Page 68 of You’re So Vein

“I don’t know which pair to choose. Will you help me?”

“Of course, Sir. Step right this way. How about this pair? I bedazzled them myself.”

The girl holds up what can only be a pair of Augustin’s fancy brogues, only now they’re absolutely covered in glittery swirls, gems and rhinestones. Sunita Auntie would love them.

Augustin arranges his horrified face into a look of joy and sits down on a too-small wooden stool to try them on.

A lump forms in my throat. I don’t know who the girl is, but Augustin is obviously fond of her. Perhaps she’s the daughter of a human friend, but Augustin doesn’t have friends. I glance around, but I can’t see anyone else in the shadow of the house. Maybe he’s babysitting.

For some reason, the idea of Augustin Durant as a responsible babysitter does interesting things to my ovaries.

I can’t believe I yelled at him for playing with my nephews. He’s great with kids.

The girl is measuring his legs with a tape measure as he laces the bedazzled shoes, chattering about how he might need to pop next door to her other shop for a pair of bedazzled trousers to match. Augustin schools the horror from his face as he stands up and twirls in his new shoes.

He’s playing along, making her feel special. He hasn’t even yelled at her for bedazzling his shoes.

He’s enjoying himself, too. Which is weird for Augustin.

I like watching him enjoy himself.

I step back, thinking to leave them alone with their game and stuff his coat into the letterbox. I shouldn’t have come. I can talk to him later.

My foot lands on a small, spindly bush. It barely makes a rustle, but…

Augustin’s head snaps up.

Shit.

He sniffs the air. His face swirls in my direction.

Damn those superior vampire senses.

I stagger backwards, the dark and the fact that I got caught spying catching up with me. I should run, I need to run, I must run, but my feet aren’t responding and my heart hammers and it’s dark so dark too dark and he’s bearing down on me and for the first time, Augustin Durant looks less stuffy bureaucrat and more predator.

In that moment, if I weren’t so terrified, I might admit that he is sexy as hell.

“Councillor Ahuja, I can smell you. Come out of the bushes, please.”

There’s a resignation in his voice, and a power, too. There’s no point in running, and with everything I know about Augustin, I trust that he’s not going to kill me.

As I step out, I scrape my arm along the spiky bush, raising a long cut. It doesn’t look deep, but it stings like a thousand bees on acid. I look down and see a narrow line of blood beading on the surface.

And then, I’m toppling backwards, and a pair of fangs sink towards my neck.

24Komal

Mamma: Your father came back from the park soaked through but very happy. He says to tell you that even if you do end up falling for Augustin Durant, you are NOT to give up the mayoral race. Ahujas finish what they start, he keeps telling me. I think he wants to see you on the podium being sworn in instead of him. And I want my real estate agent’s day!

MY BACK SLAMS AGAINST THE cold dirt, driving the air from my lungs. I splutter and gasp for air as the girl pins me down with impossible strength. Her skin against mine feels like concrete, and that sweet mouth of hers is all violence.

“Hannah, no!”

I’m aware of Augustin screaming, but the girl drowns him out with an inhuman hiss. In her open mouth, I see a pair of slender fangs.

She’s a vampire.

But that’s impossible, screams the tiny, rational part of my mind that isn’t frozen with terror. Vampire children don’t exist—