Page 4 of The Arrival
Exhaling, Nino sets his phone face down on the vanity table. The weight of anxiety is settled in his gut, locking him in a state of discontent, as if he’s a criminal awaiting his sentencing.
Guilty but remorseful. Repentant.
He rolls his shoulders.There’s nothing else I can do. Just enjoy the night.Looking down, he examines the weighted golden cuffs wrapped around his wrists and notes the way they shine against his tan skin. “Where did you guys get these from?” he asks, glancing up at the vampire responsible for his elaborate wardrobe.
“I have connections.” Aries shrugs in the mirror’s reflection. He’s behind Nino at the counter in their master bathroom, putting makeup into his bag. “I borrowed them exclusively for tonight. Conceptualizing this with Jun as a side project has been thrilling. I’m so pleased that I could be here for the execution—although, I admit, I’m still disappointed about your foregoing the sword and shield.”
Nino was only introduced to Aries Moralis earlier this afternoon, but already, he likes him. His face is lean, youthful but in a mature way—the visage of someone well traveled and astutely aware of the world at large. This distinction is heightened by the premature gray streaks in his thick dark brown hair.
“Carrying a sword and shield all night would have been a pain in the ass.” Nino sets his shoulders back, taking in the heavy, ornate breastplate and tawny leather kilt, the elegant golden leaves strategically placed at his shoulders to fasten his waist-length cape—vibrant red and regal. When he shifts, the light catches the subtle bronzing of his exposed shoulders and arms. “Even without the sword and shield, you and Jun went all the way. I thought I’d just have some foil wrapped around my wrists and a toga. But this is likerealarmor.”
Aries pauses, his pale blue eyes flickering up at Nino in the mirror’s reflection. “Foil? My God, man. I’m sorry, but—have you evermetJunichi Takayama? Do you know him personally?”
Nino laughs, flitting a strand of his impeccably coiffed waves away from his forehead. Aries has littered Nino’s mane with golden flecks as well. “Right. That was a severe miscalculation on my part. Thank you so much for doing this. I’m impressed.”
Aries bows. “It’s an honor. When Jun asked for my help, I jumped at the chance. I’m always grateful for an opportunity to travel. Plus, the timing lined up. Starting tomorrow, I’m in Shanghai for the next month and working on a production there.”
Nino turns to face Aries. “I’ve heard that the Athens aristocracy is…”
“Archaic?” Aries offers, his eyebrow raised. “Oppressive? A functioning mausoleum of vampire politics and ideologies?”
“Well… I was looking for something a little softer.” Grecian vampires come from very old families with ancient blood, like Haruka’s. But unlike Nino’s mate, they consider themselves to be royalty and are notoriously rigid about social etiquette and ranking.
Aries waves a hand. “No need. I take no offense. In fact, I always feel as if our aristocracy is teetering on the edge of some proverbial cliff—the rigid norms that we all adhere to are mere centimeters from an inevitable and much-needed collapse. My clan is based in Mykonos, but allof the royals in our aristocracy take themselves very seriously.”
“It sounds suffocating.”
“It is. Being here is refreshing—the fact that you and Haruka are dressing up like this, and that you allow me to call you both by your first names, is foreign to me. The royals—rather, the purebreds—at home would never allow that, or entertain this kind of event.”
Nino turns, scanning his appearance in the full-length mirror once more. “We definitely don’t take ourselves too seriously—we’d never call ourselves ‘royals.’ Yikes.”
“Yes, ‘yikes’ is an apt response. Sums it up perfectly.”
“It’s too bad. Living life that way and enforcing such strict, outdated rules, they can’t be enjoying themselves.”
“I do believe that’s the point?” Aries grins, but then his smile drops, eyes narrowing. He walks over to stand behind Nino, adjusting the back of his belt. “This isn’t fastened quite right.”
“Do you interact with the purebreds in your aristocracy?” Nino asks, standing still and lifting his arms slightly. “Seems like you would, given your success in the theater industry.”
Satisfied, Aries stands straight, his height level with Nino’s. “I haven’t, because they typically keep themselves separate from us lower-ranked vermin—well, unless we prove especially useful in some way. Unfortunately for me, I’ve been summoned.”
“Why? Who summoned you?”
“The purebreds of Athens. There’s a wedding next fall and they want me to design for the youngest son and his mate to be. A popular magazine has written a pretentious article about me, and it’s caught their attention. Weddings and proper formalwear aren’t really my thing, but Jun is going to help me. We’re trading favors.”
“I hope it turns out well,” Nino says.
“You and me both. I’ve grown quite fond of my head. I’d like to keep it on my neck, if possible.”
“What—” A knock at the door makes Nino pause. “Yes?” When it opens, Junichi pokes his head through the crack.
“Gentlemen, he is finished. Are we done in here?”
“We are,” Aries confirms.
Nino grins, his heart racing. “Shit,I’m excited. Is he mad?”
“There’s a lot of eye-rolling happening,” Junichi says. “But I don’t care because he looks fucking phenomenal. And speaking of fucking phenomenal,you.”
