Page 31 of Vivian

CHAPTER 16 – Viv

The beaded, strapless gown showed off my shoulders and neckline to perfection. The back was nearly bare, with strands of beads crisscrossing delicately like a pearl corset. It was by and far the most suggestive dress I have ever worn.

I was given one task for the night—distract Cian.

With the way the man stared at me as I entered the ballroom I knew that my clothing choice was on point. He wasn’t the only one whose eyes were locked on me either.

Is this what famous people feel like when they enter a public place?

I almost felt hunted.

Just the thought had tiny goosebumps erupting all over my skin. Well, damn it, now my nipples were hard, and Cian had risen to come and greet me. I swallowed the intense feeling of revolution and pasted a smile on my face.

“King Cian,” my curtsey was everything it should be. I was to be well behaved and maidenly.

Maidenly—a snort almost escaped before I stopped myself. I was far from the perfect lady. But if we were going to pull off this night, I had to play the part.

“My dear, you look ravishing,” his eyes were undressing me.

There was nothing sexy or romantic about it; I wanted to cover my breasts and run screaming. How had I ever thought the king was attractive?

I smiled politely and allowed him to take my arm.

“Where are your escorts?”

“Brendon will be along shortly; there was an incident with Ace’s wardrobe.”

Obviously, nothing was wrong with either of them, and I was buying time. The test results proclaiming my DNA were due any minute to be announced at this event. Brendon wanted to make sure that nothing was tampered with.

Something was wrong with my test. I didn’t know what, but I heard Brendon and Ace arguing about it. When I approached them, they quickly told me that I had mistaken what was really going on. So I did something that most people would consider unforgivable.

I swiped Brendon’s phone and read through his text messages. I knew he had an informant at the lab. Well, let me tell you, the last thing you want to find is messages from your crush’s mother asking if the pesky sycophant had been bled dry yet.

I resolved then and there that instead of being Queen of Doom she was now and forever Bitch Queen. I had no idea how Brendon shared that woman’s DNA.

I had about given up hope when I decided to check messages that had been deleted. Sure enough, there was one from someone named Rob. It was short and to the point.

Rob: Remove the subject, danger.

Okay, so you might be thinking I am taking two and two and coming up with five. But honestly, I knew somehow this message was about me. Brendon had been weird as well, insisting at all times someone be with me.

I was shocked as hell when he agreed to allow me to enter the event tonight on my own. Granted, the entire court was in attendance as well, and he and Ace should be minutes behind me.

“You remember Malcolm, don’t you?”

Cian motioned to Malcolm and Francine who were sitting at the high table. Malcolm smiled, but the light never reached his eyes, and Francine sneered in a way that made me want to take up Brendon’s eye rolling.

“Of course, they are...” I paused for a moment. “Unforgettable.”

Cian laughed as if I had just said the funniest thing ever.

“Are you nervous about tonight?” Francine asked in a sickly sweet voice.“ I should hate it you are embarrassed by the results of the DNA test. Especially after Cian has taken you in.”

Cian smiled as if he loved a good catfight. Well, tonight just wasn’t his night. What did I care what the results said?

“I didn’t know that I was any percentage of vampire until a few weeks ago. Even if it comes back at 5%, it isn’t any difference to me.”

Francine covered her exposed cleavage with a sigh, “But you don’t know, do you? It’s the purity of your blood that gives you rank in our culture.”

---