“This has been fun and all, but I still need to see Liam,” I said into the dangerous silence.
Both pairs of eyes landed on me. It was like being at the center of a hurricane or between a pair of boxers whose knockout punch was a simple flick of the finger.
“You know where he is?” I asked Aiden.
The skin around his eyes crinkled slightly. He gave a small nod. “He sent me to find you when it took you too long to show up.”
“How thoughtful,” I said. It would have been more thoughtful if he’d been waiting outside the club so I didn’t have to go through any of this. “Lead on, buddy.”
Those crinkles got deeper as if something I said had amused him.
He gestured me to proceed him out of the room. My legs were shaky, but they held my weight as I took the first steps to the door. I wanted out of here bad enough that I was willing to crawl, but was grateful when I made it to the exit upright.
“Aileen,” Elinor purred.
I hesitated, shooting her a glance over my shoulder. Aiden paused beside me.
“Every vampire in Columbus is required to be in attendance at the All Clan later this week. I expect to see you there.”
She gave me a sickly sweet smile. It was amazing how that smile hid the ruthless monster inside. One that liked throwing her weight around and torturing those less powerful than herself.
She didn’t have to voice what would happen if I decided to miss it. I had a feeling her retribution would be nasty and very painful.
I didn’t answer, turning back to the door.
“Oh, I almost forgot. There’s a cocktail party tomorrow night. You should come.”
Yeah, I’d clear my schedule. I had no intention of spending any more time with these people. If I never saw them again, I would count it a blessing.
I walked out the door without answering. Aiden paced beside me, one hand on my back.
I waited until we’d traveled far enough and had placed several hallways between us and them before I staggered away from Aiden’s stabilizing hand and let myself sag against the wall.
My body trembled uncontrollably now that the danger had passed. I let myself have that freak out. I’d held steady in the moment, but now I needed to process.
That woman could have crushed me like a bug. It would have taken less than a thought to destroy me. And they wondered why I wanted nothing to do with the lot of them. I didn’t like being scared and that seemed to be a common theme when I ran into a vampire.
Aiden waited patiently until I stopped shaking, seeming to understand how important it was to let me have that.
When I had pulled myself mostly back together, I said, “What the fuck was that?”
“That was Elinor.”
“I got that,” I snapped. “Do you people just go around torturing others for the hell of it?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Some of us. If we think we can get away with it.”
“More and more, I am grateful for this sorcerer’s mark,” I muttered.
“You would have avoided what just happened if you belonged to a clan,” he said nonchalantly. “You would be protected.”
“Except from whoever held my leash.”
He gave a head tilt, conceding my point.
Thought so.
“Is that so much worse than now? Any vampire more powerful than you can take what they want from you and you can’t stop them.”
