Page 73 of Claimed By Blood

A night out at a human bar, without Immy flashing that card, might’ve gone unnoticed. But the odds of one of these vampiresnotrecognising the two of them are slim to none.

“What do you want to do?” I ask her, quietly.

She bites her lip, and I can feel the force of her indecision against the inside of my skin.

“We should go,” she murmurs. “Slip out of the back exit before anyone notices.”

Noha visibly deflates, but nods. “If you’re uncomfortable,” she acquiesces. “I’m not sure if thereisa back exit, though.”

Looking around, I realise a second problem. If there is an exit, it’s undoubtedly across the large—and packed—dance floor, which takes up most of the room.

I thought she said this was a bar? It looks more like a club to me.

Immy leads our small group around the edge, but we’re already attracting attention.

So much for ‘before anyone notices.’

“If we leave now,” Evie mutters, realising the same thing I have. “They’ll know something is wrong.”

“So what?” Immy says. “We stay and dance and hope Cain’s forces don’t show up?”

The decision is made for us when a suave giant of a vampire sashays towards our group. His long black hair is razor straight and tied out of his almost feminine face in a half-up style that leaves it free to hang around his shoulders. If the way the crowd parted for him wasn’t an indicator of how important he was, the sleek cut of his clothes and the ouroboros pin on his lapel would be.

“Lady Imogen”—he bows low—“and Lady Evelyn. How wonderful of you to grace my establishment. We weren’t aware that Lord Cain was sending his envoys to this part of the world.”

Evie flounders. She doesn’t know this man who’s greeted us by name, and it’s caught her off guard.

Immy surprises us all by taking the lead. “Armin.” She smiles, and it’s a sultry expression. One that almost looks out of place, given how awkward and quiet she normally is. “How lovely to see one of our Sire’s newest generals so very far from home.”

Shit.

What are the odds?

“Please.” He sweeps out an arm. “Join me. The VIP area in the basement is a little more… discerning of the clientele. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your evening far better from there.” He glances over their heads at Noha and I, then dismisses us immediately. “Of course, your companions are welcome to wait for you up here.”

“We’re on business, Armin,” Evie counters, adopting a considerably more aloof air than I’ve ever seen. “We’d rather not be interrupted.”

Immy casts her sister alook. It’s so fast I barely catch it, but Evie must know what she means, because she backtracks.

“Unless our companions are happy to wait?”

Because I’m still paying attention to our bond, I grasp her real meaning straight away.

She wants me to get out of here. Find help.

“Of course we are,” Noha says, and I bite my lip as I realise she’s shaking.

“Excellent.” Armin dismisses the two of us without waiting for my input. “Please, ladies, follow me. I’m excited to hear what business has brought you so very far from home.”

“Oh, you know we can’t tell you about our Sire’s personal affairs,” Immy says, smiling coyly at him. “But I’ll never say no to your company.”

Looking at her now, I’m forced to wonder which is the act. The shy sister? Or the smiling seductress?

The three of them move away, back across the dance floor. Like an idiot, I stand there staring at Evie’s retreating back until it disappears.

“We should get out of here,” Noha says, pulling me towards the front entrance. “I’m so sorry, I had noideathis would happen.”

I can’t hold back my growl, but luckily, it’s swallowed by the heavy bass which echoes through the club. It’s difficultnotto be pissed at her right now. Sure, I get that she’s closeted and doesn’t get out much, but you’d think living an underground life free of Cain would instilsomesense of, I don’t know, secrecy,

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