“Yes, it is,” he agrees. “I’ve always been a fan of medieval design, especially in Florida. It’s quite fitting, don’t youthink?”
I resist the urge to laugh as a man wearing a suit similar to Simon’s stops in front of us. His shoulders are huge, and it’s clear the jacket he’s squeezed into is a few sizes too small. “How are you, nephew?” the man asks.
The confident lycanthrope who was next to me earlier shifts energy instantly. He stands straighter, losing some of the carefree body language he seems to carry so easily. “I’m well, thank you.”
“Who is this?” the man asks, sniffing the air in front of me. “She’s a vamp…”
“Yes, Uncle. She’s a vampire.” Simon turns toward me. “May I present, Violet Du Four? Violet, this is my uncle, Gabriel Ward.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” I announce before the giant is able to speak.
“You dating vamps now?” Gabriel asks.
“I’m with Cyrus, sir,” I answer.
The lycanthrope turns toward Cyrus, who is wrapped in Aurora’s arms at the moment. “Looks like he’s unaware that you’re with him.”
“Excuse us, Uncle,” Simon says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and ushering me away from whatever that was.
“What was that?” I ask once we’re away from the crowd.
Simon shrugs. “Some family drama I’d rather not talk about at the moment.”
I nod, accepting his answer. Looking around the extravagant room, there’s a mixture of energiesblending into a bowl of confusion in my mind. I feel both lycan and vampire energy, along with something else that I don’t have the words to describe. “Is there something else here? Something other than vampire and lycan?” I ask Simon, hoping he understands what I mean.
He lifts a glass of wine to his lips, drinking half the goblet in one gulp. “Okay, that helped. See the short woman standing near Cyrus and…” He doesn’t fill in her name. I nod, spotting a woman no taller than five feet, wearing a solid black dress and boots. “She’s a witch.”
I take a minute, allowing her energy to fill the void I felt earlier. “A witch,” I whisper. “She feels different than Monique.”
“I don’t know who that is, but she’s a flower witch.” He nods toward the woman again. “Hell, I can’t remember what they call themselves, but she’s good with plants and shit like that.” He lifts his now-empty wine glass toward a man wearing a tuxedo that looks like it was custom-made for him. Every hair is in place, and he’s standing perfectly still. “Old Zedekiah over there is a warlock.”
I stare at the man who is prettier than a man should be. His skin is flawless, and every hair is perfectly in place. “He’s handsome.”
“Yeah, don’t get too excited. You’re not his type, if you know what I mean.” He winks at me. I’m embarrassed to say it takes longer for me to understand what he means than it should.
“Oh, he likes…”
“Men,” Simon interrupts. “He likes men, Violet. It’s okay to say out loud.”
“So, he…”
“Has sex with men. Again, it’s okay to say out loud.” He shakes his empty glass in front of me. “I’m going for more. I’ll be back. Be smart, and don’t eat anyone while I’m gone.”
Being in this room suddenly helps me realize just how sheltered I was. There’s so much more to the world around me. I’m embarrassed to acknowledge the small world I inhabited.
“You smell familiar,” a woman says, moving to my side. I don’t remember putting perfume on, but I thank her anyway. “How did he trick you?” she asks.
“Excuse me?”
“Harrison. How did he trick you?” I stare, not sure how to answer. I take a minute to explore her features. She’s at least six inches taller than me, with hair the color of midnight. Her ebony skin is highlighted by the copper tint of her eyes. She’s quite possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I take a deep breath, catching the familiar scent of my maker. She smiles knowingly.
“I was dumb and went for a walk alongside the river.”
“Mine was a dark alley in Paris.” I catch a hint of an accent in her words. “Seems like we’re sisters of somesort.” She holds her hand toward me. “Victoria LeRoux,” she says, shaking my hand.
“Violet Du Four.”
“You are quite lovely,” she says, still holding my hand. “I don’t blame him for trying.”
