Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3) (17 page)

The battle to the death inside his music room had also been one of the scariest apart from initiation. Music to die by. I never wanted to go through something like that again. I’d scope out party guests and keep an eye on Diederick any day of the week over an assassination.

“Jared’s lucky he fell off the radar,” Dante said. “Better not show his face anywhere near either of you, or I’ll take him out. He’s a vampire. I have every right to end him regardless of Melcher’s orders. I’ll say it was self-defense.”

“Jared’s mine,” Valerie said.

I leaned forward. “You have to find him first.”

Valerie pursed her lips. “I’m sure he’ll rear his evil face soon enough.”

The thought of seeing Jared again quickened the tempo of my already racing heart. The base of the mountains loomed closer as the Jeep rushed forward. Dante cranked the steering wheel, winding up a series of hairpin turns; climbing, climbing, climbing our way up the hillside.

The houses here had to cost a pretty penny. Forget McMansions, these were more like mini chateaus with custom stonework, towering A-frames, and enough property to set the neighbors apart by several acres.

And I thought the palace had been ritzy.

“How come rich people always live on hills?” I wondered aloud.

“So they can look down at the peasants,” Dante answered.

“For the view,” Valerie said.

I scooted forward, staring between the front seats through the windshield. The lights of Anchorage winked to life as the Jeep climbed higher.

“Beautiful,” Valerie said wistfully.

“Okay, it should be coming up soon,” Dante said.

My heart beat its way into my throat, making me want to gag. Once again, I wished I could be more gung ho. These days I watched how much I drank, but I swore there were times I wanted to down five shots of tequila to calm my shaky nerves.

“Here!” Valerie said, pointing at a paved road between two stone posts. Did she have to sound so excited?

I couldn’t help thinking she and Dante would make a better couple than Dante and me. They were both action junkies. They even synchronized their chorus. No doubt Valerie would give Dante a run for his money in the bedroom. Then again, they might kill each other first.

As Dante curved along the drive leading to the looming house, his speed slowed. He came to a stop in front of a wide set of stone steps leading to double doors with oval frosted glass windows.

“Where do we park?” Dante wondered aloud.

We’d entered a circular driveway, not the kind of place to pull aside and leave a vehicle. There weren’t any other cars around, but they had to be somewhere. A hidden parking lot?

We’d only been stopped a couple seconds before a middle aged man in a tuxedo emerged from the house. He moved down the stairs gracefully and walked over to the driver’s side window, which Dante rolled down.

The gentleman crouched, sharing a view of his balding head.

“Good evening, sir, and ladies. Your name please?”

“Dante.”

“Yes, of course. Diederick has a fine selection for you this evening, sir. And who are your friends?”

“My girlfriend and her friend,” Dante answered.

“Very good. The ladies may wait for you in the rec room. We have a fine selection of hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and wine.”

“And the ladies will be left alone?”

“You needn’t worry. Diederick does not allow shenanigans at his events. Now if you step out, I will park your vehicle for you, sir.”

Dante glanced at me over his shoulder and lifted his eyebrows before stepping out. Valerie and I followed suit. Goose bumps rose over my bare arms when I stepped into the night air.

“Please continue inside. Foster will greet you in the foyer.”

“This is totally weird,” I said as we walked up the stairs.

“Swanky, I told you,” Dante replied.

Valerie’s lips formed a pout. “How am I supposed to meet anyone if they’ve been instructed not to bother other guests?”

Personally, I found that reassuring. If vampires felt they had to leave me alone, all the better.

“I’m sure we can still mingle,” I said.

Dante pulled open the door. “After you, ladies.”

Valerie walked in first. As I stepped over the threshold, Dante grabbed my ass and gave it a squeeze. I whipped around, “Dante!”

He held up his hands. “What? You’re my girlfriend.”

Valerie rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Get a room. Wait, they’re all taken.”

I glared at her. Thanks for reminding me.

A man, Foster presumably, stood still as a statue, waiting for us in the foyer. He was around the same age as the first guy, but with considerably more hair, including a mustache.

“Welcome,” he said, arms clasped behind his back. “Your name, sir?”

Dante looked at me and smirked. I could tell he was trying not to laugh. Straight-faced, he turned to Butler Number Two.

“Dante.”

“Very good. And your friends?”

“Girlfriend. Friend.” Dante said, motioning at each of us. “The other guy said they wouldn’t be bothered while I’m off sampling.”

“Indeed, they will be perfectly comfortable,” Foster said straightening. “There are hors d’oeuvres and wine in the rec room. I will take you there first, after which you may begin your tasting.”

Dante nodded once. “Perfect.”

Valerie took the lead as we were led through a lodge-like living room with a tall ceiling. Aside from a few muted lamps, the upper floor of the house was dim. I wasn’t sure what to call the place. The term “palace” had belonged to Marcus
.
The Lodge? The Mansion? The Château?

I fell behind as I looked around.

“You look beautiful,” Dante whispered in my ear.

Before I could thank him, he added, “The only thing I’m going to be thinking about when I bite those other women is you.”

Ruin the moment, why didn’t he? It was aggravating, but hard to get mad at the same time. It was obvious Dante thought he’d paid me a compliment.

I sighed. Now was not the time or place to smack him.

“Will you be okay?” he asked a second later.

“Apparently I have nothing to worry about.”

“That’s a relief,” Dante said. “I think tonight we play it safe. Like the valet said, no shenanigans.”

I snorted softly. “You just wanted to say the word shenanigans.”

“Shenanigans,” Dante repeated and winked. “Some party, right?”

“We’ll see.”

Foster and Valerie waited by a staircase leading downstairs.

“You two coming?” Valerie demanded.

“Right behind you,” I said.

“The rec room is below,” Foster said. “You will find it very comfortable. Once you are ready, Dante, I will escort you to the private rooms, where you will find a nice selection of Bordeaux.”

Gross. I wrinkled my nose. Just because these blood suckers were biting women in style didn’t make it any less disgusting.

There was a pool room at the bottom of the stairs with three separate tables. Two were occupied. The players kept their eyes on the game as Foster led us through the room into another much larger area—the rec room I presumed.

Harp strings filled my ears with a lulling melody. An actual harpist sat in the corner stroking her instrument. There were about thirty guests milling around the room, holding onto wine glasses. A fire roared in a hearth near the window. Plush arm chairs were positioned around it. Maybe I would call this place The Lodge after all.

Against another wall, there was a full bar stocked with liquor and wine on glass shelves behind the polished dark wood counter.

“Fancy,” Valerie murmured. Her brows furrowed, as though worried, but the look was quickly replaced with a calculated “I’m queen bee” glare leveled at all the guests in the room.

“Come with me,” Foster said. “I will announce you to Diederick.”

I pressed against Dante’s arm and whispered, “Which one is Diederick?”

Dante lifted his chin toward the back of the room.

“Man sitting on the antique armchair with a woman standing on either side of him.”

The man Dante indicated looked to be in his early thirties. He wore a fitted suit, no tie, and had thick brown hair that curled slightly at the ends, nearly touching his shoulders. Dark facial hair had been neatly trimmed close to the skin of his upper lip and chin. He held a glass of red wine in his left hand. The wineglass seemed gigantic for the little amount of wine inside, but what did I know? I wasn’t even at the legal drinking age yet.

Foster led us straight up to Diederick.

“Sir, Dante has arrived for his first tasting. This is his girlfriend and a friend.”

Diederick smiled slightly at Dante. “Pleasure to see you again. I hope this evening’s experience will be satisfactory.”

“I’m sure it will be,” Dante said.

“You are welcome to as much pure wine as you like, or Foster can escort you to the tasting rooms at once. The ladies must remain down here, but may drink and amuse themselves however they wish.”

Diederick barely glanced at Valerie or me. Business and wine clearly interested him more than women. Good luck, Val. Naturally she noticed, too, and her frown showed she wasn’t pleased.

“Thank you,” Dante said. “I’ll join the ladies for a drink before I head up. Little warm up beverage.” Dante chuckled.

Diederick simply answered, “Enjoy.”

As we stepped away from the man in charge, Foster said, “I will be in the foyer when you are ready, sir.”

The harpist stopped playing, leaving only the soft din of guests speaking in low voices.

This felt really awkward. What exactly were Valerie and I supposed to do while we waited for Dante? Listen and observe people drinking wine? Taste some and comment on its oaky flavor? Try to mingle with complete strangers?

Boot camp had not prepared me for this.

Once we were out of earshot of Diederick and Foster, I whispered, “Now what?”

“Now we get a drink,” Valerie said.

We crossed the room to the bar. The harpist took a seat at the far end. The bartender handed her a bottle of water before coming over to ask what we’d like.

“White Russian,” Valerie said.

Leave it to Valerie to order a cocktail at a wine party.

Dante wasn’t any better.

“Got any beer?” he asked.

“Light or dark?”

Dante leaned against the oak counter. “Let’s do dark.”

“We have a Belgium Rodenbach that is quite nice. Slightly sour at first, but that fades into a well-balanced robust flavor with hints of sherry.”

Dante nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

Sounded fancy for a beer.

“And you, Miss?” the bartender asked me.

“I’ll have water, please.”

“Very good.”

“Water?” Valerie asked, wrinkling her nose when the bartender turned away. He walked to a mini fridge at the far end of the bar. The harpist sipped on her water behind him.

“We’re trying to blend in, not raise suspicion,” Valerie said under her breath.

“What’s suspicious about drinking water? Maybe I’m the designated driver.”

Valerie snorted rudely. “You don’t drive.”

“Good point. One of you needs to stop after your first drink.” I looked between Dante and Valerie.

“I have a high tolerance for alcohol,” Dante said. “And the tastings are just that, a small taste. Besides,” he said, brushing his hand across my neck. “I’d never do anything that might cause you harm.”

“Touching,” Valerie said, rolling her eyes. “Fine. One drink. I’ll drive us home. But you really ought to get over your car phobia, since you don’t like to drink anyway.” Valerie jabbed her finger in my direction.

I gave a noncommittal shrug. I didn’t see any rush, especially when I lived within walking distance of campus and had a friend with wheels. Besides, it was fall, which lasted about a week in Anchorage. Meaning winter, ice, and snow were right around the corner.

If I were to get behind the wheel again, it would be at the beginning of summer.

“You know the longer you put off driving, the more you let Jared win,” Valerie said.

Dante tilted his head. “What does Jared have to do with Aurora not driving?”

“Nothing,” I said, glaring at Valerie. “He recruited me after my accident. Thinks I’m weak for not getting behind the wheel again.”

Dante did not need to know about Jared’s recruiting methods. He’d call him out in five seconds flat. Not only would Valerie and I lose the element of surprise, but Dante might get himself killed. Jared was a blood sucker. A cold-hearted killer. Dante would endanger all our lives if he went after him. After Jared was dead, I’d tell Dante everything.

“I can’t stand that guy,” Dante said.

The bartender set a White Russian in front of Valerie and a bottle of water and a glass in front of me. He unscrewed the lid on the bottle and filled my glass halfway before going back to the fridge. A moment later, he was back with a frosted pint glass and black bottle that looked like champagne. He uncorked the bottle and filled the glass.