And she beamed at him back.
“Ariana. You are ravishing.” Quinn spoke quietly as his dark eyes shone with pleasure. Clasping her hands in his, Quinn did something he’d never done before in such a public event – he leaned forward, brushing two kisses over her cheeks as everyone watched.
Lingering for a breath before he pulled away.
“Not so bad yourself.” Ariana shivered now with heat as she blushed, feeling how Quinn’s hands warmed upon her and his power stirred deeply inside her, loving everything they shared now. Because the sensations moving between them weren’t just darkness and sex and lust anymore, but a beautiful bright energy since their bond with Lucca.
Pouring through Ariana’s veins, it was sunshine and heat, darkness and moon-silver all at once as she stood a moment, entranced by the amazing sensation though Quinn was controlling it from spilling out into the hall. But it was something they shared now, something incredible as Ariana stared up into Quinn’s eyes and he beamed back at her, both of them feeling this new bright-dark power stirring deep within. The barest hum of the Music began to rise inside Ariana, and she saw Quinn lift a knowing eyebrow as he smoothed that harmony inside her.
And then caressed it sweetly away.
Not now.His voice breathed through her mind.Later, when no one else is around to feel it.
Sure.Ariana knew they had to be somewhat discreet with this new level of power between them, so their bond with Lucca was not exposed to the Masters. It wasn’t a secret Quinn was willing to reveal widely yet, as they still had no idea what blending their three powers together could or would do – and he didn’t want to risk anyone knowing but his inner circle just yet.
But before Quinn and Ariana could exchange another pleasantry, Arturos suddenly made a beeline to them from where he had been standing with a group of other Masters. Wearing an expensive dark navy suit with a black shirt, he was impeccably dressed with his ornate grey-black pearl talisman around his left wrist.
But Arturos’ dark blue eyes were furious as he arrived, nodding to Ariana and pinning Quinn with his deepwater gaze. As Arturos sent a wave of thought into Quinn from his Vampire-Siren power, Ariana heard it via their strengthened connection.
Quinn. We need to talk, now. Over by the bar where it’s quiet.
Lifting a straight dark eyebrow at Arturos’ intensity, Quinn glanced to the ornate Italianate bar carved out of one alcove in the underground hall, and Ariana’s gaze followed. The Baroque crystal bar was not populated by any Masters right now, everyone either filling chalices from the blood-fountains or getting wine and small bites from circulating servers in black vest and tie.
Gesturing elegantly to the bar, Quinn nodded for Ariana and Arturos to accompany him, though Ariana felt him send mind-missives to Devi and Curio to entertain their guests. With twin nods, Devi and Curio departed, though Ariana could feel a jangled energy in them now.
They were worried about Arturos’ manner, as he was generally extremely calm and pleasant. A dark concern churned through Quinn also as they arrived at the bar and he nodded to one of his Vampire bartenders for a new round of wines. As they received their libations, Ariana sipping a burgundy that tasted of raisins and plums, she felt a dark swirl of passion from Arturos.
Before he reigned it in with an iron will, speaking low. “Quinn. Forgive me for interrupting you like this, but your people are in danger tonight. And you need to know about it.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean?” Quinn blinked in surprise as his lips fell open. As everything in him suddenly became still as stone and sharp as a blade, listening alertly, Ariana felt Arturos’ darkwater energy churn all around her, though he was reining it in tightly at the bar.
“Danger is coming to your Dark Haven – tonight, at this opening gala for the Meeting. And you need to be ready for it. You and Ariana both.” Arturos repeated now as his dark blue eyes blazed with a furious maelstrom, echoed in his tightly-controlled energy. Though Ariana did not feel any lie in him, he was compelling as his power surged around her and Quinn, urging them to listen.
“What kind of danger, Arturos?” Quinn asked very quietly now, though Ariana could still feel how shocked he was as his gaze sharpened on his friend. “What is it?”
“I don’t know details.” Arturos spoke as he glanced at Ariana now, his darkwater energy still ferocious. “I only know it is the kind of danger that could bring your establishment extremely bad repercussions if it gets out of hand. Rumor has been circulating among the Masters that someone wishes to prove a very dangerous point tonight – that you have become weak in protecting your Dark Haven and your allies, Quinn. Ariana’s rising powers and your lack of control over them have not gone unnoticed in the past few days. Your spectacle has sparked a discourse among the Masters, debating whether you should lead this Dark Haven. Or if it should be taken by someone else, tonight. You know I cannot allow that to happen. But I am only one Master and cannot be seen to address this situation myself. You must act, strongly, to counter whatever occurs this evening.”
“So someone wants to unleash something tonight that makes me look weak to both my allies and enemies. Making my enemies bold and my allies abandon me, and allowing a takeover. Immediately.” Quinn’s dark power boiled now as he listened. But even as he fumed, still as a statue as he quietly processed everything, Ariana felt his black nimbus heave through their strengthened connection. She might not have been aware he was furious at the news had she not been so deeply bonded to him now, his face impassive for a long moment.
Until he took a deep breath – his dark eyes smoldering with wrath. “Arturos. Whom did you hear this from?”
“Antoinette Padula of the Dark Haven of Sicily.” Arturos answered as he nodded at a tiny Vampire woman bubbling with laughter, gossiping with another woman in rapidly flowing Italian. “She overheard a wager this evening between Master Benedict Ducati of Rome and Master Horatio Lucenti of Torino. The wager was whether you could control your Dark Fae enough for her to become an asset here. Or whether tonight’s events would provoke an end to your Dark Haven, for good.”
“Merda.” Quinn growled as he tapped a long white finger upon the bar. “Neither Horatio nor Benedict are my allies. They wouldn’t give us any additional information. Did Antoinette overhear anyone who actually knew what was going to happen?”
“No. Only that it was to be extreme, tonight.” Arturos spoke with a dark anger as his energy churned tightly again.
“Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” Quinn spoke as his simmering nimbus calmed inside Ariana until it was merely a deep roil – though still frightening in its intensity.
As she took a deep breath, feeling as worried as Quinn at this news, she saw Arturos watching her. Alertness flowed through his dark blue eyes, though everything else about him was calmer now. As Arturos pinned Quinn with a sharp gaze, Quinn gave the Vampire-Siren a quiet nod. “We don’t know what is in store for this evening, but we must go on as if everything is under control. We cannot cancel the gala or do anything else shocking. One moment.”
As Quinn closed his eyes, Ariana felt him summon Devi in his mind and give her a quick run-down of the situation. As the statuesque Vampiress bristled, Ariana felt Quinn relay orders for Devi to take all their strongest Vampire fighters and security personnel off their Hotel details for the night and quietly slot them into serving at the gala. Quinn was taking no chances: only minimal security would be stationed throughout the rest of the Hotel tonight. Ariana felt Quinn relay to Devi that this was a test – one that their entire Dark Haven had to counter swiftly, with force. Tonight, they had to demonstrate their real strength, or open up the Dark Haven for the sharks to devour. With a brisk nod, Devi flashed away from Quinn’s thoughts.
Rage boiling through the supermodel Vampiress as she went to get everything ready.
But even as Devi strode from the hall on her tall red stilettos, Ariana felt an additional thought from her – that anyone seen to help Quinn tonight would put themselves at risk with whomever was threatening them. It left Ariana perplexed, wondering why Arturos was so loyal to Quinn and willing to put his own Dark Haven on the line to help. As Quinn relayed additional orders to Curio now for the fortifying of magical wards around the Hotel and the safety of other guests should they be attacked, Ariana turned to Arturos.
“What about your Dark Haven?” She asked him. “Doesn’t warning Quinn about this tonight put them at risk for a similar attack?”
