The faint scent of blood lingered in the air. A few vampires peered out of their open bedroom doors as I passed. I tried not to look, I really did, except these vampires didn’t seem to care much about privacy.
Some were blatantly feeding in their rooms, while others were fucking and feeding. The hunter in me wanted to pull each of them aside and interrogate them, make sure that whoever their meal was wanted to be there.
My new identity wouldn’t have cared, so I forced myself to keep walking.
Xinyi pulled me into the bedroom and closed the door behind us. Inside. it looked like a hurricane had gone off. Clothes were tossed about every which way, over tables and chairs, piled high up on the bed. There had to be enough clothes there to make its own boutique and, in the middle of it all, was a tall Grecian goddess of a woman.
“Iris! This is Jack.” Xinyi brought me before the vampire.
Eyes almost a golden shade of brown took me in with a broad smile. “Oh, my love. She is gorgeous. You didn’t tell me she was so beautiful.” Iris circled me with an assessing gaze. “Lovely figure, soft in all the right places, and this hair, oh, women have killed for beautiful natural curls like these.”
A weird feeling settled in my chest at her compliments. I wasn’t sure if she was being genuine or getting me ready for market.
“Uh… thank you?”
Iris paused and suddenly dragged Xinyi to her side, her mouth pressed to the smaller woman’s in a deep kiss before she pulled back and peered up at me. This time, there was clear lust in her gaze. “It is too bad you are spoken for, I would have loved to make you my companion. Xinyi does get lonely sometimes when I’m off on business.” She stroked Xinyi’s face lovingly.
Xinyi rolled her eyes, crinkling her nose at me. Clearly she was used to her mistress’s antics.
“Iris, Jack needs clothes for the party tonight, not to get hit on.” She pushed her mistress away affectionately before clapping her hand as she turned to the room. “Alright, let’s see. Like Iris said, you have a great figure and I bet your legs are amaaaazing. We should definitely find you a dress or skirt to show them off.”
“Uh… can’t I just wear this?” I gestured to the clothing I was wearing. “I mean it’s a college party, not some formal gathering, right?”
“Trust me.” Xinyi grabbed my hands and jerked me into the madness. “You’re going to want to look hot.”
I had a feeling before this night was over that I was going to regret this.
Chapter nine
Jack
Thiswasahugemistake.
Standing on the edge of the party, I never felt more out of place. I’d been to several of my parents’ parties, and none of them were this debauched.
A sensual beat vibrated through my veins. Sweat, blood, and lust thickened the air. The common room was bathed in low golden light, with strategically placed cushions just along the shadows. A bar stood to one side, and bodies ground against each other in an open space.
“Isn’t this great?” Xinyi cried out, grabbing my arm. She practically vibrated with excited energy next to Iris and me.
“Yeah… it’s something.” I cleared my throat and tugged down at the hem of my skirt again. Iris and Xinyi had insisted I wear this crimson silk dress that barely went past my ass. The straps were barely more than strings, the back open to my lower back.
I hadn’t shown this much skin in… well… ever. I might as well be naked in a room full of hungry, horny vampires.
“I’m going to grab a drink, you want one?” Xinyi barely waited for me to respond before she was darting through the room.
Iris gave me a knowing smile. “She’s a lot to handle sometimes, I know, but she grows on you. Her bubbly personality makes the world seem a little brighter for those like us.”
“Like us?” I arched a brow.
“I don’t mean to insult you, but I see a darkness in you.” Iris turned to me fully. “You don’t see the world for its possibilities. You see it in shades of… red.” Her eyes stared straight into me, seeing far more than she was saying.
My heart thudded in my throat as I swallowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She simply gave me a small smile, and her head dipped ever so slightly. “If you say so.”
I let my gaze slide over the room, not searching for anything in particular.
This wasn’t a time for socializing. I had a mission to complete, and so far, I’d been here two days and hadn’t heard or found anything that would lead me to the rogue supernaturals.
