Masquerade (Vampires Realm Romance Series Book 10) (14 page)

He would love her.

He would stand by her side and support her in every decision she made.

If she would have him.

Vivek frowned.

She would. He wouldn’t give up until she was his.

He would do all in his power to win her love.

Starting with proving that he was a good guard.

A good man.

He lifted the black folder off the covers beside him and leafed through the dossier. Pictures and information on all of the attendees filled the pages. He studied every sheet, putting the faces to memory, learning as much as he could in the short time before the ball began. Everyone would be wearing masks but he might still be able to recognise some of the guests from their eye and hair colour, height and weight, or distinguishing scars. If anyone was out of place, he would know it. He would protect his lord and those of the other six pure bloodlines.

Vivek skimmed back through the dossier and paused on a photograph of the lord of Aurorea. A long scar ran across the front of the man’s throat but something told Vivek that he would keep that hidden at the ball. It would make him too obvious to the Law Keepers and this man was in an illegal union with the lady of the Caelestis bloodline. How could the Law Keepers allow them to remain mated to each other? It was one of the sins and something they should have been punished for. Was it because a similar union between their bloodlines had taken place once before, at a time when the laws hadn’t existed? He flicked to the image of a young woman, Lady Prophecy of Caelestis herself. She looked so innocent with her large dark eyes and youthful face yet she was one of the most dangerous vampires in existence, even more powerful than Lord Hyperion of the Validus bloodline.

His gaze scanned down to the information on her and he singled out one key thing about her.

She could use magic.

No other vampire could use magic. It hated their kind and refused to work with them. Did the Law Keepers allow her to stay mated to Valentine of the Aurorea bloodline because of the magic she bore?

Was it really so dangerous that they wouldn’t dare go against her?

Perhaps the Validus bloodline was no longer the strongest after all.

Vivek set the dossier down and ran his hands over the folded black jacket on the blue bedcover beside him. The thick material was silky under his fingers, soft and warm, a stark contrast to the often itchy and rough material of his uniform.

He stood, stripped off his bathrobe and started to dress. The tight black trousers were like satin against his legs, warming his skin and teasing his senses. The white shirt was equally as soft, the fabric so fine that he barely felt as though he was wearing it. He donned the black jacket, the weight of it surprisingly light considering the denseness of the material, and made swift work of the bright silver buttons that formed a V down the breast and then neatened the hem out over his thighs. It fitted him perfectly, hugging his figure just as Tynan’s jacket had emphasised his. Fine purple embroidery danced around the cuffs and hem, and highlighted the tall stand-up collar of the jacket.

Was this the sort of clothing that high-ranking vampires wore all the time? He could definitely get used to it. The softness of it was sensual against his bare skin, warmed him and made him feel good.

Powerful.

Did he look good in it?

He looked down at himself. It was difficult to tell from this angle and having no reflection made it impossible for him to see himself any other way. He glanced at the dossier on his bed. Unless someone took a photograph of him. He didn’t know anyone on the guard who owned a camera. It was a shame because this was probably the one time he would wear something so fine and he would have liked to remember it with a picture. He felt as though he looked good and that was enough to boost his confidence. Once he applied the finishing touches, he would be as handsome and alluring as any male at the ball.

And then he would find Sophis and make her dance with him.

Vivek slipped the polished black leather knee-high riding boots on over his tight trousers and fastened the silver buckles at the tops.

He was missing something.

He looked around his small room and his eyes stopped on his chest of drawers. There was a long black box on it, and on top of it sat a horned black mask with metallic purple accents around the edges. He moved the mask to one side, flicked the brass latches on the box, and lifted the lid. Ensconced in dark blue velvet was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen.

Why would Tynan and Lord Timur want him armed at the ball? Was it because they really did believe someone would attempt to take Lord Timur’s life or that the vampire hunters would attack? Or was it purely for decoration? He couldn’t recall ever seeing weapons on any of the attendees at previous balls at the Venia mansion. Were the rules different when it was a centenary celebration?

The seven bloodlines rarely saw eye to eye, and one was often at war with another over a disagreement, either current or centuries old. Tynan had mentioned that this time each bloodline would bring guards with them, men and women who would stand sentinel outside their rooms during the day, as well as their aides. Perhaps this caution extended to the ball too so the lords and ladies would all carry weapons.

Vivek put the black leather belt on over his jacket and attached the sword to it.

He was starting to think that he and Sophis were acting as undercover security more than anything else. Tynan and Timur expected something to happen, even if it was only a fight between warring bloodlines.

Whatever happened, Vivek would be ready to deal with it. He wouldn’t let his commander or his lord down.

Or Sophis.

Vivek picked up the black mask, staring at the moulded shape of the nose, cheekbones and brow, and the two horns that curved up at the sides of it. Would Sophis recognise him in this? He placed the mask on. It covered the top half of his face and the two horns cut into his dark hair on either side of his head and stuck up above the top of it.

He smiled.

Whether she recognised him or not, she was going to dance with him. He hoped that she didn’t know that it was him, that it would come as a surprise when he revealed himself to be the one holding her close to his body, dancing with her. She wouldn’t be able to escape him then. If she recognised him before he had her in his arms, she might avoid him.

He stilled when he sensed Sophis in the hall and frowned when she paused outside his door. He waited, coiled tight, listening for even the faintest of knocks. She moved on and her signature drifted out of range of his senses, the walls and rooms between them causing interference.

Vivek shifted his focus to the rooms below his feet. Vampires rushed back and forth, too many to be only servants of his bloodline. The atmosphere in the mansion was heating up, an electric current that ran through the fabric of the building and affected everyone. Voices mingled below him and outside his door, chatter about the guests and who they had seen already.

The attendees were arriving.

He focused harder, pushing the limits of his heightened senses, trying to feel who had already arrived. Whoever it was, they were powerful enough that he could clearly feel them through the layers of the building. Another three signatures joined that one, each as strong as the last, and Vivek had half a mind to go down to the first floor and stand with the servants to watch the guests being led to their quarters. He would see them soon enough and it would look strange for one of the attendees to be watching the others arrive.

Sophis moved into the perimeter of his senses again, heading back along the corridor. Was she going to shower? He groaned as his mind dived right back into imagining her in one of the white stalls, water beating down on her bare body, and forced his focus away from her.

It snuck back again. Would her dress be black as he had imagined it or perhaps blood red? Crimson would suit her so well.

Vivek smiled to himself, tempted to wait on this floor until she was dressed and then go down to the ball with her. He left his room instead and headed along the corridor in the opposite direction to Sophis. If she knew what he looked like in his ball attire, she would be able to evade him all night, and he was intent on dancing with her so he could have her all to himself and could find the strength to confess everything. He took the stairs down to the first floor and did his best to blend in as he walked along the elegant hallway.

Servants of his bloodline and guards belonging to the guests moved out of his path as he approached, bowing their heads. Each vampire who reacted to him that way bolstered his confidence until he was striding along the corridor with his chin tipped up and chest puffed out. They didn’t need to know that he was only a guard.

Tonight, he was one of the elite.

V
ivek handed the guard at the entrance his invitation and entered the ballroom behind a small group of women dressed in fine ball gowns, slim masks concealing the area around their eyes. He paused beside the first column of the balcony that ran around three sides of the room. It looked so different to its normal appearance that he found himself taking everything in again. He had never seen it like this, lit up for a ball and filled with the sound of chatter and the orchestra as they warmed up. His gaze wandered over the elegant plasterwork and the beautiful chandeliers that cast warm light on the gathering vampires below. He stepped out from under the shadow of the balcony and tipped his head back. The painted ceiling looked beautiful, the colours of the scenery and people in it even more vivid and breathtaking than usual. It gave the entire room a sense of grandeur fitting for his bloodline.

The large rectangular ballroom was already filling up, several dozen of the attendees already present despite the early hour, and Vivek took the opportunity to single out those he had read about in the dossier before the room became too crowded. The vampires were still in groups that screamed of individual bloodlines and it wasn’t difficult to identify some of the lords and ladies he had seen in photographs.

Lady Prophecy Caelestis in particular. She made no effort to hide the star-shaped marks on her shoulders and chest that were related to the magic she could somehow control. She also wore a beautiful amulet over her gloved right hand that glittered under the candlelight and stood out against the deep plum satin. Her dress was equally dark purple, as elegant as expected of a lady, with a strapless corset and gathered waves of satin over the bell shaped skirt. The sight of her sent his mind spinning back to Sophis and wondering what colour she would wear. The first time he had been in the mansion during a Creator Day masquerade, he had marvelled at the colourful array of attendees. He had naively thought that all would wear black to such an occasion, that it was only right for vampires to dress in sombre colours, so the bright display had caught him off guard. Some of the males even dressed in distinguishing shades of midnight blue and forest green or deepest crimson. While the colours changed from male to male, all opted for elegant tailored jackets with stand-up collars like his own, coupled with tight trousers and polished riding boots.

His gaze darted between the men, noting that all had beautiful swords sheathed at their sides. Perhaps the weapon he had been given was necessary after all. He rested his left hand on the black and silver grip and guard and returned to watching Lady Prophecy of the Caelestis bloodline. She wore her red hair in an elaborate knot that revealed the many scars that littered her throat. Her illegal mate, Lord Valentine of the Aurorea bloodline, couldn’t be responsible for all of them. Were the rumours about them true?

Vivek’s attention shifted to the man stood close beside her, tall and distinguished, and handsome even with the black mask obscuring most of his face. It could only be the lord of Aurorea. His black hair and vivid green eyes gave him away even though the tall collar of his deep green jacket hid the scar across his throat. Lord Valentine touched Lady Prophecy’s elbow and she turned away from the dark haired woman she had been speaking to and smiled up at him. The Aurorea didn’t return the smile. He looked deadly serious as he spoke to her and her smile faded, her expression falling solemn too and luring Vivek into wanting to move closer so he could hear their conversation.

A commotion at the doorway caught Lady Prophecy’s attention and Vivek’s too. His right hand went to the sword at his side and he gripped it, ready to draw the weapon if there was trouble.

A tall man entered, head-to-toe in black, from the material of his fine clothing to the embroidery and buttons that embellished it, and the horned mask that cut into his overlong dirty blond hair at the sides of his head. He strode forwards and Vivek watched on as Lady Prophecy moved to greet him. As the man reached her, coming to stop directly under one of the chandeliers, she raised her hand and touched his cheek.

Long dark red lines cut across it, fresh enough that Vivek could smell the man’s potent blood. He was old and powerful. She said something Vivek couldn’t hear and he moved closer, intrigued about what had happened to the new arrival. Was it one of her bloodline? The dossier hadn’t mentioned any male in the Caelestis party who could match this man’s age.

Vivek worked his way through the crowd around them and halted a few metres away, using another group to remain unnoticed as he eavesdropped. He frowned when he still couldn’t hear what they were saying to each other above the din of voices around him. Both wore grave expressions, their eyes dark, and then the man’s look brightened as he smiled, caught Lady Prophecy’s hand and brought it to his lips. He pressed a long kiss to it, his eyes closing, and Vivek could have sworn that he was breathing her in as though savouring the fragrance of a delicate bloom. Vivek glanced at Lord Valentine and saw the slim man had not left his place with the group but was watching Lady Prophecy closely. Most mated males would have been tearing the man apart for touching their female. It meant that the new arrival could only be one man—Lord Venturi of the Tenebrae bloodline.