We found Liam a second later standing beside Thomas. He gave us one last warning look before his features smoothed into rigid lines.
At the same time, a wave of silence spread through the crowd like a virus. One by one, the vampires turned to face the stairs as the quartet from the security feed ascended from below.
Trouble had come to call.
four
Aflurryofwhispersran through the gathering as those near the stairs pulled away from the newcomers. Vampires, if the power rolling off them was any indication. Powerful ones.
It created a pocket of space that continued to widen as the strangers sauntered onto the mezzanine, shooting a contemptuous look at those who gave way. Arrogance was stamped on their faces. Their confidence was alarming. As if they were untouchable.
The four moved with a tight-knit cohesion that spoke of familiarity. It was the type of coordination I’d seen in highly trained military teams.
They knew where each member was at any given second. Probably from decades of experience.
Of the four, it was the shortest man that had alarm bells ringing in my head.
There was an absolute chill in his gaze as he sent a probing gaze at those around him. A casual cruelty that made me understand why so many seemed to be holding their breaths. As if at any moment, he could launch into violence.
I didn’t know who this man was, but he was dangerous. A monster who terrified other monsters.
Tattoos marched up his neck to frame his jaw. That was unusual for a vampire because of the way most tattoos tended to fade over time.
Ink mixed with silver and blood were both necessary to make a design last. Even then, it tended to lose its detail as the vampire’s ability healed the skin around it.
Makoto was the only one I knew who had tattoos, and he had to get them refreshed every five years.
The woman in the group reminded me of a siren. Her eyebrows well defined and her mouth possessing a slight pout designed to draw attention. She was pretty, but there was a lack of humanity in her features as she looked around with boredom.
The last two vampires were nondescript. The first with light brown skin and a closed, angry expression as if someone had pissed in his breakfast. The second had black hair and bland, almost unfinished features.
It was habit to drop into my other sight. Power blazed in a halo around the short man. Their leader. It carried with it the dryness of a desert.
I got the sense that if you ventured too close it would try to suck you down, leaving nothing but a husk behind.
It frothed in my sight, eclipsing the view of his companions.
His power snapped in my direction, as if sensing my intrusion. It watched me like it had eyes buried deep in the seething mass.
The stranger flicked a glance in my direction.
Adrenaline rocketed through me.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He sees me.
My other sight snapped out of focus, the mundane world replacing the specter.
Hot and cold flashes ran up and down my spine as I wiped sweaty hands on the skirt of my dress.
This wasn’t happening. This. Was. Not. Happening.
It was a coincidence; that’s all. A freaky coincidence he’d glanced my way at the exact moment I imagined his power doing the same.
There was no need for panic. It was impossible for him to guess my secret from a single glance.
Despite my mental pep talk, I had a sinking feeling that I was lying to myself. There had been something menacing about the way his power seemed to take notice of me.
No matter how I tried to pass it off as a figment of my imagination I couldn’t quite manage it. Just because I’d never experienced something before, that didn’t mean it wasn’t possible.
