Chapter Eight
Iforce a tight smile, staring at Ambrose’s cheek to give the appearance of politeness without having to look into those eerie eyes. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Ambrose.”
“The pleasure is mine,” he says. He takes my hand and lifts it to his mouth. The kiss he grazes against my knuckle is gentle, but his grip is hard enough to hurt. “I heard my wayward fledgling was causing trouble for you.”
Right. Claude called him sire. Benjamin told me that Claude is older and stronger than he appears, and this is the man who created him.
If Claude is one hundred and fifty, then…
the mere idea of how old Ambrose must be makes me feel lightheaded.
“Oh, he wasn’t causing trouble,” I say, my voice trembling. “We were just joking around.”
“Curious.” Ambrose lowers my hand from his lips but doesn’t release it. “Claude is not often prone to humor.”
I’m not sure how to respond, so I say nothing.
“Nor does he often take such an interest in humans,” Ambrose continues after a moment.
He’s still holding my hand too tightly; I swear I can feel my bones grind together.
“He used to dabble in romantic follies, but it has been a long while. I confess I am curious about why you caught his eye. I had to have a look for myself.” He smiles, a glint of fang. “Or should I say, a taste?”
There’s only one answer I can possibly give. I hold out my free hand to Benjamin, and he delivers my blood card. I present it to Ambrose, smiling silently because I’m afraid that a quake in my voice will betray me.
After a cursory glance at my tasting notes, he signs his name under my next slot.
He hands the fan to Benjamin rather than returning it to me, and then grabs my hand without waiting for me to offer.
His fingers are shockingly cold and strong as they encircle my wrist. He pulls me to a seat on a nearby couch.
“May I?” he asks, as if he isn’t already holding me in a viselike grip.
His expression is smooth, his posture casual; it doesn’t seem like he’s intending to hurt me, but rather that he’s oblivious to the fact he might be.
Such strength paired with such indifference strikes instinctive terror deep within me.
But I swallow it down, even as my heart thuds in my ears.
I resist the urge to look at Benjamin or otherwise falter.
Ambrose has already signed my card; asking is just a courtesy, and I don’t want to cause a scene or a scandal by backing out for no reason.
It’s just a bite, and my past ones have been quite pleasant.
Surely this can’t be too bad, even though something about this vampire sets my teeth on edge.
“Of course,” I say through a fake smile.
His fangs sink into me not a half second later, and I bite my lip to suppress a yelp. It hurts in a way other bites haven’t, and there’s an uncomfortable pulling sensation that makes me feel dizzy. It doesn’t last long, but as he pulls away, it leaves me lightheaded.
“Mm.” Ambrose licks his lips, looking thoughtful, and shrugs. “Not as sweet as I prefer.” He directs the words at Benjamin instead of me. “I must admit I don’t see what the fuss is about.”
Benjamin smiles stiffly. “We all have our tastes.”
Ambrose walks away without another word, leaving me bleeding on the chaise.
Teeth gritted, I press my hand to the wound until Benjamin sits beside me and heals it with a touch of his blood.
But even as the puncture marks on my wrist seal, bruises darken around them where Ambrose’s fingers gripped me.
“Are you alright?” Benjamin asks.
I nod. “It was… unpleasant, but I’m fine.” I brush hair out of my face and let out a breath, then look up at Benjamin. “What in the world just happened?”
He’s watching the crowd where Ambrose disappeared, his brows pulled together in a troubled expression. “I’m not certain,” he says. “But I’m quite sure we don’t want to end up involved in whatever it is.” He looks back at me. “At least it seems to have gotten rid of your unwanted suitor.”
I think about Claude’s sad gaze and gentle touch, at odds with his sire’s punishing grip and eerie stare. But Benjamin is right. Claude wasn’t what I wanted in a patron, and whatever dynamic created such tension between him and his sire, it’s better for me to stay away from it.
* * *
The hours blur together as the evening goes on.
I fill up a plate at the buffet table, bypassing the champagne fountain and mountains of baked goods to find more vitamin-rich options like meat, spinach, and fruit.
I end up giving most of it away to other valentines when I find them delicately snacking on chocolate-covered strawberries and macarons.
“Where are their chaperones?” I huff when Benjamin gently steers me away. “That man looked like he was about to pass out, and he was eating pure sugar!”
He leads me to a couch and places a fresh plate into my hands, loaded with the same options I chose for myself. “A lot of agencies consider their work done when they arrive at the ball,” he says. “They don’t chaperone like I do.”
I frown as I bite into a mini beef wellington, too distracted to appreciate the decadent bite of golden pastry and tender meat. “Well, they should.”
He smiles. “I agree. It’s one reason why I opened my agency. To make things safer for hopeful valentines.” He nudges my plate. “Eat up. The night is young.”
A number of vampires approach Benjamin and me to inquire about my blood card.
I spend some time with a soft-spoken woman with Celeste’s moon symbol hanging around her neck, and a charming young man with a Camelia rose pinned to his lapel.
Yet even as I force a smile and say everything I’m supposed to say, my mind is far away, and my gaze keeps wandering to the crowd around us.
But Claude is gone. He’s no longer blocking my chances at meeting a more suitable patron, and I have no problem filling up the remaining slots on my blood card. It’s exactly what I wanted.
But no other vampire’s bite feels the way his did. None send that delicious shiver up my spine. I’m grateful each time Benjamin steps in to announce they took enough blood.
“It’s for the best,” I murmur to myself, sitting with my eyes closed as Benjamin heals my wrist for the last time. I’m a little lightheaded after this last bloodletting, but I haven’t fainted, which is more than I can say for a number of other humans who had to be carried out of the ballroom.
“What is?”
I was talking to myself, but I didn’t account for vampires and their heightened senses. “Oh, um. That I didn’t find a patron, I mean.”
Benjamin huffs a laugh. “What makes you think you didn’t?”
I open my eyes and blink at him, perplexed. “Nobody asked.”
“That’s normal. You’ll receive official offers tomorrow evening, after the vampires get approval from their courts.”
“Oh.” My brow furrows. “I didn’t realize courts were involved in the process.”
“A valentine contract binds them to protect you, in your patron’s name, so yes.”
There’s still hope… but I’m afraid to let myself feel it. “None of them seemed to particularly like me, though.” Except for Claude. That goes unspoken.
“I don’t think you were paying attention,” Benjamin says, his tone equal parts amused and chastising. “It seemed like your mind was on something else. Or… someone else?” He arches a brow.
A flush heats my face. “I don’t know what you mean.” I take off my glasses and busy myself cleaning them. “Well, it’s over now, right? At least I didn’t have to embarrass myself on the dance floor.”
“Oh, I’m not letting you off that easy.” Benjamin stands. When I put my glasses back on, he sharpens into focus, one hand extended toward me. “You can’t leave your first ball without at least one dance.”
I hesitate. “You know what my dancing looks like…”
“Trust me, I’ve seen worse. Will you do me the honor?”
My hand hovers over his before I place it in his grasp.
Despite my reservations, I can’t help but smile as he lifts me to my feet and pulls me to the dance floor.
I don’t do any better than I did in training, but Benjamin leads me effortlessly in a way that makes me feel elegant nonetheless.
Soon, the way he spins and dips me has me laughing and breathless, grateful for his steady, friendly presence among all of the tumult tonight.
Still, as the music dies away, I find myself searching the crowd for a pair of sad blue eyes.