Page 63 of Blood Claims
One who had found his famed berserker rage at the hands of a demon who owned his soul. It was a complicated business, and one he had not fully divulged to us. And we didn’t ask, for it was clear he was as loyal as they came. Meaning that should the claim on his soul ever get in the way of his duties, he would simply walk away without it ever touching us.
Now as for finding himself Fated to a mortal, well… that fucking complicated shit for him. As for us, the attack on her friend also complicated shit for us. Because if Vanessa knew we were keeping this from her, then the trust we had built would shatter. So, we were trying to navigate it carefully, waiting until we were home tonight and once our own problem was taken care of, as we couldn’t risk her slipping free of us in the night again
Fuck, but finding her gone once more had ignited pure fucking panic within us both. So no, we couldn’t risk it, and we knew she would have fought us on the extra security. Shit, but she already felt like a prisoner, what would she think knowing she was forced to sleep behind locked doors she couldn’t open without us. And she wouldn’t stay in the apartment knowing something had happened to her friend.
No, she would have insisted on being there with her. She would have beaten herself up, blaming herself that this was all her fault. That she had brought trouble on her friend and so forth and so forth. She would have been a mess.
So, we had delayed the inevitable.
And now we continued to do the same as my brother handed her his phone, telling her to take the picture with his. That she could send the picture to her friend later, playing his part perfectly in the ruse that everything was fine.
Her eyes widened when she saw the screensaver was a picture of her sleeping, and even more so when he told her the pin code was the day he had met her. My code was the day before, and my picture was the same one, but taken from the other side of her. And fuck me, but the way her eyes took on that tender softness made me run a hand down the open back of her dress, words not needed between us.
However, now there was that undercurrent of an emotion I wasn’t used to feeling…guilt.
Guilt of what we knew and kept from her. My knowing glance found my brother’s as again, words weren’t needed between us to know we both felt it.
“Come, let’s venture inside and see what the night holds,” my brother said after she had taken her pictures. My mind now questioning the very same thing…
What would the night hold,indeed?
23
TRUTH OR DARING TO LIE
VANESSA
Ihad to say, the night wasn’t what I had been expecting.
Of course, the impulse to give into panic the second I saw the reporters gripped me hard. But for once, I pushed it down, because I didn’t want to be ‘that panicked’ girl for them. I wanted them to see a side of me that included strength, not just the broken parts. So, I had swallowed it down, stepped out of the car, and put on a smile.
A smile that only became natural once we were inside and the world outside evaporated away. One that left me gawking at the grandeur of the event the second we walked into the grand ballroom. Quickly forgetting for a moment, that I didn’t belong in their world. Although I think they would disagree with me if I was foolish enough to mention anything about not belonging, as they walked in with me on their arms with nothing but pride.
A feeling I fed on like a calming drug I needed to get me through the night. Because the ballroom was incredible. Pure opulence and old-age stateliness that meant if I felt like a fish out of water before, then this was something else. This was the ocean I was floundering in.
The huge room had that otherworldly feel to it, as if stepping back in time. One side held seven open arches, each of them framed with golden curtains. These were tied back and held open with elegant folds and sways in the same material hanging either side from above.
Roman-style pillars stood in between the open arches, with golden rams’ horns curled at the top. From this point, the ceiling curved over, with circular windows inserted and surrounded by fancy golden molding. There were even round paintings of cherubs in the corners, giving it that fancy European style.
On the other side of the ballroom, another seven arches framed the wall, and each held a small balcony with curved, fancy, elaborate railings. As if this created a private space for those that wanted a moment alone but still wanted to maintain the ambient feeling of the ballroom.
Two huge crystal chandeliers hung from above, surrounded by golden rosette moldings. There was also a stage at the far end, lit up ready for the auction. Three rows of round tables lined the long room, each with an expensive bouquet of cream flowers overflowing crystal bowls as the centerpieces.
It was stunning and took my breath away.
In fact, I was still gaping at the room while Victor was reading the seating chart to see what table we would be sitting at.
“Come, let’s get our girl a drink,” Victor said, leading us over to a table that held rows of champagne flutes filled with golden bubbles. The waiting staff were floating around the room with glasses balanced perfectly on trays, but it seemed the brothers weren’t ready to wait for one to come close enough. And I knew why, as they no doubt wanted to help me relax.
I was actually surprised that we weren’t as late as I thought we would be, seeing as we hadn’t missed the dinner that was just getting announced. There must have been a long time for the reception drinks, as everyone was only now taking their seats.
“Should we?” Tal said, leading me toward the table and pulling out the chair for me to sit between them. I swear, I felt like the belle of the ball getting to sit next to them both, as they were by far the most handsome men in the whole room. And didn’t the women just know it? They were barely able to keep their wishful eyes from them.
Which, unfortunately, included a woman who immediately lowered herself into the seat the other side of Victor. Her knowing smirk was one I instantly disliked. Her long dark hair was a cascade of curls that were pinned to the side, held there by an expensive cluster of diamonds that matched the band of them worn like a collar around her long neck.
She was beautiful, to be sure, but she also looked as cold as ice. She not only oozed confidence, but it was dripping in the type of arrogance that was ugly. Her dark eyes were like a cat playing with the mouse for fun. A look that instantly put me on edge because it was hostile, masked with makeup and a fake smile.
The dark red lipstick matched the color of her skin-tight shimmery dress, that was long but had a single slit up the side that was only a few inches from being indecent.
