Page 23 of Seduction in Blood
"I admit I was a little confused." More than a little, but after his concession, I decided to let him off easy. I convinced myself it had nothing to do with the way his hands had caressed me in the imaginary garden.
He sat back, clasping his hands over his stomach as he watched me. Seeming to have made some decision, he rested his head on the back of the chair as he stared at the ceiling. "The news I received yesterday will impact our mission. And while I can't divulge more on that topic, I can share that we'll have more eyes on us than I'd planned."
"I don't understand why I need to attend parties if you only need me to steal something."
He remained relaxed but lowered his head to meet my gaze. "You haven't spent time in the vampire world, have you?"
I shook my head.
He sighed. "We're an ancient race who've spent many centuries hiding, running, or pillaging. When we moved from the dark ages to a more enlightened existence, a governing body was created. The older vampires believed a Council was our only chance of survival if we were to live among humans and not be hunted by them. Later, two shifters were added to the Council to maintain a fragile peace amongst the magical creatures. Our rules are old and archaic, and while we don't religiously adhere to most of them, the older the vampire or the higher in society one rises, the more the rules are followed."
He reached for his coffee and a couple more bites of fruit as I digested the information.
"You're worried I'm going to stick out?"
His smile sent tingles through me. "You will definitely stick out, but that has nothing to do with understanding our rules."
What did that mean?
"Overall, we're a bored species. Many of us pursue enough business interests to keep us occupied, and we're constantly fighting over territory. But when you live a long time, it's difficult to find anything that amuses you. The instincts of a vampire can be hard to fight. And while we may seem disinterested or sedate, I can assure you, there's not a single vampire that wouldn't see a human as easy prey."
I swallowed hard. "Does that include you?"
He held my gaze. "Yes."
I fidgeted in my seat. I was living on a roller-coaster.
"I don't want to lie. But that doesn't mean I don't possess enough control to deny my genetics. Humans simply don't have the strength or the intelligence to outmaneuver a vampire. That doesn't mean we act on our baser instincts. At least, most don't."
I supposed that was meant to make me feel better.
"What I'm trying to say, rather poorly, is that you need to understand how dangerous even the most sophisticated vampire can be. And I would argue that the most polished, the most aristocratic of us, are usually the most deadly."
I nodded, suddenly understanding his point. "Probably because that is how they gained their position or, if born to it, how they perceive keeping it."
He nodded with an expression that seemed pleased with my assessment. "And now that you know that, you need to become comfortable in a room full of unscrupulous vampires. I need to know you won't panic during the true mission."
It made sense. He'd told me earlier that I would be going into vampire high society, but I had no idea what that meant. I had mingled with society's elite, but they'd been human. And though it was more than I wanted to know, it had come in handy as a thief.
I wasn't sure how to approach my next question, especially after last night's dream, but I had to ask. Had to know. But I couldn't look him in the eye, so I reached for the carafe and topped off our coffee as I asked, "What did you say my cover story was?" I knew damn well what he'd said but hoped he'd meant it figuratively.
His gaze darkened, and I focused on my coffee cup, ignoring that stirring in my loins. "You're a Blood Ward. This is a human who wishes to become a vampire."
"Like Anna?"
His brows rose. "She told you?"
"I thought she was already a vampire, so she told me her story."
He nodded. "I see. In practical terms, yes, Anna is a Blood Ward, but her story, as you call it, is different in that she's been raised in a vampire household. Most Blood Wards are humans who become aware of us, and for a variety of reasons, want to become one of us. But like you, they have no real understanding of our history, our values, our customs, or our rules. They must go through a training period where they learn to let go of their human instincts and learn what it is to be vampire."
"Students."
"The Wolf didn't tell me how intelligent you were."
"Maybe I'm part vampire." It was meant as a joke, but Devon didn't laugh, and his intense gaze made me uncomfortable again.
Ignoring my remark, he continued his lecture. "As my Blood Ward, the others will assume you're also my lover, being trained in the art of seduction and manipulation. You'll need to reflect that in how you present yourself at any gathering I take you."
