Page 85 of Smoke and Lure

A frown creased the space between her delicately arched sable brows, but she remained quiet.

However, since she didn’t know how to shield her thoughts, he could hear all the questions ricocheting around in her mind.They were loud and numerous, so he narrowed their mind-link to filter out some of them.He didn’t want to close himself off completely to her, especially while they would be present with the leaders.

When he pulled open the door and stepped out into the hall with her, he heard the loud intake of her breath.

“Are you alright?”

She licked her lips, but nodded.

Staring into her eyes he saw a slight ruby tint, but those Arabian-sand-brown eyes were all hers.She was okay.

“I never thought I’d get out of that room.It is beautiful, but I was starting to become a little stir-crazy.”She inhaled.“And now...I can smell everything...”

“It’s understandable.It can be overwhelming.”He squeezed her hand.“Take smaller breaths.We don’t need as much oxygen in our lungs as humans.Focus on me...my scent.”

He needed her to do this because if she kept her senses wide, she’d pick up on every human in the house and bloodlust would kick in.

“Okay.”She leaned closer to him and took one, two, three shallow breaths, taking him in.“I’m better.”

“Good.Let’s go.”He quickly led them down the stairs from the upper room of the cathedral home.Keeping their pace steady, but fast, he held her close at his side as they traversed one corridor after another.

It was early, and not many Primes or servants were moving about, not because of the early hour, even though Vampires normally slept in, servants were often about.Not this morning, because he’d ordered that all humans remain in their rooms until after the meeting and only those necessary for the meal to be in the kitchen.

He needed to limit Michaela’s contact with them for now.

His fellow leaders were only up now because they were summoned.However, they were all anxious to meet the newest of their kind and came eagerly.

“This place is magnificent.I’ve never seen anything like it.Maybe in a history book featuring those massive cathedrals in France.”Michaela's head swiveled left, right, up, and down as she tried to take in everything about the place.He whisked her through one hallway after another.

“Excellent memory.This is the Saint Joseph’s Oratory.We selected it because of the landscape surrounding it.There was another in the heart of the city, but unfortunately, like many major cities and towns, it was destroyed during the war.I’ll give you a tour later.”

“Vampires living in a cathedral...seems stuff of fantasy.”

“We prefer to be myths and legends.Over millennia, it has kept most humans at bay.”Marceline smiled from her seat at the table.

Michaela stopped.She had been too busy looking around at the stained glass and architecture they passed to notice when they entered the small dining room, converted from the main office.They used it more for meetings than meals.

At the door, Michaela stared into the room and met all those dressed as elegantly as the two of them gathered at the table staring back at her.

“Come, little angel.They won’t bite.”

She gasped and licked her teeth as she looked at him.

You won’t bite them, either.Holding her hand, he walked into the room and directed her to one of the two empty seats.

After she sat, Amaros settled into the chair at the head of the table.He was happy to see that Marceline had instructed the staff to follow his wishes and have their meals already on the table instead of servants serving them each course as usual.

He nodded, permitting everyone to remove the domes over their plates.

“She is lovely, Amaros.”Jezebel gave Michaela an appraising look from the other end of the table.

“I can see why you chose to keep her so long to yourself.”Athan chuckled.

“One does what is necessary,” Amaros commented, refusing to add at the moment the true reason he’d kept Michaela hidden from all the leaders.They knew about a newly changed vamp and how unpredictable they could be because of the bloodlust, but Michaela had extenuating circumstances.

He watched Michaela place her dome toward the center of the table as others had done.Usually, two or three servants would be present while they ate, and a servant would take the covers away, but it wasn’t safe for them to do so now.

Amaros wanted to laugh when he noticed how Michaela scrunched her nose and rolled her lips inward, making it evident she didn’t find any of it appealing.

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