The hallway door opened, and Amée and Auberi stepped through it. Amée was breathtaking with her blonde hair artfully twisted up, and her black evening gown was accented with flowery embroidery along the hem. Auberi wore a black suit with a tie that had the same elaborate embroidery, so he matched his twin.
“The twins have arrived!” Vìgì boomed. “With this, our numbers are complete.”
Amée scowled as she and Auberi linked arms. “Good evening,” she said, frostily.
The pair looked more sophisticated and modern tonight, and they didn’t seem to have the same vampire-fragility I’d seen the night Killian had introduced them to me. They were too busy looking each other over and perfecting their posture to be bothered.
They also appear to have a ‘work mode.’
“Shall we make our entrance?” Killian approached his wife, holding out his arm for her to take. “Since the twins took their time, we’re running a tad late.”
Amée snarled. “We were instructed to make an impression tonight. Our appearance is the best tool we have to accomplish that.”
“Ahh, for you thatwouldbe true,” Killian said. “I have other tools at my disposal that are much more helpful.”
“What are you implying?” Auberi snapped.
“Peace, little snakes.” Considine said, his voice colored with amusement as he strolled across the room, stopping next to me. “We’re pretending to be united tonight, remember?” He smiled at me and held out his hand.
I took it, fighting the impulse to check my hair sticks one last time.
Considine smiled at me, his eyes burning as he kissed the top of my hand.
“There are several goals for this evening,” Killian started. “Topping the list for me is to give the peasants a glimpse of the all-powerful Considine Maledictus, so they stop bothering me about him. For the Family, however, we are presenting a strong front to remind everyone of the prestige the Dracos name carries, as well as a reminder that it is foolish to endanger those we hold dear.”
“Little Killi—always so organized!” Margarida smiled with sincere approval.
Since Killian did not react violently, and combined with some of the things the other Dracos Family had said, I wondered if maybe Margarida wasn’t the most like their long-gone Sire.
From the way Considine has referred to him, it sounds like Ambrose was a very warm and loving individual.
“I also want you all to be listening for any word of Gisila, the dragon shifter,” Considine said, his usual laughter drainingfrom his voice. “As a society, I don’t expect vampires would be awake enough to observe her arrival, much less be interested in it, but any information about her is absolutely vital. Have I made myself clear?”
Amée wiped her petty sneer from her face, making her even more lovely, while Margarida’s expression grew serious. Vìgì dipped his head, and even Baldwin straightened up, the curl of his lip smoothing over to something solemn.
Silently, they moved, lining up at the double doors and effortlessly putting on their roles.
Slayers survive because this isn’t typical, I concluded.If more vampire Families were so well run, we would have been wiped out centuries ago.
As much as Considine joked about it, the years took their toll on vampires. Even if they were wealthy supernaturals with very little to fear, it seemed time exacted a painful, emotional price from them.
“Ready, Dessert?” Considine asked me, shaking me from my thoughts.
My nerves lighting up from all the vampires in the area, I snapped into work mode—making my posture straight but not militantly to not hint at any unsettled nerves. “Ready,” I said.
The doors opened, and Killian and Hazel entered first, disappearing into the bright ballroom.
Last in line, Considine and I had some time before we’d enter.
“I apologize, there are likely to be many vampires who will make…assumptions about you,” Considine said.
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes, taking in the anger that already flickered across his face. “You mean they’ll assume I’m your toy?”
“…Yes.”
I nodded as Amée and Auberi entered the ballroom next. “In all fairness to them, you once considered me your entertainment.”
“To my shame, this is true,” Considine said.
