Brooke turned back to Kurt and motioned in Gillian’s direction. “Gillian has a podcast.”
The vampire smiled wide. “All the more reason you should join us.”
“That’s okay.” She decided to stay put, not able to ignore the prick of unease along the back of her neck. “You go ahead. I think I’ll stay here and soak it all in.” Gillian turned back around and leaned against the railing to admire the glittering monoliths that lit up the sky. Gusts of air whistled through the buildings and blew her hair in every direction.
Her gaze drifted to the street below filled with cars and taxis. The sidewalks bustled with people coming in and out of the hotel, even at this hour of the night. From up this high, they all appeared as colorful specs zooming by. Their problems seemed a world away like the static on an intercom. For a moment, she let herself feel insulated by the concrete and glass, wishing she could stay here inside this cocoon.
If only her mom was alive to see all of this. Her strength was what inspired Gillian to start her charity, the reason she was standing here staring at this opulent view in the first place. She hoped her mom would be proud of the work she was doing. Tomorrow would’ve been her mom’s birthday, and tonight Gillian missed her so much her chest ached with physical pain. She breathed in a lungful of crisp air and let it out, forcing herself to stay grounded. She was just about to pull out her phone to snap a few pictures when she heard footsteps behind her.
“No matter how many times you look, the view never gets old. And believe me, after living for over a century, that’s saying something.” The unfamiliar male voice made Gillian’s heart skip a beat.
She spun around. A tall vampire with light brown hair stood behind her and leaned against the railing. “I have to agree. It’s stunning up here.”
“But it’s nothing compared to the beauty before me.”Smooth.Clad in a designer suit, he was classically handsome, but not at all her type. Not that she had a type per se, although she did have a thing for males of the tall, dark, and brooding variety.
“I’m Damon.” He extended his hand, and she noticed the same kind of signet ring like the one on Kurt’s finger. She sensed it wasn’t a coincidence. “I’ll be your host for the evening.”
“Gillian,” she said simply.
“How come you’re not mingling?” he asked and motioned to the women and vampires crowded inside the suite; then, he turned back to face her with a hungry gleam in his eyes.
She shrugged. “I just needed a moment to myself.”
“I haven’t seen you before.” His gaze traveled the length of her and back again. “I would’ve remembered. Are you here alone?” The intimate undercurrent in his tone made her take a step back.
“I’m here with friends. I’m just about to go back inside and find them.”
“Wait.” He took a step closer and bowed over her, swiftly moving into her personal space. “You seem like you’re looking for something you’ve yet to find. Tell me, Gillian, do you ever wish for that special someone to have a real connection with?”
“That’s a loaded question and a very personal one, don’t you think?” Her eyes flickered around the patio. It was empty, except for the two of them.
“I know the perfect way to get more personal.” His dark eyes gleamed with flecks of gold. “We could blood bond.”
Shock held her tongue for an instant before she snapped out of it. “Whoa, back off, Damon.” Okay, what female with a pulse wouldn’t be somewhat fascinated by the act of blood bonding? There were rumors of intense euphoria, along with a mental and emotional connection that allegedly took place after a vampire bit you, the downside—becoming a renewable feedbag. This guy was a total stranger and a creep to boot. “What would make you think that I’d bond with you?” Gillian took a step toward the sliding glass doors, eager to escape.
The lights on the patio dimmed. “Look at me, Gillian.” And when she did, she couldn’t pull her gaze away…literally. She tried to run, but she couldn’t move her limbs. Her mind and body became disconnected somehow. A scream erupted from her lips, but no sound came out. When she tried to conjure her magick, it stayed frozen inside her body. Her fear reflected at her from the endless depths of his yellow eyes. They glowed in the shadows like burnished gold.
“We need a place where we can be alone.” Damon started to drag her along, and all she could do was follow. She felt like a puppet, and he was the master pulling her strings.
“Come with me.” Her mind screamed no, but she found herself nodding in agreement. It would be so easy to just capitulate and go along for the ride. For all she knew, it might even be pleasant. She’d heard the rumors that vampires could be possessive, overly jealous, and capable of mind control, but the post-bitten ecstasy supposedly made up for any misdeeds.No, her inner voice warned.He's trying to turn you into his personal blood slave.
“I promise it won’t hurt at all.” He grabbed her arms and held her in a vicelike grip, then pulled her further into a dark corner of the patio. “It’s better if you don’t fight me. If you do, your blood won’t be as sweet. There’s no need to worry about bite marks on that pristine skin. They won’t show up for several hours, long after you’re gone.”
She focused every ounce of her magick into breaking his hold. When Gillian attempted to dig her heels into the tile, to fight against this mental roofie, one of her shoes slipped from her foot and she stumbled.
“This won’t do. We can’t leave any evidence behind.” The vampire kneeled to slip her heel back on, releasing her from his hold. The drugged sensation fell away.
Desperate, her gaze darted around for a weapon, but there was nothing, nada, zilch. She fumbled through her purse in search of something…anything. But what could she use to defend herself against a vampire? A tampon? A lip gloss? She tried to think of a spell, but nothing came to her frantic mind.
When her fingers closed over the scissors, a surge of adrenaline rushed through her veins. In one quick motion, she grabbed him by the shirt collar and jabbed the point up and into the soft skin under his ribs, grateful for catching the lastBuffy the Vampire Slayermarathon.
Shock flashed in his eyes. Damon tried to grab her, but she ducked out of the way. His grasping hands ripped the front panel of her dress instead. Blood spurted from his mouth and dripped onto his crisp white shirt. He cursed, fell to his knees and gaped at the scissors in his abdomen. “You staked me.”
“Yeah, and you deserved it. Maybe you haven’t heard, but karma can be a real bitch.” Gillian didn’t wait for him to respond. She slipped off her other shoe, flung it over her shoulder, and ran to the patio door.
With her chest heaving, she wrenched the slider open and stepped through. Magick sparking on her fingers, she flicked her hand and the slider slammed shut behind her, the lock clicking in place. Gillian scanned the crowd for Brooke, but there was no sign of her, only women standing close to their vampire companions with glazed looks in their eyes.
She needed to find her and get the hell out of there. Frantic, she ran barefoot through the hallway of the suite and stopped at the first door she came to. Her magick continued to spark on her fingertips as she waved her hand. The door flung open, but the room was empty.
