The Turning (11 page)

“Five?” he coughed, his eyes going wide while I nodded. “Kelly, I am flattered. You never cease to amaze me. I would think a gorgeous woman like you would have had many more partners than that in this day and age.”

I forced a smile, somewhat embarrassed, but we reached the table where Nicole and Trent were having a little smooch time.

“Ahem.” I pretended to clear my throat so they would separate. “Obviously, you two are having a good time and are hitting it off. But I think it’s time we made our rounds and said hi to some of the other guests.”

And that’s what we did. I can’t say I remembered anyone’s name that I was introduced to. Most were business acquaintances of Brian’s, and right then, I was just the arm candy. While that thought annoyed me, I was glad to be able to watch the party around us and not have to jump into the conversations.

About an hour later, the crowd started to thin out. Brian gave Trent what appeared to be a hotel key card, then Trent and Nicole waved goodbye to us. We went back to our table and took our seats.

“Oh, we’re staying overnight in Miami? I didn’t know that. We didn’t pack an overnight bag.” I raised an eyebrow, making it clear I should have been told in advance.

“Well, they are staying overnight in a hotel,” he answered, eyeing me over. “But we, my enchanting lady, are staying at my condo. If that is all right with you?”

“Yes, as long as you have an extra tooth brush and I can borrow a shirt to sleep in.” I chuckled, shaking my head. Brian was just too damn cute to get upset with. But I could see that there was going to be a lot I had to teach the four-hundred-year-old, socially inept vampire.

He leaned really close and whispered in my ear, “Who said anything about sleep? And who said you could wear clothing tonight?” He laughed but I knew he was very serious. “The humans are leaving now, soon it will just be all the vampires. There are a few things I need to fill in,” he said as he stood. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course, but I thought you said we had to talk?”

“Yes, we can do that while we dance. I could not stand to have you here looking so amazing and not get the chance to twirl you around the floor.”

He led me over to the dance floor, spun me once, and guided my hand onto his shoulder. It was amazingly smooth, like something you saw in Arthur Murray dance classes. I was so captivated by him, I forgot about everyone else that was there.

“Kelly, I need to tell you a few things. One, you are the only vampire I have ever made, most elders have made many by the time they get to my age. You are very new, which normally means you are very down on the food chain. But since I am an elder and you are the only one I have turned, it does put you in a different category. A much more powerful category. So be careful when you talk to younger vampires, they may resent you. But they know you are under my protection and will not touch you.

“Secondly, you need to know the hierarchy of vampires. There are elders all over the world, one in every major metropolitan area and they are in charge of that area. In bigger areas like Chicago, the elder has a second in command who handles all the day to day things. They keep records of who is turned, that they are properly taken care of, and taught the ways. Also when a vampire comes from another area, they ask permission to come into the area. All those tedious details I have neither the time nor inclination to take care of with such a large area.

“There is also an elder older than me, who I report to in a way. There is one for every large region, West and East coast, Midwest, Latin America, areas that are bigger like that. They in turn report to the elder who is in charge of the continent. There are, of course, seven of them, and they all report to our King. They are the final determinant of who is in charge, where, and any grievance that might be reported and passed up the chain of command, make sense?”

“Yes, so in a way you are like the godfather of all Chicago?” I surmised, hoping the analogy didn’t sound as stupid to him as it sounded to me.

“In a way, yes, that is exactly right. So when in front of other vampires, it would be proper to address me as Mr. Grady. I know you are not familiar with that type of formality, especially with us dating, but it would look bad if you did not. I truly hope you understand and do not feel that I am being pompous.”

“I understand completely, as long as you remember I’m going to boss you around as soon as we’re alone,” I drawled with a wink.

Brian just gazed at me and then laughed. “I do not see any problem with that whatsoever. I thoroughly enjoyed you taking charge earlier tonight. I have never had a woman able to or wanting to take control like that,” he assured me as I noticed a man approaching us out of the corner of my eye.

“Brian, my old friend! So glad to see you. You look amazing,” the man exclaimed, and I immediately got hit with the cold wind that told me he was lying.

Interesting
. So it was true, I
could
tell when vampires were lying. I had assumed it when dealing with the overflow of information coming at me from all angles that some things hadn’t changed in my life, but that was silly of me. I should have known better than to assume such things. It was good to have confirmation now. I might have to confess this to Brian later, but I needed to think first.

“Jesse, you as well. This is my newly made, Kelly Murphy. Kelly, this is Jesse Spencer, he is in charge of the Green Bay area.” After the boys shook hands, Jesse turned to me.

“Mr. Spencer, a pleasure to meet you,” I greeted while he kissed my hand. “Green Bay, is it? I’m a little jealous. You host my favorite football team.”

“Please call me Jesse. A woman with such good taste as to like the Packers, and who looks as wonderful as you do, can call me by my first name. How old are you, Kelly?”

“Twenty-six,” I answered, glancing at Brian a second. “I’m not sure of the formalities, but is it rude to ask how old you are?”

“Brian, she is stunning, polite, and well-articulate. Now I am jealous. I wish I had met her first.” He gave me a brilliant smile that reminded me a bit of a tiger. Gorgeous and captivating… Right before they ate you. “In this instance it is acceptable. I am three hundred and sixty-five years of age. In general I would not make a habit of asking. As you get older, you will be able to tell about how old other vampires are.”

“I apologize, Mr. Spencer. I mean, Jesse. I’m still learning some of the ropes. Thank you for being so honest in answering me, I appreciate the heads up,” I chattered with my most charming smile. “Excuse me, gentlemen, I’m going to get another drink. Do either of you want anything?”

“Yes, I think we will both take a glass of blood.” Jesse winked at me.

“I didn’t realize they were serving blood?”

“They do as soon as we convince all the humans to leave. Look at the fountain,” Jesse told me and pointed in the direction of the bar. And sure enough blood flowed out of a fountain near the bartender.

“Well that’s one I’ve never seen.” I gaped. “I’ll be right back.” Should I be thirsty or horrified? A little of both? There was a
fountain of blood
.

As I walked away, I heard Jesse talking to Brian. “She must be very special if she is who you finally chose to turn. What does your second in command, Dante, think?”

“She is one of a kind. I turned her less than a week ago. Kelly is such a young vampire, but has acclimated to our ways instantly it seems,” Brian said in a careful tone. “Dante does not know yet, actually I have yet to see him tonight.”

I grabbed three glasses, smiling at what Brian had just said about me. I leaned over the fountain to fill up the glasses when someone grabbed my arm and spun me. “Excuse me,” I exclaimed. “You just made me drop those glasses! What is your problem?”

“I’ll ask the questions, you little bitch. You’re brand new, aren’t you?” the stranger sneered.

“Call me a bitch again and I’ll rip your fucking head off,” I hissed. I narrowed my eyes at him, so he saw I wasn’t fucking around. “Yes, I’m new. What do you care?” I sneered.

“How dare you talk to me like that? You little whore! You need to show some respect to your elders. I could drain you dry before you even knew what hit you,” he blasted at me. “What is your name and who is your maker?”

“That’s none of your business, you son of a bitch! You think being older would have taught you some manners but I guess not.” Then I saw it, he started to crouch down, about to attack me. I struck first, slugging him so hard I didn’t even know I had that much strength in me. I thought his head was going to spin around he turned so quickly. Blood shot out from his mouth and nose.

“You fucking bitch,” he snarled and leapt at me. I started to lean back before he hit so I could land on my ass and roll back, kicking him off me. It worked because he went flying in the air and landed about twenty yards away, right in front of the pool. Damn! Only a yard further and he would have landed in the pool. I couldn’t believe how I could fight. I mean I’ve gotten into a few brawls, but this was way above my level.

Just as I shook off the excitement at what I had done, he was on my back, biting me. Before I could even reach back to try to get him off, he was lifted off me. “Dante, what the hell are you doing? Do not dare touch Kelly, she is under my protection!” Brian bellowed. It was so forceful I shrank away from him, and it wasn’t even directed at me.

“That’s Dante? What the fuck is your damage?” I yelled at my attacker.

“Shut up, Kelly,” Brian snarled at me. “You threw the first punch. I’ll deal with you later.”

I normally would have screamed right back at him, but the shock of Brian speaking to me like that took the wind out of my sails. “As you wish, Mr. Grady,” I allowed, realizing I had to play this right. Brian might be the only way I got out of there alive.

And if that happened, I decided, I was getting the fuck away from Brian. No way I’d be with someone who could turn on me like that.

He focused back on Dante. “Answer me, Dante. Your life might depend on what you say next.”

“I didn’t know who she was, Mr. Grady, I swear. I confronted her because I heard her call Mr. Spencer, Jesse. I needed to find out who her maker was so I could let them know to keep her in line, or I would do it myself. No one so young can refer to elders by their first names. The asshole that made her should have taught her that,” he prattled, with this smug look on his face as if I’d been put in my place.

Boy, was he in for a surprise.

Brian visibly shook. “
I’m
the asshole who made her. She knows not to address elders by their first names. Jesse told her it was fine. Which is well within his right!” he roared before setting Dante down on his feet. “This is no way for my second in command to act in this kind of setting.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Grady, I had no idea. I apologize and beg your forgiveness,” Dante pleaded as he went down to one knee.

“Dante, you should leave. I will deal with this when we get back to Chicago.” Without another word, Dante nodded, sneered as he walked past me, and left the party. I realized I was still rubbing my neck which had not fully healed yet because Dante took quite a chunk out of it! Brian then turned to me, his eyes on fire. “You drink some blood so you heal and are not hungry later. I have to go apologize to the host and say goodbye to a few people.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but he had already turned from me and stormed away.
Well, this sucks
. And why wasn’t Dante apologizing to me? I was the one he had called names, attacked, and then the bastard bit me!

I chugged four glasses of blood and made a decision. I pulled out my cell phone and called information.

“Hi, I’d like the number for a cab company in Miami, Florida please? And could you connect me?” I thanked the man on the phone as he connected the call, then realized I had no idea where I was. As the call was transferred, I turned to a woman next to me. “Excuse me, can you please tell me the address of where we are?”

“Of course, my dear. Four five two Washington Avenue,” she answered, eyeing me closely. I relayed the information to the cab dispatcher on the phone. He told me it would be about ten minutes. I thanked him, hung up, and turned back to the lady who helped me.

“Thank you very much for your help, ma’am,” I said to her as I turned to go.

She placed her hand on my forearm. “Wait, are you all right?”

“Yes, just tired. Sorry, I’m Kelly.”

“Nice to meet you, Kelly. My name is Julie Drake,” she informed me with a winning smile on her face. It was then I noticed her striking beauty. She was shorter than me, maybe five-seven without the heels. And had the most shimmering chestnut hair I’d ever seen, with bright brown eyes that fit her face perfectly. “This is your first time interacting with other vampires, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, Ms. Drake, and it went off without a hitch.” I snorted sarcastically as I rubbed my temples. “I hate to impose any further, but do you know a hotel around here that might have a room? Nothing too fancy, I don’t have a lot of money.”

“No imposition at all, Kelly my dear. There is a Holiday Inn a few miles down the road, and it’s on the way back to the airport. I am assuming you will need to get there tomorrow?”

“Aww crap, glad one of us thought of that. Yes, I will need to. I need to get back to Chicago. Thank you again, Ms. Drake. It was very nice to meet you.” I gave her a slight nod, not sure where her ranking was in all of this and how I should be treating her.

Then again… I wasn’t sure I cared. After tonight I was pretty sure I was done with vampires. I’d been better off before them. I’d figure out how to be on my own and stay out of this world.

“The pleasure was all mine, Kelly. Please do not let Dante’s rudeness dissuade you from attending the next function. It seems he never learned his manners. Most of us have.” She smiled and nodded at me before turning away.
I like her.

I headed to the front door to catch my cab.

Just as I exited the mansion, the cab pulled up. I walked to it and opened the door, and again someone grabbed my arm to spin me around. Without even thinking, I swung out and punched whoever had grabbed me.