Page 6 of The Vampire Trap
I push back my momentary nerves and hurry down the hall to Sabrina’s room. Two maids back out of the room, moving aside as I reach them.
Her bedroom is immaculate, not a single thing out of place to askew. The finer attention to detail is all hers. I know because when the maids clean my room, some things have moved spots or sit at crooked angles. Though I’ve never minded. It’s more comforting and lived in. I’m always afraid to look at anything too long, or I might make a mess of things.
“’Brina?” I call her by her childhood nickname.
She examines her reflection in the mirror. Her hands smooth out the fabric of her skirt while her head tilts this way and that, looking for any strands out of place and that her makeup is flawless.
“Our carriage is pulling up to the door now. Are you ready?”
Sabrina turns in a full circle. The lavender dress billows out with the movement. Florets line the hem of the skirt, the scooped collar, and the puffy sleeves that would look gaudy on almost anyone else.
The smile on her face is radiant as she hooks her hand around my elbow. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to come with me this year. It will be so much fun.”
“Benjamin’s parents have started to hint that we should marry soon—more than hint, actually—but you know how I feel about that.”
My sister hums as she leads me to the stairs. “Then consider this the first of many events we’ll attend together until we find someone who makes you swoon.”
I snort loudly before I can stop myself and earn a look that says you had better not do that in public unless you want to die a lonely, old spinster.
“I’ll be happy to settle for attraction and mutual respect. Of course, he’ll need to be smart, not just minimally educated. I’d rather throw myself to the demons than have my future husband bore me to death with talk of the weather.”
Sabrina’s nostrils flare slightly, though she doesn’t respond. She releases me and descends the stairs first. I wait until she reaches Father at the bottom, then follow.
Escorting us to the carriage, Father instructs Sabrina on his expectations for us. Though I made it nearly impossible, I wonder if she will tell him when we return home that she tried to keep an eye on me like he asked.
CHAPTER THREE
ZADIE
Sabrina chats the entire way with barely a breath long enough for me to respond. She tells me about her first ball, then begins instructing me on how to behave, and “a proper lady ought not to dance more than twice with one man unless she wants all of Sangate to think she is engaged to him.”
She lectures me as though I have never been to a formal event before in my life. I’ve been to at least a dozen or more, though admittedly, none were on the scale the viscount has been said to have. His status may be considered lower within our peerage, but as a vampire, his wealth and power exceed even that of a duke.
As we near, I press my palms to the window and gape.
“Zadie, are you even listening?” She sighs. “Of course, you’re not—just try not to do anything too weird, all right?”
A stone wall, at least ten feet high, surrounds an expansive piece of land of the viscount’s palatial home—it’s almost too grand to be called a manor.
Our carriage stops at wide wrought-iron gates. The footman’s voice answers another voice, but their words are too muffled to make out. After a moment, the gates open, and we are jostled forward. To the west, a forest swallows up the horizon stretching further than the eye can see.
We come to a stop at the front of the manor, and Sabrina grips my hand almost painfully, not letting go until I meet her gaze.
“I know you haven’t been around vampires before thanks to Mr. Browning, but you must remember to treat them as you would any other person.”
I nod and pull my gloves from my purse and slip them on. Then I follow Sabrina’s lead and take the offered hand as I exit. Perfectly manicured greenery frames each side of the porch, with an impossible number of flowers decorating the outside.
While we wait in line to greet our host and enter, I look around those ahead of us. The inside is brightly lit; a mixture of gas lamps mounted on the wall for added brightness and a host of fat, wax candles to add to the atmosphere.
A woman leans in and quickly whispers into the viscount’s ear.
I’m entirely unprepared for how handsome he is. Tall and lean but muscular. His hair is short along the sides but longer toward the front until tight curls fall in an elegant cascade to just below one eye.
“Lady Sabrina Hall, I am pleased to see you again.” Then he turns to me.
My breath catches in my throat, and I freeze in place. The manifestation of his bond with a higher demon is the unmistakable red ring encircling his irises. It stands out against the deep brown of his eyes, almost as if it’s glowing.
I’ve heard it is the easiest way to identify a vampire. However, it’s one thing to hear about it and another entirely to see it up close.