Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) (27 page)

“I don’t think it’s ridiculous,” she said. “It’s a big part of you who are. You can’t go without it. We'll run right out and get an airbrush gun tomorrow if you want. I don’t see any reason to wait."

“What did I ever do without you?” I said to her, making her smile.

“I can’t imagine.” She went up on her toes to give me a kiss and then made her way back into the bathroom. I heard the blow dryer start back up a second later, and I stared at my reflection in the mirror again. It was weird seeing the remnant of my tattoo like this, like something that could just come and go without a second thought.

Aurora and I arrived at her house before any of the Emissary, if you didn't count the one who tailed us from the beach house. Aurora unlocked the door, and we went inside, sitting down on the couches in the living room. I found myself staring at the painting that hung on one wall. It was the one Aurora had done of a park in Chicago where she and her brother Aiden used to go. It had also been the park where Antonio had found her in her grief after her parents’ car accident. My eyes scanned the details of the painting from across the room. In a way, it felt as if I’d never seen it before.

"What is it?" Aurora asked, watching me with green eyes full of curiosity.

"Nothing. I just didn't know you very well the first time I saw this painting. Now it takes on a new level of meaning. That's all." I turned to face her, a small smile playing on my lips. "What about you? What are you thinking about?"

She sighed and slid closer to me on the couch. "I think I want to sell this place."

I was mildly surmised by her words. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "We don't need two houses, and yours is obviously the better of the two. It seems ridiculous to keep it. This house represents a part of my life that I'm leaving behind to start a new one with you."

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to me. "If you really want to start new I guess we could sell my place, too, and pick a new one out together."

"And give up the hidden wine cellar?" she gasped. "Forget it."

I chuckled, and she turned to face me, planting a soft kiss on my lips. The moment was quickly interrupted when we both sensed other vampires and broke off the kiss. "I guess our company is here," I said, getting to my feet.

"I'll try to keep this short," she said as she stood and went to the door. She opened it as Damir and another Emissary vamp were coming up the walk. Damir didn’t even bother with pleasantries as Aurora held the door open and waved them inside. Damir and his colleague walked into the living room but didn't sit. I followed suit, staying on my feet, as well.

"Damir," Aurora said, anxious to get things started. "You remember Trey."

"How could I forget?" Damir looked me up and down with scrutiny. I stood my ground, gazing right back at Damir coolly.

The first and only time I had come in contact with the head of the Emissary, he showed up at Wes’s funeral in an attempt to blackmail Aurora into being with him instead. Let’s just say I hadn’t forgotten.

"So," Damir began. "It appears you did manage to survive."

"The change, you mean?" I asked. "Or the hostile vampires that have been hunting Aurora and me for weeks."

Aurora looked like she had to resist the urge to grin but I wasn't going to make this easy for Damir.

I almost wish I’d popped popcorn
, Aurora projected into my mind.

Damir almost smiled in response. It was more of a sneer really. "I was referring to the change, of course."

Aurora wasn't buying that any more than I was.

"You seem surprised," I observed. Damir raised an eyebrow but didn't respond otherwise. "Aurora is an amazing woman and an extraordinary vampire, certainly capable of creating another," I continued. Damir's sneer was even more tight-lipped than before. "But then again, maybe it wasn't surprise, but disappointment, in your voice."

When Damir next spoke, it was directed at Aurora. "It seems your little pet still has much to learn about our world. You might consider teaching him better."

"Really?" she asked. "Seems to me he's right on track. Once you have the politics down, you're pretty much set. Wouldn't you say?"

Damir took a few slow steps toward me, but I didn't flinch. "Just because you're a vampire now doesn't mean she won't grow tired of you."

I smiled and put my hands in my front pockets. "Believe that if you want. I don't pretend to understand what I've done to deserve her. I do know this, however. I didn't need any of your vampire mojo to win her over. If she chose a weak, fragile human over you, what chance do you really have of ever deserving a woman like her?"

"I will not stand here and be insulted by a fledgling," Damir said, clearly feeling the sting of truth in my words.

"Then don't," Aurora said. "You've seen what you needed to see here. You've witnessed that Trey is a vampire now. Call off your Emissary detail, and leave us."

Damir didn't even try to hide the contempt in his face as he turned to face Aurora. "My Emissary have more important matters to attend to than following the two of you around," he said, almost like it had been his idea.

Aurora did her best not to look as relieved as she was clearly feeling. We’d both had enough of being followed by Damir's minions.

"Thank you for coming. I trust you'll pass word on to the Synod that Trey has joined Antonio's brood," Aurora added in a satisfied tone. "You can see yourself out."

Damir did little more than huff his acknowledgement as he walked toward the front door again. He and his Emissary disappeared and the door closed behind them. Aurora and I both went to the front window and watched until he was gone, our Emissary detail going with him.

“Glad that’s over,” I said.

“Me too,” she admitted. “And now to celebrate our freedom … I think it’s time to take you out in the world.”

That was an intriguing idea. “Do I get to ask where we’re going?”

Chapter 35

Trey

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, AURORA pulled her car into the parking lot of a club I’d never been to. There wasn’t a sign out front, but I could only guess that it was Club Sanguin, a vampire club she had mentioned once. She took my hand as we made our way across the parking lot. There was a small line at the door, but Aurora talked to the bouncer and got us in. The music wasn’t exactly something I’d put on my iPod, but it wasn’t terrible either. As a musician, I had an uncanny ability to make myself feel at home pretty much anywhere there was loud music playing. Surely, I could make that work here, too. As we walked through the club, I had to remind myself that it was no big deal that I was literally surrounded by vampires. I was one of them now. Whatever it was about my blood that would have appealed to them when I was human didn’t apply now. I followed Aurora to the bar where she ordered us both a drink of some kind. I carried the drinks, and she led me to a table on the next level up off of the dance floor.

“What do you think?” she asked as we took our seats.

“It’s a little surreal,” I said, looking around. “If you’d have told me a month ago that I’d be sitting here tonight ...”

“Pretty crazy, huh?” Aurora smiled and took a sip of her drink. “I remember feeling that same way once.” She must have noticed me glancing hesitantly at the drink sitting before me because she smiled and gestured at it with an elegant nod of her head. “I splurged for the good stuff,” she said. “Go ahead. You’ll love it.”

“Love is such a strong word,” I said, but I raised the glass to my lips and drank. The combination of tastes that swirled around on my tongue was unlike anything else. It wasn’t as strong as Aurora’s blood had been, but she’d been right about it tasting incredible. Before I knew it, I’d downed the entire glass.

“Told you so.” Aurora grinned at me as I set the empty glass down.

“You weren’t kidding,” I said, smiling back. “I think I could get used to this. So do you know all of these vamps?” I gestured with a sweep of my hand to the jam-packed club.

“I would consider most of them acquaintances,” she said.

I glanced around, spotting a giant vampire across the club. He must have been almost seven feet tall. Were there vampire linebackers? “What about him?” I asked. Aurora followed my gaze, sipping her drink casually.

“Unfortunately,” she said, rolling her eyes. “His name is
Tytus
. He’s kind of obsessed with me.”

“Can’t say I blame the guy.”

She grinned and said, “This might be a great place to practice your skills.” I narrowed my eyes at her in confusion.

“Skills?”

“Someone is bound to have their guard down. Most vamps can’t block their thoughts as easily as I can. Have a listen. What do you hear?”

I closed my eyes, trying to focus. I felt the hum of the moon’s power, almost vibrating in the back of my skull. Within seconds, I could hear several trains of thought in my mind. I picked out a specific voice to hone in on and listened for a moment.

“A woman on the dance floor is upset, because the guy she likes hasn’t offered to buy her a drink. She’s thinking about leaving the club now.” I opened my eyes and found Aurora grinning at me proudly.

“Nice job,” she said. “You’re picking up on this quickly.

I closed my eyes again, wondering who else I might hear. Then I recognized a voice, though I couldn’t place it at first. It didn’t take long to realize that the train of thought I was listening in on belonged to Malena from Aurora’s brood. What surprised me most were the thoughts running through her mind.

I can’t believe she brought him here. It’s bad enough she had the nerve to bring him to a ritual, and now this. Who does she think she is? After everything I’ve done to prevent this human from becoming one of us, and now he’s just sitting here in the club like there’s nothing wrong. He didn’t even have the sense to run scared when I made their relationship public. No matter what I do, Aurora refuses to give up. She’ll pay eventually. She’ll pay for her attitude; for the way she thinks she runs the brood and occupies all of Antonio’s time. She’ll pay for the way she slighted Damir. Maybe now he’ll realize she’s just vampire trash.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I opened my eyes to find Aurora staring at me questioningly.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. I turned to look over my shoulder, finding Malena sitting in a table not too far away. She caught me looking and got to her feet, making her way toward us casually.
I turned back around, a low growl escaping my teeth. Aurora turned a surprised eye on me. “Trey?”

“It’s her,” I breathed, knowing Aurora would hear me. “She made the flyers. She wants to hurt you.” Aurora glared at Malena who had just paused near our table.

“Yes. It was a nice little twist in our game,” Malena said.

“Game?” I countered.

Another flash of thought erupted in my mind, as if Malena couldn’t contain her blinding rage. “Someone hurt you,” I said to her, mostly for Aurora’s benefit. Whatever I was getting from
Malena’s
thoughts, Aurora couldn’t hear. The visage of a vampire’s face formed in
Malena’s
thoughts, and I recognized him before Malena could push the image from her mind. “Damir
Vidic
,” I said slowly, trying to gauge her reaction as I got to my feet. “You’re in love with him.”

“Shut up,” Malena demanded, but I wasn’t paying her any attention. I’d already turned my head to look at Aurora instead. “She’s jealous, because Damir wants you,” I said. “That’s what all of this is about.”

Malena’s
eyes flashed dangerously, but she didn’t deny it. She took a step toward Aurora who reacted by standing, as well. “You think you’re so perfect. And why wouldn’t you? Antonio dotes on you like you’re the child he never got to raise. It makes me sick.”