Chapter 11
Eleven
SOPHIE
My heart is beating like a stampede. I can’t believe how quickly I unraveled when that guy touched me.
At first, I was stunned, but then a wild emotion surged within me.
It wasn’t bloodlust, but similar. I was seconds away from ripping his heart out with my bare hand.
I guess when he grabbed me, he inadvertently triggered something I had buried deep.
I entered survival mode. His saving grace was that he backed down quickly and apologized.
His green eyes seemed sincere, and his reaction gave me pause.
I don’t move from the spot as I watch him cross the street.
For a strange reason, I want to follow him, though I don’t know if it’s to kill him or apologize for my over-the-top response.
Both options are out of the question, so I run away instead, hiding in an alleyway between two buildings.
No one is around besides a few mice that scurry away in the dark.
“Are you okay?” Tish sticks her head out of my purse, where she’s supposed to remain hidden.
“I don’t know.”
“You snapped at that poor guy. Maybe you need more time.”
“I’ve been cooped up in my father’s house for two months,” I retort. “I can do this. I need to do this.”
Tish doesn’t offer a reply right away. She knows when she needs to give me space. Once my breathing returns to normal, she speaks again. “I’m glad you didn’t kill that Good Samaritan. He was cute. It’d be such a waste.”
I roll my eyes. “Not all pretty faces deserve to live.”
“True, but he saved your life… well, he would have if you were human.”
Not wanting to think about that man anymore, I say, “I’m ready to go into the club.”
“Good. I didn’t sign up to spend the whole evening in this stinky alley.”
Squaring my shoulders, I take a steadying breath and venture out of my hiding spot. This time, I look both ways before crossing the street. Despite my attempt to forget my savior, I search for him in the crowd. I don’t see him anywhere, so he either left or he’s already inside.
Forget about him, Sophie.
There’s a long line outside the club and it’s not moving at all. I doubt I’ll get in if I wait for my turn. Not happening. I didn’t wait two months to finally be able to move freely only for my first night out to be a bust. I walk straight to the bouncer at the door.
“Hey, there’s a line!” a woman complains.
The bouncer looks me up and down and, sneering, says, “You heard her. Back of the line, girlie.”
“You’re going to let me in. I’m on the list.” I force my will into my words, using the power of compulsion common to all Blueblood vampires.
Like magic, the bouncer’s gaze becomes unfocused, and he relaxes his stance.
“Of course. You’re on the list.” He steps to the side and lets me through.
Inside the club, there’s another line to check coats, but I’m only wearing a leather jacket and prefer to keep it.
The background music is loud, and the club is dark, but I can pick up distinct bits of conversation if I concentrate, and I can see far beyond what human sight can.
The modern music grated on my nerves in the beginning, but after suffering through it thanks to Tish’s insistence, it doesn’t bother me anymore.
It’s fairly crowded in the club, which is probably why the line outside wasn’t moving. Surprisingly, being in a jam-packed room doesn’t trigger me, even when I get bumped by people trying to move past me. I suppose my problem is only on an individual basis—if someone grabs me out of the blue.
Once again, I search for my savior. In my panic, I didn’t pay close attention to how he looked. I only remember his sincere green eyes. Now I’m curious to see if Tish was right.
“What’s the plan?” she asks, but this time, she remains hidden.
“We walk around and keep our eyes peeled and our ears open. Maybe we can gain some intel.”
“It’s not like I can see much from inside your purse, but I don’t sense any vampires in the vicinity.”
“Me neither.”
I don’t tell Tish, but now that I’m here, I’m not sure what I want to accomplish.
Hoping to hear gossip about Lucca’s whereabouts will be like finding a needle in a haystack.
I guess I just needed to get out of the house and experience this new world in person before I can actually formulate a solid plan.
In theory, as a Blueblood vampire, I’d be able to enroll at Bloodstone Institute and find the secret room where they’re keeping Madeleine Boucher.
But since we don’t want anyone to know about my connection to my father, that’s not a route I can take.
The background music cuts off abruptly, and the crowd grows quiet.
There’s a sudden rush of excitement in the air, bouncing off the walls.
The lights on the stage change as the band members get into their positions.
It’s still fairly dark, until a man with purple hair stops in front of the microphone and a spotlight shines on him.
“Good evening, everyone. I hope you’re having a good time. My name is Nathan, and we are Second Time Around.”
They start their first song, and the crowd goes wild, whistling and hollering.
“Oh, I wonder if they’re famous,” I mutter.
“Doubt it. They wouldn’t be playing in a small venue in Salem if they were. Plus, they’re a cover band.”
“What’s that?”
“They don’t play original songs, only popular music by other artists.”
“The crowd seems into them.”
“It’s Salem. They excite easily. Hey, isn’t that your knight in shining armor?”
I switch my attention to the left, and sure enough, there he is, holding a bass guitar. “Yes, it’s him.”
Even though he’s not the lead singer, I can’t take my eyes off him.
Tish wasn’t wrong. He is attractive, plus he’s a skilled musician.
I’m mesmerized by how he moves his fingers, and suddenly, I begin to imagine those fingers on my skin.
Shit. What am I thinking? I can’t be having lustful thoughts about a stranger who’s not even supposed to be a snack.
“Oh my. He’s even more attractive on that stage, isn’t he?”
“What?”
Since getting stuck in her cat form many centuries ago, Tish lives vicariously through me.
If I agree with her, she won’t leave me alone until I do something about my attraction.
I’m not sure I trust myself with any male—human or vampire.
I turn around and walk away from the dance floor and the stage.
“Hey! Where are we going? I was enjoying the show.”
“We didn’t come here to have a good time. We have work to do.”
“I don’t see why we can’t do both.”
I ignore her protests and keep walking, searching for anyone of the non-human variety.
It doesn’t take long for me to find a group of people of interest. They’re human, but the concentration of power surrounding them tells me there are mages and witches in the group.
Two women and two men in their early twenties are standing leisurely with their gazes trained on the stage.
They seem relaxed until a third man joins them.
“Did you find out anything useful?” one guy asks.
He’s not bothering to keep his voice low, assuming that no one in the vicinity will overhear him over the loud music. They don’t know a vampire is nearby, more than capable of hearing them clearly.
“No. No one has heard from Hector in months.”
My entire body becomes rigid. Hector was the name of the mage I killed. Father said no one would miss him, but deep down, I knew that statement to be false. My father simply didn’t care.
“It’s not like him to disappear like that,” one of the girls says. “We should have made him come to Boston with us.”
“Do we know if he took a job before his radio silence?” the second guy asks.
“If he did, it was on the down-low,” the man who joined the party replies. “Dad is being extra careful now about the jobs guild associates can take.”
“Because of the fucking asshole vampires.” The first guy throws his plastic cup on the floor. “They ruin everything.”
“Sheesh, they really don’t like vamps,” Tish mutters.
“Do you think Hector took a job from a bloodsucker?” the second girl asks.
“If he did, he was an idiot. Everyone knows it’s not safe to work for vamps.”
“But it wouldn’t be the first time Hector did something stupid,” the second guy points out.
The third guy rubs his face. “If vampires are responsible for Hector’s disappearance, then it must be from Tatiana’s side.”
I bristle. It’s Queen Tatiana, asshole. And why would they immediately assume we’re behind it even though it’s true?
“You’re only saying that because Troy is dating the High Witch’s younger daughter.”
“Oh, they have tea,” Tish chimes in again.
“That’s not why,” the third guy grits out. “It’s a known fact. King Raphael doesn’t employ rogue mages.”
“Maybe not him, but I wouldn’t be so sure all his supporters follow that rule,” the first girl retorts.
“We shouldn’t be discussing this here. If something happened to Hector because he was stupid enough to accept a risky assignment, that’s on him,” the third guy says.
“That’s such an entitled comment coming from your privileged situation, Daniel,” the first guy snaps. “Work has dried up. It’s either take risks or starve. You know what? I’m outta here.”
The foursome group heads toward the exit, and Daniel, the one whose father is the head of the Guild of Rogue Mages, veers for the bar. I doubt he’ll be in the mood to spill more secrets, and I can’t risk blowing my cover.
“Who do you think this Hector guy was?” Tish asks.
“He’s the mage my father hired,” I whisper.
“Oh shit. The one you drank dry?”
“The very same.”
“Oh man. Tough break.”
“That Daniel guy wasn’t wrong. It was a risky assignment. I wish Father had taken precautions.”
“You’re not feeling remorse, are you?”
For some reason, I glance at the stage again. More specifically, I stare at the bass player. “No, but I think I should.”
“Why feel guilty over something you couldn’t control? Everyone knows vampires in bloodlust can’t help themselves. If anyone is to blame, it’s your father. He should have brought reinforcements. I don’t know why Igor wasn’t there with those arms that translate as trees.”
“I don’t know either,” I reply, distracted.
“Do you want to go home or…?”
My stomach grumbles, catching me by surprise. I fed recently, but denying the hunger when it strikes isn’t smart. “No, let’s stay for a bit more. I need a snack.”