Silver Flame (Vampire Girl #3)(14)

"Well, well, well… " A deep, booming voice says from the shadows before we enter the room. "It looks like someone went and got themselves all magicked up! How delightfully wicked." The body that goes with the voice seems to materialize from smoke and appear before us.

We stand at the entrance of a large ballroom draped in more red velvet and gold. Spread throughout are chairs and sofas of velvet. There's a bar in one corner and tables full of food lining the walls. Some of the food is still moving. On stage, a live band made of creatures straight from a science fiction movie play instruments that look to be part of their body, creating an eerie, organic, fleshy musical sound. I'm about to ask about them, but my eyes continue to roam the room and I realize there are more creatures than I originally realized.

In one far corner a mermaid floats in a huge tank of water. Her blue hair billows around her like an ethereal halo. She has green tinted skin and green and blue scales and is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Her eyes catch mine. They are large blue-green orbs that nearly glow. Then her gaze shifts to Fen and she smiles, revealing shark-like teeth. When he notices her, she winks at him, and he looks away and frowns. I'll have to ask him about that later.

"Hello, Sly," Fen says.

The mysterious man's face curls into a smile. "Hello, Prince of War. You've changed some since we last met, haven't you?" His eyes turn to me before Fen can reply, and his face lights up. "And who do we have here? The epitome of loveliness and innocence, but so much more lurks beneath, does it not? The Midnight Star, returned to her people at last. So the rumors were true." He takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it gently. Fen tenses beside me, but I ignore him, my eyes glued to this strange man.

"I'm Arianna Spero. It's nice to meet you." I'm pleased to note my voice is firm, and not as wavering as I feel under the dark gaze of Sly. "But it's not very nice to use this forceful magic on your guests, is it? That's hardly a proper welcome."

From the corner of my eye I see Fen grin at my cheekiness. But he still looks worried. I know I'm probably playing with fire, but it's getting harder to breathe and the magic he's placed on us is making my bones hurt.

"Forgive me, but one can never be too careful with powerful magic wielders. I assume I have your word that neither of you will use your gifts to harm any of my guests while here?" Sly is still holding my hand. His words are light, but his gaze is heavy.

"You have my word," I say.

"And mine," Fen says. He looks at me. "The penalty for breaking this rule is death," he informs me.

"Oh. Okay then."

Baron growls, but sits between us calmly.

Sly smiles down at the wolf and pulls from somewhere unknown in his silky black robes a raw steak. "Here you go, boy. Enjoy a treat."

He drops the meat at Baron's feet. The wolf sniffs it once, looks up at Fen, then back down, and devours the steak greedily.

Sly looks at me for another moment longer, then uses his index finger to draw a symbol into the air. All at once the tension I felt within me subsides, and I can breathe deeply again. I see Fen suck in oxygen and relax a fraction as well.

"Thank you for removing the spell," I say.

"Anything for a beautiful lady such as yourself," he says, his black eyes holding my gaze with a level of intimacy that is beginning to make me uncomfortable. I get the impression this man can have anyone he wants, whenever he wants.

Fen drapes a protective arm around me, and I roll my eyes, but I don't pull away.

Sly looks at us both and smiles. "There must be some terrific story in this. I will insist on hearing all about it. But first, let us fix this state you're in." He wrinkles his nose delicately in distaste at our appearance. Probably at our smell, too. The waterfall helped slough off some of the dungeon grime, but not all.

Sly pulls a black wand made of bone and crystal out of his robes and studies us a moment. He then snaps his fingers and grins. "I have it now. Stand still, you three. This will only sting a moment."

Before I can object, he waves the wand over us and mutters an incantation of some kind in a dark language dripping with magic. My body burns, and Fen stiffens next to me but doesn't move.

I bite my tongue to keep from crying out as the magic digs into me. There is smoke, light, pain, and then it all disappears, and the three of us are no longer dripping wet. We are dry, but not just dry, we are all wearing new clothes, and my body is fresh and clean—even my teeth. I look down at my dress in admiration. It's long and dark with feathers cresting my shoulders and chest and a silver crystal pendant hanging at my throat. On my head sits a crown of crystal and silver. Fen is dressed in black leggings and tunic, a fur cloak emblazoned with a silver wolf hanging from his shoulders. Dean is draped in black silk, his chest mostly exposed, of course.

Sly claps his hands. "Much better. You are all dressed properly for your stations. Now come, join me for a drink. Tell me what you want, and I'll tell you what it will cost."

Sly leads us through the large room, greeting each guest by name with a smile and a witty quip. He's the epitome of charm and style and everyone either loves him or has a very healthy respect for him, it seems. He looks quite human, save the black eyes that look like pits to hell—well, the dungeon part of hell at any rate.

When we pass the mermaid swimming languidly in the spacious water tank built into the wall, she places a hand on the glass. Behind her, beautiful fish and sea flora decorate the chamber. Her voice echoes through some kind of speaker system. "Fenris Vane. You haven't come to see me in ever so long."