Page 53 of Seduction in Blood
"Why doesn't he give it to you now?" Curiosity into this world of the supernatural was like a drug. And if I was going to work with vamps, I needed every scrap of info I could gather.
A chuckle rose out of her long, slim throat. "He knows I'm not ready. I know I'm not ready. But soon." She turned her head, her tawny brown eyes boring a hole into me. "Did you know it is extremely rare for a vampire to rise through the ranks to declare their own House?"
"This is my first week. I don't know anything."
Her laugh was a deep, sultry sound that would make most men's dicks perk up and take notice. "I didn't think I'd like you, Cressa Langtry." Then, she grew serious. "The Houses have always been owned by the aristocracy. It wasn't a rule per se, just a custom that grew over centuries. About five hundred years ago, an ancient Council member gave his most trusted vampire his own House. Until then, only sons or daughters earned that right. But this particular vampire was the most powerful on the Council, and no one voiced their concerns. The practice never took off because so many of us had been ingrained in the old ways. But every once in a while, still too few and far between, an elder or ancient will give a House to someone of great loyalty or for completing a courageous deed."
She ran her hands over her arms as if warding off a chill. "Today, if the Council had their way, they would have outlawed the practice. It's one of the reasons Devon's enemies work to keep his censure in place. One less vote for equality among all vampires, regardless of birth. Devon has always pushed against the old ways. He believes in the future."
"Why doesn't he keep you close like Sergi and Lucas? I assumed they were his top men if they were always around him." When her frown deepened, I knew I'd said something wrong. "I didn't mean to offend. I'm just trying to understand."
For a moment, Simone didn't respond. Her eyes refocused when she glanced down at me, and she moved dangerously close. "I'm sorry. My mind was elsewhere." She touched my shoulder, so light and quick, she might have been brushing away a fly. "I run Oasis in his absence, as well as several of his businesses. It's part of the training to run my own House."
I smiled. "He must have great confidence in you."
She blinked in surprise before blessing me with that amazing smile. "I just know I'm going to hate myself for liking you."
"Until then…" I pulled myself onto the edge of the pool, stood, and dripped a water path to my robe. "I bet you have some great moves you could teach me in the gym. We'll do an early lunch. You can take me to one of those vampire tea houses."
She frowned. "Anna won't agree to that."
"She's been boring me to death with all the rules. Etiquette this and protocols that. It's time to put everything into practice before the main event. We can call it field training. If she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to come. Besides, I don't remember Devon saying I had to take orders from her."
Simone's smile returned as she toweled off. She draped an arm over my shoulder as we walked out. "Yes. Absolutely going to hate myself."
* * *
"But we still have to discuss thedifferent levels of the aristocracy." Anna trailed behind me as I jogged down the stairs.
I didn't know if putting distance between us would make this easier, but she kept pace with me all the way to the front door. "Look, Anna, it's just for today. I want to put what I've learned to use at least once before the big show. In a real place where I won't expect what's coming. Practicing in the gym and pretending I'm fighting bad guys isn't the same thing as facing a real threat."
"I'll have Thomas get the car," Simone said, and turned, her turquoise caftan floating around her as she made her escape out the front door. Who would have thought the lethal vamp could be scared off by someone as innocuous as Anna? And after a short training session with Simone, I'd rather go up against Devon and Lucas combined before facing her in a dark alley. The woman had mad skills.
Little lines crinkled on Anna's forehead and her eyes squinted, reminding me I had my own battle standing in front of me. She shook her head. "I don't think that's what Devon had in mind. And we can practice a tea service here. Cook can put something together while we go through the Houses and their structures."
I could already envision stabbing my eyes out.
"Here's an idea. Come with us, then you can see me in action."
She hesitated for a second, then placed her hands on her hips, her lips thinning. "No. That just won't work for me."
"Look, I need to spend time with Simone if she's going to be my bodyguard. We need to learn each other's peculiarities. We only have today. I know Devon doesn't want me leaving the house tomorrow."
She wanted to go. I could see it in her eyes. But she had her stubborn on, and nothing was going to change her mind when she got like that.
I shrugged. "We'll be back in a couple of hours. Maybe we'll have time to run through the Houses after my session with Sergi?" Without bothering to wait for an answer, I hurried out the door to meet an impatient Simone, who had to be the one honking the horn.
The vampire tea houses were nothing like their tea parties, where sexual exploits were the name of the game. Vampires took their tea very seriously, as essential to their identity as it was with Asian cultures. But vampire tea houses looked nothing like their Japanese counterparts.
On the drive over, Simone explained how the tea service had changed over the centuries. Not quickly, but subtly absorbing bits and pieces of other cultures and blending it with their own social conventions. Each tea house would be different in decor, but the basic layouts were the same, boasting expansive rooms they called dens. The interiors were dark, blocking out any exterior light to accommodate the vamps' sensitivity. But the house lights provided more than enough illumination to easily appreciate the sleek furnishings. Decorative screens and plants added a dimension of privacy between the intimate tables placed spaciously around the room. A necessity with a vamp's excellent hearing, though the spacing would never block conversations from being overheard. This was not a place to share secrets unless you reserved a private tearoom for such meetings.
Five different teas were served with five light courses of cuisine I'd never seen before and, hopefully, would never have to eat again. All in all, it was an entertaining adventure, and I grudgingly had to thank Anna for the long mornings. Simone said I'd only made a couple of minor mistakes and insisted they were acceptable, considering I was human.
Simone was warm and chatty, something I hadn't expected. I wondered if she retained her cool exterior around Devon and his House vamps for appearances. But we didn't speak of ourselves or of Devon. And though we had little in common, we both liked antiques. Although, she typically bought hers where I stole mine. I shared insights about my job, and Simone appeared captivated as I explained the different techniques I used to enter homes and bypass security systems. I even divulged one or two trade secrets for safecracking I'd never shared with anyone else.
We didn't realize how long we'd talked and had to literally race to Simone's valet-parked car. She didn't let off the gas until we skidded to a stop in front of the mansion. Words of thanks flew out of my mouth as I rushed up the steps.
I ripped off one set of clothes in exchange for my workout gear, hopping to the door as I shoved on my sneakers. I ran the rest of the way to the gym. When I slammed through the door, I doubled over, panting to catch my breath.
