Page 56 of White Little Lies
I started shuffling through the crowd toward the door. “Oh come on, getting chased by a pack of vampires wassonot the worst thing that happened to us.”
“I was talking about me being held hostage,” he grumbled.
Crispin found us just as we reached the door. He looked forlornly at our coffee cups. “You already ordered?”
I shifted my coffee to my left hand as I went for the door. “Yeah, where were you?”
He took the door from me to hold it open. “I saw a woman with an antique enchanted amulet. I had to know more.”
“Of course you did.” I walked outside to find Gabriel waiting for us, and realized maybe I should have ordered something for him.
I gave him an abashed look, then offered him my coffee, even though I knew he preferred tea.
Smiling, he put an arm around my shoulders instead and started us walking. “Where are we going next?”
“Ever been to the Dark District?”
“It always comes back to the vampires, doesn’t it?”
“It would seem so.”
But at least Ivan was dead, and the head vampire of the city, Elizabeta, was allied with King Francis. Going to the Dark District shouldn’t be a problem.
“She didn’t offermeher coffee,” Crispin muttered behind us.
“That will teach you for being too curious for your own good.” Elena said haughtily.
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Crispin argued.
“Elves,” Braxton sighed.
I grinned at Gabriel, and he was already smiling back at me. But I didn’t miss how he kept part of his attention on our surroundings, always looking forthreats, and my smile fell. If something bad had happened to Sebastian…
Well, it would take a pretty bigthreatto take out a devil. A threat I would focus all of my attention on, ignoring the gnawing feeling at the pit of my stomach, hinting at how I might actually feel if he were truly gone.
21
“Ye-ah,”Braxton drew out the word as he looked up at the red lipped sign for Crimson Kisses, “we aren’t going to stand out at all.” He glanced at Gabriel in his casual street clothes, then at Crispin looking like he just stepped out of some vintage English pub, then at Elena in her striped shirt, jacket, and jeans.
“Don’t worry about it.” Elena patted his arm. “I know the management.”
I gave Ringo a reassuring shoulder bob as we all stood on the sidewalk in the Dark District—just after dark. Perfect timing for all of the younger vampires to come out. The older ones usually didn’t show up until around midnight.
“Andthat’swhy you got to come along,” I said, hoping Elena’s father would never find out about it.
He hadn’t been pleased when he had learned his daughter posed undercover at a vampire bar as abartender. He would be even less pleased if he knew I took her back to the establishment. But as she had said, she knew the management, including Lilith. If Lucas had been coming around here, they would be the ones to ask.
Gabriel stepped closer to me as a pair of female vampires swept past us, one holding the door for the other as they entered the bar. They both looked pale and a little bit sleepy, and would surely be finding willing victims amongst the humans who frequented the Dark District.
The allure for humans was lost on me. I personally would not enjoy being treated like apet.
With the two female vamps out of the way, Braxton held the door open for us, giving me a pointed look.
I had offered to let him stay home, but he claimed he would never forgive himself if he stayed back and I got eaten.
We all went inside. Candles already dripped across tall tables lining the far wall. There were some lower tables in the middle of the floor, bordered by the artfully carved bar. It really was a beautiful space, minus the vampires now watching us with hunger in their eyes.
Ignoring them, I led the way to the bar. For once, I probably wouldn’t be the first on the menu. Two elves, a goblin, and werewolf would all be more tasty than little old me. Vampires couldn’t steal power from blood, but the more powerful blood did give an extra kick.