“I have no problems with gore, not in the least. But at the same time, when I’m ripping off someone’s head, I’m not drinking their blood,” she counters, shrugging her shoulders.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Toth complains as we enter the hotel. Mara easily steps in front of Toth to speak with the receptionist. The girl is young and, I’m assuming, decent looking. I truly stopped seeing people’s subjective attractiveness after meeting Mara.
“Hi, can you please set us up with the best room that you have for free, please?” Mara asks, easily compelling the mortal woman, who nods stupidly and hands Mara the key cards. She hands them out to each of us as if I would become separated from her.
“Zander’s club opens up in a half an hour; we can come back tonight,” Toth says.
“No, I need to look cuter than this,” Mara argues. Toth looks her up and down and sighs. Mara rolls her eyes and turns back to the hostess. “Where is the closest, most expensive store you have?”
“Out the front entrance to the right.”
Mara just starts walking and we follow her dutifully as she leaves the hotel lobby, heading to the right. She swings the door open and takes a quick look around. “That one,” she says, pointing at the shimmering silver cocktail dress.
Judd grabs it and takes it off the coat rack. Instead of going to the changing room, she just starts pulling off her jeans and tossing her shirt on the floor. She looks at the dress one more time before ripping her bra off.
“For Christ’s sake,” Toth practically screeches, his hands going to his hips, but I still notice him giving her chest an eyeful. A sight he doesn’t deserve to enjoy, in my opinion.
Mara takes the dress from Judd’s hands and puts it on her body as one of the retail workers comes up to us with a red face. “You need to leave. I’m calling the police.”
Mara straightens out the dress and bends down to the woman’s level. “No, you’re going to get me the most expensive silver heels you have in a size eight and quit this job.”
“You’re right; I should quit,” the woman responds robotically, going to the back before returning with a pair of strappy heels.
“Judd, baby, can you help me put these on?” she asks.
“This is fucking ridiculous. Can we please get the fuck out of here?” Toth chastises.
“It’s like nine. Everyone knows vampires don’t get wasted enough to spill their guts until midnight,” Mara replies with sound logic.
Judd just gets on his knees like the perfect good boy he is and laces up her heels, kissing her calf when he finishes. Mara spins in a circle with a smile on her face.
“Now. Now, I’m ready to go.”
Toth looks her up and down but doesn’t have shit to say. I hold out my hand to her, and she takes it happily.
I lean down and kiss her hair. “Pretty, baby,” I compliment her. She leans closer to me, and I wrap an arm around her shoulder. The looks she gets are salacious, and I have to hold in my temper, but I can’t blame them. She looks absolutely radiant, especially in the dress.
Toth looks irritated, as usual, and Judd looks besotted as we get to the entrance of the bar. From the exterior, we’re either about to enter a high-end club or an absolute shithole. I don’t know why all the clubs here are like this.
“IDs,” the bodyguard demands, nearly shitting himself as he looks me up and down.
“We’re here to see Zander,” Toth tells the man.
“That’s great and all, but I can’t let anyone in without an ID.”
Toth gets in the man’s face. He’s clearly a supernatural of some sort. The fact that he’s asking for ID is ridiculous, considering most vampires don’t work in the confines of mortal law.
Mara puts a hand on Toth’s shoulder, and I swear he stiffens as Mara scoots him to the side.
“We don’t need IDs,” she tells the bouncer plainly.
“Right. You don’t need IDs. Have a good night,” the bouncer responds robotically as she drags us in.
“Wait, did you just compel a vampire?” Toth asks Mara.
“No, I’m simply just that pretty,” she replies, and he furrows his brows.
“Are you sure? It really seemed like—”
