“If my fellow champions will join me at the bar, we at Nightdwellers have a special treat for you. A hosting surprise that you’ve surely never experienced before,” Simone’s perfect red lips formed a dazzling smile.
I glanced at the shifters. They looked as resigned to the situation as I felt, and also like they were having a mental conversation.
“We should go. We’re trying to make friends, not enemies,” Howley said out loud, probably for my benefit.
A low growl emanated from Gregor, lifting the hair on the back of my neck.
“He’s right, Gregor,” Dasha said with a sigh. The future alpha stood. “You coming, Dane?”
I noticed that Diana, Sam, and Andre were making their way to the bar. The Torna sisters and their guards were already there. “Guess so. I wouldn’t want to be the odd one out and put a target on my back.”
“It would be a poor strategy to begin the Spy Games with,” Dasha agreed.
We approached the bar. All around us, vampires watched Simone, eager to see what she had in store.
“Thank you for joining us at our prestigious academy.” Simone leapt gracefully from her throne to the floor and sashayed toward the other champions. “As most of you know, vampires are creatures who honor tradition.”
She extended her hand toward the bartop, and with long, slender fingers, plucked a bottle out of the offerings. “Did you know that in Victorian times, vampires ruled most of London?”
The Torna sisters frowned, and Simone, having caught the expression, chuckled. “Other magicals had their say, but humansespeciallyloved vampires.” She shook the bottle. “And this little drink was partially to blame.”
Francis, the showboater, slung his arm around Simone’s shoulder. She snuggled into him, and I realized that the pair weren’t just champions and headmaster’s pets—they were an item.
“This bottled delight is crème de violette. Victorians wereobsessedwith violets, and as you can tell, its dark color resembles blood. The taste is potent, much more so than wine. It can cover up many sins and even a bit of blood poured into a glass. This allowed vampires to take part in society like they never had before. And our kind took advantage of it.”
Simone tossed the bottle in the air and caught it with the opposite hand. “This brand of crème de violette was the favorite of Queen Victoria herself. A treat worthy of royalty . . . or champions. It’s basically impossible to find in the modern world.” She arched her eyebrows. “Tonight, we’d like to share it with you, fellow champions.”
My shoulders loosened.Shots? They want to take shots?
A trill of laughter flew from my lips. Shots weren’t really my thing, but if it meant tossing one back for camaraderie’s sake, I would do it.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Andre spoke up first. “Pour the damn shots.”
The bartender obliged. All champions toasted one another, and on three, we slung the drink back.
I was surprised by the taste. Obviously, it was floral. It was also a little medicinal, and way more appealing than I thought it would be. I could see how blood could hide within the drink and allow for vampires to move through society without attracting attention.
“Another!” Anton exclaimed.
Magdalena giggled and motioned for the bartender to pour everyone one more. The second one went down just as smoothly, and I sighed as crème de violette flowed through my body, warming me and erasing my anxiety. A cloying laugh hit my ear. I twisted to see Dasha pressing her lips to Gregor and then turning to kiss Heath.
Jealousy that Alex couldn’t be here and then worry over his mission filled me. My party vibe plunged, and I set down my shot glass. Not wanting to be a total downer, I stepped away from the bar. Right away, Diana was at my side.
“Are you trying to make a graceful exit too?” she asked.
I hadn’t been, but now that she mentioned it, I did want to leave. After all, the Games would start tomorrow, and I wanted to be well-rested.
I shrugged. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
Although a few people protested that we were being party-poopers, Diana and I left the Dark Tower together to prepare for the start of the Spy Games the following day.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The moment my alarm woke me the next morning, I knew something was wrong.
My stomach rolled, and nausea swept through me like a wave. Moaning, I grabbed my gut and sat up slowly. Despite my precautions, the world spun from the pain. I blinked, unable to see straight.
Am I sick?After a brief self-assessment, I realized that only my stomach hurt. The rest of me felt completely fine. I shook my head, unable to understand.
