer-blue eyes – and felt something bright contest with Quinn’s darkness in her veins. As it did, she saw Curio and Devina cock their heads, as if watching something happen with their Master’s magic inside her.
Quinn looking around also from across the gallery.
But an enormous gong sounded then, from beside a set of massive ebony doors at the far end of the hall. Struck by a Vampire server dressed in black, as the gong sounded, the ebony doors flooded with violet sigils and a flare of fierce crimson light, pulling inward. As a sea of Vampire servers rushed into the gallery, bringing a sumptuous feast into the hall, Devina and Curio sandwiched Ariana between them like bodyguards. She watched as a cornucopia of splendor was set up on banquet tables; and stepping up onto a marble pedestal as the feast was brought in, Quinn opened his hands and smiled in his fellow-well-met way.
Suddenly, Ariana felt a vast generosity flood from Quinn, sweeping the hall like a decadent wildfire. His magic affected many of the Vampires in the gallery, making them beam as that touchable, buoyant energy rolled through the space. Calming and robust, it was like a glass of good red wine as it eased across Ariana’s palate, diving into her and making her feel pleasantly gregarious. It was like the ultimate party drug; and though she still had her faculties, some part of Ariana recognized the depth of Quinn’s power.
To make everyone feel eager and uplifted tonight, as he welcomed his Master Vampire allies for the evening.
“Friends! Vampires. Masters. Be welcome in the Florentine Hall of Modern Art tonight for our little party. I welcome you all, and am so very glad you are here.”
As Quinn spoke, his luscious baritone had a deep basso ring with cutting tenor tones to it, turning all heads and commanding silence. As the party quieted, some Vampires gazed at him with admiration, though there were those who seemed watchful. Ariana would have thought Vampires only used seduction to achieve their aims, but feeling Quinn’s energy now, she suddenly realized that his skill was almost more dangerous; Quinn had the ability to make others feel pleasantly comfortable in his presence, in addition to seduced. All around, Ariana saw Vampires let their guard down as they received crystal chalices of a dark red wine circulating by servers in black. As they sipped, Ariana realized nearly everyone in the room was relaxing to Quinn’s deeply pleasant nature.
