A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(19)

Nevertheless, he was a pleasant way to pass the evening, and I sure didn’t mind his attention.

Especially while Avril and Heron were infiltrating his mansion.





Avril





(Daughter of Lucas & Marion)





Heron and I had been dancing for twenty minutes straight. We were trying to move close enough to one of the service doors so we could sneak out and find Arrah in the Roho mansion, but there were so many people glancing at us between turns on the dancefloor. Not to mention the lustful smiles we both got from Maras chilling by one of the bars.

I was getting frustrated and peculiarly hot, with Heron’s arms wrapped around my waist, his body hard and searing against mine, and his fragrance invading my nostrils and filling my senses. He was a massive distraction—and we had a mission to accomplish.

“I think I should’ve gone for something more… drab,” I muttered, noticing another male Exiled Mara winking my way, forcing me to roll my eyes.

“Frankly, after how long it took you to pick a dress and come help us in the library, I’m glad you look like… this,” Heron grumbled, managing to get us to the edge of the dancefloor.

“Yeah, well, it’s not helping. It’s red and bright and everybody’s looking. How the hell are we going to sneak out?”

“That’s not why they’re looking,” Heron replied.

“Don’t tell me it’s because you’re looking so dashing, because I will slap you, Heron Dorchadas,” I shot back.

“You could be wearing a burlap sack and they’d still be looking, Avril. You’re simply beautiful and don’t need a flashy red dress to stand out.”

He floored me with that statement. I held my breath as my gaze found his. His expression was hard, his jade eyes burning, and a muscle was twitching in his jaw. He had this way of being honest and capable of completely debilitating me at the same time, all so cleanly and effortlessly. I was impressed, and my throat burned.

“That being said, the red and the cleavage aren’t helping either. I’m having trouble focusing. I think I’ll file a complaint against you when we get back, for inappropriate conduct in a work environment,” he added, a grin blooming on his gorgeous face, which I suddenly had an urge to slap.

That was Heron, after all. He turned me into a hot mess with a glance and few words, then poured ice water all over me and expected me to thank him.

“That’s funny, because I could’ve sworn people were staring at your two left feet.” I raised an eyebrow.

He frowned, then feigned his outrage.

“What? I’ll have you know I’m one of the best dancers to come out of White City,” he replied.

“Did you come out of White City, or did you get kicked out for waltzing like a horse with broken legs?”

He didn’t bother with a comeback, but I’d definitely hit a nerve. I gasped as he spun me around, then pulled me tight against him. He led me in a smooth, tango-like dance, following the strings and drums of the music.

I had to bite my lower lip and swallow my words, because Heron certainly could dance. His hand moved farther up my spine, the other gently touching the base of my neck, and pushed me to the point where I dipped, my back arched as Heron bent forward, his lips inches away from mine.

I held my breath as he pulled me back up and resumed a slower dance rhythm, his gaze locked on my face. My pulse was racing, my heartbeats echoing in my ears from his sudden display of dancing prowess and the proximity of his body.

“Did that feel as good for you as it did for me?” His voice was raspy and raw.

Alarm bells rang in my head. Heron was so much trouble. I had to stay focused. Fortunately for me, I found my distraction a few moments later. Hansa dancing with Emilian closer to our side seemed to draw people’s attention, enough for me to finally see a clear path to the service door.

“On my mark,” I whispered, prompting him to follow my gaze. “Three, two, one, go…”

I darted through the short, narrow hallway, followed closely by Heron. We followed two waiters through the service door, then stopped in the middle of a perpendicular corridor. The Imen were headed left, into the kitchen. We moved in the opposite direction, until we reached a French door leading out into the backyard.

Leaving the music and the party behind, we looked around and carefully snuck through the garden. We followed one of the stone paths, hiding behind manicured hedges whenever we heard voices. Eventually, we made it to the back of the Kifo property, where the stables stretched from left to right, in front of a forest that grew farther up the mountain.

There were Imen and Exiled Maras moving around the Kifo mansion, but none had spotted us yet. Horses neighed from the stables, and the wind rushed through the overhead tree crowns, making the leaves rustle. Two moons were up, which meant it wasn’t midnight just yet. It was the perfect time to visit the Roho mansion.

“This way,” Heron whispered, then took my hand. We rushed down the pebbled road. He felt warm and confident, and I didn’t have a problem keeping up with him, despite my high heels.

We passed the Obara mansion, where the lights were off. The Roho residence seemed quiet as well. A small path led up to the backyard, where a white gazebo stood quietly in the middle. Lights flickered on the ground floor.

“What now?” I asked.