Delores was petite, her dark hair pulled back in a bun, leaving her delicate face unframed. She wore a long-sleeved black dress that hung to the floor. Two small pearls at her ears were her only adornment.
“Now, now,” she began, “you know it is impolite to discuss a lady’s age.” She made tsking sounds but never looked in my direction. Her indulgent smile was all for Clive.
He bowed his head. “Apologies.” He turned to the last woman, the one in red, and paused. “Ava, I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Which city are you the Master of?”
Delores’ lips twitched, but that small movement said volumes about the woman in red. Frank cleared his throat and Oliver raised an eyebrow. Interesting.
“Allow me,” Sebastian said. “Ava comes to us from Savannah, Georgia.”
“Savannah?” Clive said. “Has something happened? I thought Marcus was the Master of Savannah.” He looked between Ava and Sebastian.
Ava, tall with big brown eyes and long blonde hair, beamed, her red lips curling up as she took Clive in. Sebastian, for his part, looked uncomfortable.
“Marcus continues as the Master of Savannah,” Sebastian explained. “Ava is one of the up-and-coming of our kind, and quite powerful in her own right.”
Ava laid her hand on Sebastian’s forearm, her focus still on Clive. “We need to grow and evolve to survive in this modern world. So many older vampires”—she glanced at all around her—“no offense intended, are out of step with today’s science and technology. It’s good to have new blood to lend a modern perspective, don’t you think?” Her smile was slow and seductive, and totally oblivious to the two vampires beside her who looked as though they wanted to slit her throat with a modern knife. Oliver appeared to be playing chess in his head, ignoring all this nonsense.
“Interesting,” Clive responded. “I haven’t had any problems staying current, nor have any of our friends here, but perhaps that’s not so of others you’ve met.”
She blinked and smiled, but a small line formed between her brows. As I was nosey, I took a moment—they were all ignoring me anyway—to dip into the mind of that one. I almost starting laughing. She was trying to mesmerize Clive. I could hear her repeating over and over, You love me and want what I want. You want to protect me and give me whatever I need.
Uh, Clive, the lady in red is trying to enthrall you, I told him.
I’m well aware. Just trying to decide what to do about it. She seems to have ensnared Sebastian.
Is she like Garyn? Can she mesmerize other vampires?
Nowhere near as powerful and rather clumsy with it. I have no idea how Sebastian has been trapped by her.
“That’s an interesting perspective,” Clive said. “I’ve been a Master for a very long time and have trained countless novitiates over the centuries.”
Delores perked up. She felt the slam coming. Even Oliver had stopped staring into space and was watching the exchange.
“It’s a very common cognitive bias neophytes fall prey to. Are you familiar with the Dunning-Kruger effect?”
Oliver did his best to hide his grin. Delores didn’t try. Frank looked as confused as Ava.
Sebastian cleared his throat. “Yes, well, has everyone had an opportunity to slake their thirst?”
Clive surveyed the room. “I thought you’d have refreshments for my mate, but I see nothing.” His voice was pleasant, but we all heard the rebuke.
Sebastian gave an almost imperceptible shrug of one shoulder. “An oversight, I’m sure.” He turned his attention to me. “If you require sustenance, I can escort you to the kitchen.”
Banishing the underling to the kitchen, eh? “Don’t trouble yourself. I remember the first room we were shown to when we arrived. I’ll take my chances in town. Strangely, I prefer my food free of bodily fluids.”
Delores barked out a laugh but Ava appeared horrified by my coarseness. Yeah, whatever, sister.
Clive turned, giving Ava and Sebastian his side. “Oliver, how is Toronto? It’s been too long since I visited.”
While they chatted about people and places I didn’t know, I looked for the sandy-haired asshole that hated Clive. He didn’t appear to still be in the room. Frank and Delores, at intervals, called over and spoke with minions, as they clearly didn’t care about Toronto, or even pretending to be interested in the conversation. Ava sulked, occasionally forgetting herself and glaring at Clive. She caught my eye once and I smiled innocently. I preferred being invisible to vampires, especially an entire room filled with them.
My gaze returned to the portrait over the fireplace.
“Sebastian?” I interrupted his whispered conversation with Ava. She looked annoyed, but he covered it well.
“Yes?” he said.
I pointed. “That painting is rather…potent. Who is he?”
