Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3) (31 page)

Once all three of us were in the hallway, Valerie said, “This is going to be a cinch. Easiest assignment ever.”

“It’s the worst assignment ever,” I said now that Melcher was out of earshot.

Valerie smiled slowly. “I see. So you do have feelings for her.”

Rather than take the bait, I folded my arms. “So that’s it? Selene befriends us and introduces you around, and you have no problem letting her die?”

Valerie mirrored my stance, crossing her arms.

“She should have kept her trap shut. People can’t go running around telling the world about vampires. Like Melcher said, there’d be mass hysteria.”

“She’s got a family in California,” I said. “Who can blame her for wanting to keep in contact with her loved ones?”

The color drained from Valerie’s face. She sucked in her cheeks. I wasn’t sure what I’d said to get such a reaction. An instant later, Valerie turned redder than the hair on her head and yelled, “Tough shit!”

The receptionist outside Melcher’s office looked up and glared at all three of us.

“Voices,” she said.

Valerie didn’t spare the woman a glance. I wasn’t so fortunate. She got right up in my face while Dante watched, eyebrows pinched.

“I’ve got a family in California, too. Everyone’s got family. I have four sisters, and you know what? They all think I’m dead.”

My body rocked slightly as though maintaining balance onboard a vessel caught on the waves of a gathering storm. I always assumed Valerie was an only child, certainly not one of five daughters. She rarely shared information about her past, and now that she had, I didn’t know what to say. It was such a small morsel of the vixen’s life before, and now it seemed momentous.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said in a soft, sympathetic voice. I felt bad.

Valerie glared at me. “Oh, save it, Aurora,” she snapped. “Your bleeding heart is the reason Giselle is after us. I’m not letting you make that mistake twice. If you don’t shut Selene up tonight, I will.”

With that, she spun on her heel and stormed down the hall.

“Pick you up tonight?” Dante called after her.

“I’ll meet you there,” Valerie hollered back without turning.

Dante looked at me with both brows raised. “What was that about?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I said, watching Valerie disappear around a corner. Once she was out of sight, I looked at Dante. “She’ll never get to see her family again, so why should a vampire get visitation rights when she really is supposed to be dead?”

Dante glanced in the direction Valerie had gone. “Red’s right. That can’t be allowed.”

A moment of silence passed. Usually I couldn’t wait to get off the base, but all that meant to me now was going into battle and hoping to come out of it alive.

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” An asteroid-sized lump formed in my throat. “I have to kill Selene.”

Dante reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Just think, it will be over tomorrow,” he said.

I didn’t know how he could possibly think that helped.

That night’s tasting took place at the same house on the hillside. Dante and I hadn’t spoken much since he picked me up. He wore khaki slacks and a light blue and brown top. He looked good. As promised, I packed a bag with a pajamas, a change of clothes and toothbrush in case I had any reasons to believe Dante’s life was at risk. I had slept on my grandma’s couch. I could do the same for Dante if necessary. I looked out for family and Dante was like family to me.

I had on another long dress. This one was black to match my dark mood. I even wore heels, as it wasn’t likely that Selene would turn down a taste of me. After that, she’d be no trouble at all. No phone cord necessary. I brought along a silver sequined clutch with only one item inside—a switchblade—no dress was complete without one.

Dante turned the music down.

“I wish I could kill her for you,” he said.

I released my breath. “You can’t.” I stared out my window.

He tapped on the steering wheel. “How’s your mother and grandmother?”

“Mom’s already been out on a power walk today, and Gran’s recovering from jet lag.”

At least that was one less pit in my stomach. My loved ones seemed a lot safer now that they weren’t at the epicenter of vampire activity. Alaska was one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Too bad so many of the residents were deadweights—literally.

Dante wound his way up the hill. The dirt road got steeper after he took a turn up a road on the right.

“I think I took a wrong turn,” Dante said.

“That’s fine with me. Take all the wrong turns you want,” I said.

We could tell Melcher we got lost and missed the party. Ha!

Dante turned into the next driveway and backed the Jeep up.

“I guess I didn’t pay close enough attention the last time with Red yammering the whole way there.”

“Don’t look at me for help,” I said.

Gravel pinged against the underbelly of the Jeep as we lurched down the hill to the road we’d taken a moment earlier.

“In a hurry?” I asked.

“Making up for lost time,” Dante answered without braking at the bend. “The sooner we get there, the sooner you get it done.”

“And the sooner it’s over,” I said.

“That’s the spirit.”

Dante drove along the mountain road until two unfortunately familiar stone posts lit up in the glare of the headlights. Dante steered between them, following the road up to the lodge.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

I squeezed the silver clutch against my stomach. “Ready or not, here I come.”

Dante chuckled just as the bald man from last weekend walked up to his door.

“Good evening, sir, we are happy to have you back,” he said as Dante stepped out.

As I reached for the door handle, my phone chimed.

Valerie: They’re checking purses at the door and doing a pat down tonight.

I frowned, returned to the home screen, and shoved the clutch under my seat as Dante came around to open my door. He cocked his head sideways when he saw my expression.

“What is it?” Dante asked.

I shook my head, took his hand, and stepped out of the Jeep. I waited until the valet got into the Jeep and pulled forward.

“Valerie texted. They’re checking purses at the door.” I squeezed my phone in my palm. “I don’t like this.”

“Where’s your purse?” Dante asked, looking at my hands, empty except for my phone.

“I stashed it under my seat.”

“Okay, no reason to panic,” he said, placing an arm around my shoulder. “You don’t need it here, and I’d bet next month’s rent that Valerie has several spare weapons you can borrow inside her car.”

I nodded. That was likely true, but this still didn’t sit right with me. What had Henry told Diederick about me? Suddenly I felt like I was walking into a trap. I shouldn’t be here. This was bad strategizing on Melcher’s part.

Foster, the butler from before, opened the front door after Dante knocked.

“Good evening, sir and madam.”

Foster retrieved a small wicker basket from a shelf along the foyer wall. He brought it over and held it in front of us.

“Please place your cell phones in here. You may collect them on departure.”

We set our phones in the basket simultaneously. That ought to make us look innocent. Thanks to Valerie’s text, I wasn’t surprised, though I still wasn’t happy when Foster announced the new pat-down policy Diederick had issued.

Dante folded his arms. “You’re not putting your hands on my girl.”

“I understand perfectly, sir,” Foster replied. “She is welcome to wait in your car.”

My jaw dropped. Wait in the car? I didn’t think so.

I walked up to Foster and spread my arms and legs. He missed my glare as he went to quick work patting one leg, followed by the other. The dress was sleeveless, so he skipped my arms. At least the whole thing took only a matter of seconds.

“You are clear, Ma’am.”

I stepped aside.

Dante kept his arms folded while Foster patted his pants.

“Please hold out your arms,” Foster said when he’d finished with Dante’s legs.

Dante relaxed his arms slowly.

“Thank you for your understanding,” Foster said. “I’m sure you will appreciate the security measures put forth by our host. They are only to ensure the safety of his guests.”

Dante grunted. “All I can say is the selection better be good tonight.”

Foster straightened. “Indeed it is, sir. A most excellent selection from Italy, including Amarone from the northern Veneto region near Venice, Barolo made entirely of Nebbiolo grapes, and Chianti produced in Tuscany.”

Dante nodded as though he were a true wine connoisseur considering the selection. I stopped listening after Foster said “Italy.” Italy didn’t make me think of wine and grapes. It made me think of Fane.

“Would you like to go upstairs while I escort the lady downstairs?” Foster asked.

Dante shook his head. “No, I’ll escort Aurora down first.”

“Very good, sir. You may proceed to the rec room.”

As we walked past the living room, I avoided looking at the spot where Selene sat and talked to me last weekend. Dante placed a light hand on the small of my back as we descended the stairway.

We walked past the pool tables and entered the gathering in the next room. Tonight, the harpist had been replaced by a violinist.

“There’s Red,” Dante said.

I followed his eyes to the middle of the room, where Valerie stood in a bold green formal gown chatting with two men. Either she went shopping again or had dresses stashed aside for assignments like these.

I tried to catch her eye, but either she was engrossed in what the man beside her was saying, or she was ignoring me on purpose. At least she sent me a head’s up about the new security checkpoint.

I searched the room for Selene, relief flooding me when her face didn’t appear in the crowd.

“I don’t see Selene. Maybe she’s not here tonight,” I said hopefully.

“Or maybe she’s upstairs getting a taste of Tuscany,” Dante countered.