Page 20 of Tainted Blood

“I would say over ninety percent of vampires are Turned without discussing it ahead of time. It’s something Maria and I have tried to change over the years to control our numbers and keep incidents like Alaska to a minimum. However, young, uneducated vampires panic when they hurt someone they care about, then they Turn them, and so on. There are dozens of reasons why people do it, but it leads to the problem that we’re discussing now.

“Many vampires aren’t educated properly, then need to be taken in by nests and educated quickly before they hurt someone. Because they come from nowhere and those in charge of them are busy people, unless they really excel, their education is oftentimes a short one, the necessities and nothing more.”

I only nodded as we continued our walk of the grounds, then went back inside. Isaiah escorted us to the lounge, stopping in the center of the room.

“Others will begin arriving right after sunset, so get as much rest as you can. I don’t know what order they’ll arrive. They don’t send me those details for security reasons, but one of my staff will announce them as they enter the grand hall. Alexius, I believe you’ll both be joining me for that, correct?”

“Yes. I want to match names and faces before the blood is brought out and distracts everyone.”

“It does make it easy to get through all the introductions if we do it quickly.”

“Will they be arriving all night?” I dreaded the idea of standing by the door for several hours, dreaded looking out of place while someone threatening me arrived and shook hands. They would know me, but I wouldn’t know them. It was that unknown that horrified me. The idea that I didn’t know who my enemy was and could put myself in their path without knowing it.

“No. They’ll probably all get here in the first half. If they don’t arrive by midnight, they’ll be announced as they enter the lounge. It’s rare anyone arrives here with so few hours left in the night. They’ll want to be here to say hello to each other and settle into their rooms safely before dawn.” Isaiah lifted a hand, waving as he started walking away. “See you at sunset.”

“Good rest, Isaiah,” Alexius called after him.

“You as well, Alexius, and you, Everly.”

“Good rest,” I managed to get out before following Alexius back to our suite.

The walk was silent. Once we were closed into the suite, I looked at Alexius, his profile telling me nothing about his mood.

“Do I have to be there?” I asked softly. “I could stand to the side and watch like a staff member or something. I don’t really want to shake hands with everyone coming through the door.”

“Sadly, you’re with me, so you’ll have to stand with me,” he said, giving me an apologetic look. “I don’t like these sorts of things either, but we’re here to gather information, so we need to be able to properly identify everyone without Isaiah’s help. Don’t worry. If anyone does or says anything inappropriate, I’m right there to handle it.”

My private discussion with Isaiah replayed in my head.

“It’s probably better if I just let stuff roll off my back, though, right? They’re going to be fishing for stuff about me and trying to get a read on me. I’m sure it will be fine. I’m just nervous.” With a weak smile, I retreated, grabbing my main bag. I went to close my bedroom door, and he was there, carrying another of my bags.

I didn’t have much reason to close the door in his face, which left me watching him bring all of my bags in. With the last bag, he was also carrying a glass and held it out.

“Drink this before it cools. Have a good rest,” he said as he walked out for the final time.

Checking the time the moment I was done drinking, there was an hour left before sunrise, so I had enough time to prep for when I had to get up. I’d spent a week getting this wardrobe, having it fitted, and my makeup skills tested, so I looked good wearing all of it. Rupert told me I should spend an hour preparing to leave the suite every night.

It was something to do instead of thinking about the brooding man lurking in the main room, his steps not silent as he paced. Quiet, but not silent, even though I knew he could be silent.

What is he doing?

Arranging the outfit for the next evening, I picked out something with pants to be comfortable in front of strangers. I could bring out some of the dresses later if I was forced to, but until I was told it was necessary, I planned on avoiding them.

Finally, Alexius’s pacing went silent, something creaking, and I assumed he had sat down. I could imagine it—lounging on the couch, legs stretching out infinitely long, a pose that seemed casual on anyone but him since he took up so much space.

My heart dared to beat again long after I finished feeding. My cheeks flushed as I continued to see that mental image. I tried not to fantasize about him because it was a fantasy that would never happen, but it was a constant effort. While he was dark and moody, he could also be thoughtful. It was easy to relax with him, and I was probably one of the few people in the world who could claim to share private jokes with him. I knew he had a sense of humor, not that he showed it often.

All of that was only helped by the fact that he was one of the most gorgeous men I had ever seen.

My face heated to the point of feeling feverish, but I tried to get back on task, making sure I was ready for the next night. I was in bed with only a couple of minutes to settle before the pull of the sun sent me to sleep.

10

At sunset, I woke up and jumped into getting ready, only stopping after my shower to feed before I put on the outfit I had laid out before going to bed. I was so nervous about the night ahead, I walked out of my bedroom in only a robe to get my meal.

The sound of a throat clearing startled me into nearly dropping the glass I had just filled. Suddenly, he was right there, his body slightly behind mine, one hand on my lower back and the other stabilizing my meal in my hand.

“I was trying not to startle you,” he said, his dark eyes trapping me as he looked over my shoulder at me.

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