Where Loyalty Lies (30 page)

I stood at the bar in my living room and had a large Bacardi and Coke, hoping that it would calm my nerves. I frowned as my intercom buzzed. I’d made plans to meet Dale at his room. He’d offered to come and get me but the last thing I wanted was for someone like Monique to see me going to the staff party and cause even more gossip.

When I opened the door, I almost slammed it shut again. Why? Why did Saul always have to show up?

“Holt and Henry are already at the Halloween banquet,” I said, pleased with my cool tone.

“I know, I just spoke to them,” Saul replied, equally as cool.

I gave an impatient gesture with my hand. “So what are you doing here?”

“Why aren’t you coming?” he asked.

I could feel frustration creeping into me. What made him think it was any of his business what I did.

“If you’ve just seen Henry then I’m sure he told you.”

“He said you were going to the staff party instead,” Saul said.

I yanked him in through the door and closed it behind him. “Just announce it to the whole place, why don’t you?” I hissed.

My reaction got a raised eyebrow from Saul. “I didn’t realise you wanted it kept a secret.”

The way he said it made it sound like I was keeping it a secret because I was ashamed of going.

“Yeah, well maybe I can’t be bothered causing any more gossip. I can just imagine what everyone would say if they knew I was blowing off their Halloween banquet to go and party with the ‘staff’. I’m sure they’d come up with some fantastic reasons for that.”

“What is the reason?” Saul asked.

I bit the inside of my lip. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“I was just curious, but if you’re too embarrassed to tell me then...”

“Embarrassed?” I cut him off. “I’m going there because I was invited and...”

“By who?” Saul interrupted me.

Apparently we couldn’t even let each other finish sentences now. We’d turned into a bickering old couple.

“Again, I can’t see how that’s any of your business,” I snapped.

Saul’s eyes flicked over me, taking in my outfit and then they bored into mine.

“You’re really telling me that you can’t see why I’m upset?” he asked.

My heart sped up. It seemed a lot like jealousy. He wanted me to go to the banquet with him instead of the staff party with Dale. I could almost believe he had feelings for me. It would have been so easy to fall for, but overhearing Monique in the library had ensured that my rose-tinted glasses had definitely been removed. Yes, I still wanted him but I now knew his reasons were territorial. He just wanted me first.

I was having a silent battle with myself, trying to push down the hurt and humiliation that I always felt around Saul. I didn’t want him to sense how much his games affected me.

“I’m going there because I’ll have a better time there. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”

Saul’s eyes flicked to the Bacardi bottle and the empty glass next to it. “Clearly. Then what’s the Dutch courage for?”

I flounced away from him, hoping it seemed like I was too dignified to answer his question, when, really, I didn’t have an answer. So I hadn’t been to many parties before, big damn deal. We couldn’t all be hundreds of years old and attending balls and banquets every other week.

“I’m leaving now,” I said as I put the bottle away. “It’s up to you if you want to stay here or go.” I grabbed my bag from the coffee table and made my way to the door but, before I could turn the handle, Saul grabbed me. He turned me around, backed me up against the wall and his hands thudded against the wall on either side of my head.

“Come to the banquet with me, Faine. I’ll make sure you have a good time.” He was so close, it felt as if his words wouldn’t fit between us. I closed my eyes. I suddenly had great sympathy for any donkey that had ever had carrots dangled on sticks in front of it. It was torture to have something you wanted so much so close to you, but to know you could never have it.

“Saul...” I said, and then I faltered.

“Come on, Faine, give me a chance and I’ll make you so happy.”

I opened my eyes as he ran his fingers through a strand of my hair. I felt my body jump in excitement at our closeness but then I shoved it to one side and let my good friend, anger fill the space.

“Oh, I’m sure. I could spend all evening being paraded around on your arm like I’m your new pet dog.”

His softness vanished. “Why is it you won’t listen to me?” he said.

“Me? You’re the one who won’t listen. I’ve told you I’m not interested. I know being leader of the pack around here means you’re used to getting what you want, but tough shit, I’m not up for grabs.”

“Getting what I want?” Saul looked incredulous. “What? You think I’m top enforcer because I just woke up one day and wanted it so I got it? Let me tell you, I don’t get what I want served up on a plate. And when you’ve lived as long as I have, you get a hell of a lot of bad things happen too. For instance, when I had to watch all of my family, apart from Henry, die of the plague. Or when I had to go into battle with every other common man in our village because the wealthy people were too busy counting their coins to participate in a fight they’d started. Or how about the fact that, when you’re over six hundred years old and most of your friends are vampires, it means it’s inevitable you’ll see most of them die, horrible bloody deaths. As for the fact that I’m top enforcer, yes I did want that title, but I was an enforcer for years before I achieved it and I had to work hard to get there, so I’ll not stand here and listen to you trying to make me feel like I should be ashamed of myself.”

He turned and stalked out the room, leaving the door open behind him. I let out a shaky breath. Okay, I deserved that. He was right, I’d judged him and been a total bitch. I couldn’t help it, though. Better to be a bitch than a fool.

The last thing I felt like doing now was going to a party but I’d promised Dale I’d go. Sitting around moping would have to wait.

Outside it was raining. Perfect. I took off my strappies and put them and my handbag into a backpack before slipping on my trainers.

I left by the main entrance; everybody was at the banquet so nobody was around to see. The rain pattered down on my umbrella and I immediately felt comforted. When I’d told Holt I was going to the staff party, he’d told me there were underground tunnels that I could use, which up until five minutes ago had been my intention but right now I needed this.

I decided that turning up in reception dressed in my party outfit might lead to questions, so instead I went round the back and tapped on Dale’s window.

After a few seconds the curtain moved back and Dale’s confused face appeared. It became even more confused as he saw me standing out in the rain.

He flung open the window. “What are you doing out there?”

I handed him my backpack and then folded my umbrella and handed it to him before swinging myself into his room.

“Thought it might look odd showing up at the front desk dressed like this,” I said, taking my jacket off and folding it over the back of his desk chair.

Dale took in my outfit. “You look gorgeous.”

The compliment made me slightly uncomfortable. Vampire Attraction affected some people more than others and I’d been greatly relieved that Dale seemed to be one of the guys who weren’t affected too much. Still, I had to be careful. He was a good friend to me and I wanted to make sure things between us didn’t get messy.

“Thank you. You’re looking pretty hot yourself.”

He really was. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt that had just enough buttons undone to show the smooth muscles of his chest.

“Sorry for barging in here like this.”

“Hey, why use a door when you can use a window?” Dale quipped.

I sat on the edge of the bed and changed my shoes. “Exactly, plus I wouldn’t want to break a tradition.” The words were out before I could stop them.

Dale’s confusion was back. “What do you mean?”

I gave him a sheepish look. “That day when you found me by the pool, I didn’t know if I’d be able to navigate my way out of here, so I used the window.”

“Bloody hell. That’s the first time I’ve ever had a girl climb out a window to get away from me.” He laughed as he said it and, just like that, a potentially uncomfortable situation was avoided.

As it turned out, it wouldn’t have mattered if I’d worn a costume or not, it seemed that the choice was optional. The party was being held in the indoor basketball court because it was soundproofed. There were the standard Halloween decorations as well as hundreds of strings of orange pumpkin-shaped fairy-lights which provided the only light in the room. 

“Want a drink?” Dale shouted over the sound of the music. I nodded and we went to a long table that had a line of clear plastic buckets on it. In front of each bucket was a sign that gave a name, but not the ingredients.

“What do you fancy?” he asked.

I scanned the names. Black Widow, Zombie, Fangs, Ugly Witch, Bones, Nightmare, Coffin, Sleepy Hollow, Venom and Sacrifice.

“Um, I think I’ll have a Venom please.”

Dale grabbed a couple of plastic cups and handed them to me to hold while he ladled venom into both. It was bright blue and actually tasted quite good.

Just as I turned around, a girl came to an abrupt halt in front of me.

“Oh my God! Are you the vampire girl?” she said.

A glance at Dale showed that he looked about as uncomfortable as I felt. I’d never wanted to lie more. I really wanted an evening without any drama, but I had no choice but to be honest. There were people here who’d seen me before, either at the Autumn Ball or at my little showdown with Stacey, so I knew lying would do no good.

“Yep, that’s me,” I said, trying desperately to act like it was no big deal. That hope was blown with the girl’s reaction.

“Oh... my... God.”

I wondered if she was one of Dale’s exes.

“That’s so cool.” She turned to where a group of her friends were huddled together watching us. “It is her!” she shouted.

I cringed as faces turned to look at me. I downed my Venom as Dale leant over and whispered to me.

“Sorry, I promise I didn’t say anything about you coming.”

I don’t know how long I was stuck there talking after that. The bright side was that it all seemed to be positive attention. I was asked if it was true I had vampire abilities, if I had fangs, if I craved blood, why I was being tested by The Sénat, what happened to my parents. Apparently no question was too personal. I answered over and over again carefully deflecting the ones I didn’t want to answer.

After some time I made up an excuse and sneaked off. I tried to find Dale but couldn’t spot him in the sea of people. He’d ensured that my cup had always stayed full and I was certain that, by now, I’d tasted all the punches. Whatever the black one was, it was terrible, but after being asked if I’d ever killed anyone and drunk their blood, I’d downed it in one.

I noticed a couple of guys giving me appraising looks and, knowing they were on the verge of coming over to hit on me, I quickly melted into the crowd and slipped out of a door into the hallway.

As the door swung shut the quiet seemed deafening after the volume of the music in the gym. I headed towards the kitchen, thinking I’d give it a few minutes before going back in. Hopefully by then it would have calmed down a bit. I heard the door open behind me and picked up my pace. The base of the music bounced towards me and then cut off.

“Trying to run away from me again?”

At Dale’s voice, I turned. “I looked for you but couldn’t see you anywhere. I was just going to get something to eat. You coming?” I asked.

Dale fell into step beside me. “The Spanish inquisition made you hungry?” he asked.

“Ravenous,” I replied.

We reached the kitchen and Dale hopped up to sit on the counter while I busied myself making sandwiches. I came here regularly. Holt could never understand why I liked to make my own food when I could have had it brought to me, but the room service made me uncomfortable – like I was trying to be something I wasn’t.

“Sorry it got so heavy in there, I’d have warned you if I’d known they were all going to pounce,” Dale said.

“It’s fine. I can handle questions,” I said as I buttered bread. Dale picked up on what I hadn’t said.

“What is it you can’t handle?”

I gave a casual shrug, not sure if the topic on my mind would be appropriate to talk to Dale about.

“It’s the Attraction,” I said honestly. “The effect it has on guys means I have to be careful. I can never really let my guard down.” That black memory flared in the back of my mind as I remembered what had happened the last time I’d let my guard down. No. No. No. The memory tucked its tail between its legs and slunk off back to the part of my brain where it liked to lie in wait. I wished I could cut it out.

I sliced the sandwiches in half and put them on a plate before hopping up to sit next to Dale. He took a ham sandwich and I took a peanut butter.

“You have vamp Attraction then?” Dale asked.