First Drop of Crimson

Chapter Five

Denise took a deep breath and tried to act nonchalant. It was a good thing the heat was on in this hotel, or with what she was wearing, she’d freeze.

An attendant had taken her coat as soon as Denise entered the Khorassan Ballroom with Spade. It was a huge room, fitting well over two thousand, and yet it was still almost full. The sheer size of Spade’s line was staggering. Then once her coat was off, even though she was amid so many people, heads turned.

Denise raised her chin and refused to cringe. Go on, look. You’ve seen more skin on a beach, it isn’t that shocking.

Except this wasn’t a beach, though what she was wearing looked inspired by a bikini. Her top was a diaphanous bolero, and the matching sheer pantalets looked swiped straight from the set of I Dream of Jeannie.

Vampires are perverts, every last one of them, Cat had said on many occasions. If this was standard “property” garb for an undead event, then Cat was dead right.

Denise had expected a smart-assed remark from Spade when she came downstairs in her ridiculous garb. Why wouldn’t he be amused? He was the one who’d gotten this harem-girl outfit for her to wear. But he’d only glanced at her for the barest second and then handed her a coat, remarking that it was cold outside.

Of course it was. February in St. Louis wasn’t supposed to be balmy. If Spade had a heart, she’d be in pants and a sweater. He wasn’t scantily dressed, wearing a long black coat over a white shirt and black pants that fit him so well, they had to be custom designed. With his dark striking looks, Spade practically dripped with decadent elegance, and here she was, like a knock-off Scheherazade.

So the least he could do was take the time to appreciate how the costume he’d foisted on her looked. Or notice that she’d done her hair and makeup in a very flattering way, if she said so herself. She might be getting introduced as property, but she’d make sure people knew this property was high-end, dammit.

Yet Spade hardly looked at her then or during the twenty-minute car ride to the Chase Park Plaza hotel. He didn’t speak, either, except to exchange a few words with the driver. If he hadn’t opened her car door as she entered and exited the vehicle, she might have thought she’d somehow become invisible. To add insult to injury, he’d left her almost as soon as they entered this huge room. Denise had grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter so she’d look occupied, instead of just standing there like a statue.

Why do you care that Spade’s being cold to you? a little voice inside asked.

I don’t, Denise told it.

If it was possible to hear an internal scoff, she did. She ignored it, concentrating on the people around her instead of her inner idiot. As soon as she did, however, she realized she’d made a mistake.

So many pale faces. Those quick, deliberate movements. Cool flesh all around her. Fangs everywhere. All those glowing eyes…

A familiar panic began to rise in her. Denise tried to fight it back, but it rose without pity, choking her in the memories.

“I have to get out of here,” she mumbled.

Spade jerked his head around. He’d been across the room, talking to someone, leaving her surrounded by the creatures from her nightmares. Vampires everywhere. Blood would follow. Death would follow. It always did.

The memories thickened until they consumed her. That awful howling getting closer. All those other screams. We’re trapped, and they’re coming. Something grabbed her arm. Denise yanked back in terror, but the cold grip didn’t budge.

“Let go of me,” she shouted.

“What’s with her?” someone muttered. Denise couldn’t understand why the person sounded so clueless. Why wasn’t anyone running? Didn’t they realize the things coming after them couldn’t be killed?

That grip tightened and a new one clamped across her mouth. She struggled but couldn’t get free. There’s no hope. We’re trapped in the basement, and they’re coming. Any second, the door will burst open, a grotesque figure springing toward me. No. No. NO!

Cold water splashed in her face. She blinked, coughing a little, and managed to hold up her hand to block most of the second icy splash.

“Stop it.”

Spade loomed over her, one hand under a running faucet. She blinked once more. The front of her was soaked and she was shivering, crouched in a ball on a bathroom floor. And she had no idea how she’d gotten here.

“Not again,” she moaned.

Spade turned the faucet off and knelt in front of her. “You know where you are now.” It was a statement.

She rested her head on the cabinet next to her, giving it a slight bang out of sheer frustration.

“About three miles from Crazytown with my foot on the pedal, I’d say.”

Spade made a noise that sounded like a sigh. “This has happened before?”

“Not for months. Not since…”

A knowing look crossed his face. “Not since you saw me kill that bloke,” he finished for her. “Why didn’t you tell me you suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder?”

Now that the episode had passed, she felt embarrassed. “I said it hadn’t happened in a while, and wasn’t that the least of my concerns when I saw you again?”

Denise held up her wrists for emphasis. The demon marks were concealed by wide silver and gold bangles, but they both knew what was under them.

“I just ruined the plan for tonight, didn’t I?” she groaned. “I can’t believe I let that happen.”

Spade brushed her face with one of the paper towels. “If I’d been paying more attention, I would have anticipated this possibility. We’ll leave now. We can sort out how to get a look at the others later.”

“No.” Denise took the towel from him and swiped under her eyes. Her mascara was probably everywhere. “We’re here. Let’s do this. I’ll be okay if—this sounds so pathetic—I’ll be okay as long as you don’t leave me alone again. Being around all those vampires by myself just reminded me too much of—of that night. I don’t know if it’s possible, at this sort of thing—”

Something flashed across his face, too quick for her to translate. “I won’t leave you alone.” He held out his hand. “Please.”

She placed her hand in his. Then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

“My makeup is ruined.”

“Nonsense, you look beautiful. In fact, I’ve been propositioned on your behalf twice already.”

An edge was in his voice. Denise couldn’t tell if it was amusement or annoyance. She decided not to ask.

“I’m sure that’ll change after my little psycho episode. It usually leaves a bad impression. That brings up a point, by the way. Aren’t you worried that down the road, one of your people will say to Bones or Cat, ‘Hey, I recognize the brunette. She’s the nut job who belongs to Spade’s line,’ and then you’ll be outed for your role in this?”

Spade’s gaze locked with hers, his burnt-copper eyes both distant and fathomless. “No. Because we both know you have no intention of seeing anyone in the vampire world again once this is over.”

Denise looked away. Her panic attacks had only abated after she’d cut ties with Cat and anyone else who wasn’t human. No way was she going back to being at the mercy of her memories, never knowing when her mind would trick her into thinking she was back at that awful ambush on New Year’s Eve.

“You see what being around your kind does to me. I don’t want to live like that, and I know how to make it stop.”

His hand was still curled around hers, his grip cool, secure, and with an underlying strength that was utterly inhuman.

“Right, then,” he said at last. “Let’s see if we can’t hasten that day for you.”

Denise sat to his right at the ornate table in the ballroom, unaware this was the reason behind the discreet gawks she was getting. No doubt she thought those were due to how she’d screamed and blanked out from shock earlier. She didn’t realize such an outburst would garner only mild intrigue among his worldly line members. A hysterical human? Who hadn’t seen that before?

But what his people hadn’t seen was a woman with a beating heart seated at his right during a formal event. Such placement indicated far higher standing than that of mere property, but his left was reserved for Alten, the most senior vampire in his line. Spade had intended for Denise to sit behind him, as was more fitting for property—even favored property. But while that would have been prudent, and likely even sufficient for her PTSD, he found he was loath to let go of her hand.

And that spelled trouble in every language he knew.

If there was a God, Nathanial would be among the people here and Spade would deliver him to the demon tonight. Spade would even put a bow on the sod and wish Raum good sup, as long as that meant Denise exited his life immediately. He could not afford to let himself care for a human. Not again.

Yet the cynic in him wasn’t surprised that after the painstakingly long process of introducing Denise to the hundreds of people, alive and undead, in his line, she shook her head in disappointment.

“He’s not here,” she whispered.

Spade bit back a curse. Right. It would be too easy if he were.

Alten leaned over and handed him a CD. “Financials,” he said. “I’ve run through the numbers. Everything seems on the up-and-up, except for Turner. He’s missed his second quarterly in a row.”

Spade absently continued to stroke Denise’s knuckles. Her skin was still warmer than it should be. Could she have caught ill? Perhaps he shouldn’t have sought to irritate her out of her depression with the ridiculously scanty togs she had on. “Mmmph,” he grunted.

Alten stared at him. “For the second quarter in a row,” he repeated.

Spade snapped his attention back to the other vampire. Yes, right, Turner’s refusal to pay ten percent of his salary was an issue. Every vampire owed that to the Master of his line.

“Turner,” he called out. “Do you have a reason for missing your tithe?”

The blond-haired vampire came through the others to stand in front of the table. He gave the proper bow, but when Spade caught Turner’s scent and saw the mutiny in his expression, he heaved a mental sigh. Turner was about to brass him off something awful.

“I didn’t pay my tithe because I want my freedom from your line, sire,” Turner said, straightening his shoulders.

Spade eyed him, his patience dwindling by the second. “Undead just forty-four years, and you think you’re ready to become Master of your own line?”

“Yes,” Turner said. Then, with even more arrogance, “Release me to be my own Master. I have no wish to fight you, but if you deny my request, I will challenge you.”

Stupid. Reckless. Fool.

“Overconfidence like that is exactly why you aren’t ready to lead your own line yet. Your rashness would get you killed, and then all those you’ve created would be left without protection. That is why I deny your request for freedom, Turner, and if you follow through with your intention to challenge me, I promise you will regret it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Spade saw Denise looking back and forth between him and Turner. He glanced at her and saw her face was pale. She might not know a great deal about vampire society, but it was clear she understood that unless Turner had a sudden flash of intelligence, things were about to get bloody. That might be disastrous for the hard-fought calm she’d shown these past few hours, surrounded by far more undead people than living ones.

Spade returned his glare to Turner. Turner looked around, and then his hand went to his belt where he had a silver knife.

“I challenge you.”

Very slowly, Spade let go of Denise’s hand. Then he leaned in, his mouth almost brushing her ear.

“According to my laws, I must answer this. I’ll have Alten wait with you in the car. This shouldn’t take long.”

“I’m staying.”

He drew back to see her face. She was still very pale and her fingernails dug grooves into her leg, but her voice had been hard.

“That might not be wise…”

“If I feel a freak-out coming on, I’ll leave, but until then, I’m staying.”

Stubborn woman. Did no one have any sense tonight?

Spade rose, giving a sharp look to Alten. “If she wants to leave, take her to the car and wait for me there.”

Alten quickly masked his surprise with a nod. People didn’t decide to get up and leave in the middle of a duel. Especially not property. “As you wish.”

If he was being logical, he’d have Alten take Denise to the car now. Instead he was inviting more speculation about Denise, both by seating her at his right and by letting her argue with him publicly. No one has any sense tonight, Spade thought jadedly. Least of all me.

He shoved that thought aside and settled his attention on Turner. He’d have to make an example out of him, else he’d be flooded with challenges from other young vampires thinking they were ready for what they couldn’t handle.

Spade pulled off his shirt and set it on his chair, not taking his eyes off Turner. “Withdraw your challenge, or you’ll be lucky if I let you live.”

Turner shook his head. “No.”

So be it, then.