A Vampire for Christmas(22)

Sure, she felt at home with him and had really connected with his grandmother, but that shouldn’t surprise her. He was confident and seemed truly interested in her as a person, while Vik reminded her so much of her own grandmother. It didn’t mean that she had any claim to him or that she should harbor any expectations. No, she really wasn’t falling for him. Especially since he was now a client.

So, who do we have here?” Charlotte spun around to find the woman Trace had been talking to towering over her. With pouty red lips and blond hair framing her face, she was beautiful, but her eyes were dark, cruel. “Are you already planning on what furniture to buy when you move in together?”

Damn. Kari was right. She had to be an ex-girlfriend.

Charlotte took a half step back. “I’m sorry. Have we met?”

I know what’s going on. Are you hoping that he’ll change you, too? That you’ll need some well-made furniture built to last a lifetime?” The woman flashed a BOTOX smile, showing a row of perfect white teeth, but it didn’t reach her eyes. They stayed dark, unanimated, with just a rim of color around the pupils.

Alarm bells rang in Charlotte’s head, her skin suddenly cold. Oddly enough, Trace’s eyes would darken like this, as well, but with him, she’d never felt uncomfortable. Now, it was as if Charlotte were a rabbit looking into the muzzle of a hungry wolf.

Get the hell away from her, Leona,” Trace growled, stepping between the two of them.

A sigh of relief escaped Charlotte’s lips. Where had he come from? Unlike when the woman had come up behind her, Charlotte was now facing the main lobby area and hadn’t noticed him approaching. Without looking, he reached back and clasped her hand, warming her icy fingers.

Leona rubbed a fingernail below her lower lip as if to wipe off excess lipstick. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t going to hurt her. But she does look delicious. We were just talking, weren’t we?”

Hurt? What was she talking about?

I said go away.” Trace’s tone, though quiet, was sharp enough to cut paper.

You’re such a goddamn hypocrite,” Leona said. “Sitting on the Governing Council, telling the rest of us to stay away from humans when you’ve got a human girlfriend yourself.”

That’s enough.”

Is she petitioning you to become a changeling, too? ‘I’ll do anything,’” Leona said in a fake vibrato. “‘My body…my blood…if you’ll just turn me.’” She smiled again, broader this time, and Charlotte’s blood ran cold.

Two small fangs hung from Leona’s mouth, making indentations on her lower lip. “I want to be a vampire just like you,” she mocked.

Expect to be summoned,” Trace said curtly. Turning to Charlotte, he added, “Let’s go.”



ONCE OUTSIDE, CHARLOTTE grabbed Trace’s coat sleeve, forcing him to stop. Before he exited the hotel lobby however, he’d sent a quick text to the field office. Guardians would soon be here to take care of Leona, as well as find out just what her human friend knew.

What the hell was…that?” Charlotte whispered. “I know what I saw, but—vampires?”

We’ll talk about it in the car.” Maybe he could convince her it was nothing. Was that even possible after what she’d seen and heard? If not, he knew what he had to do.

No, I want to talk about it now.”

He glanced around. There were too many people to risk it here.

Come on,” Charlotte said, as if sensing his reluctance. “Let’s take a walk.” Incredibly, she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow.

A walk?”

Yes. I love this part of town. Besides, we’ll both think more clearly if we’re walking, and I have a feeling this is going to take more than a simple explanation.”

He gave a short laugh. “You got that right.” Why did it feel so natural, so comfortable to be with her? he thought bitterly as he automatically matched his stride to hers.

They passed a liquor store, making him wish he had a pint of something right now. Maybe it’d loosen up the knots of apprehension twisting in his gut. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Charlotte again. Hell, he’d barely said hello.

Listen, Charlotte. You weren’t meant to see what you did back there. That’s why I insisted on going to the party with you in the first place…so something like that wouldn’t happen.”

So what did happen?” Charlotte asked, her breath fogging in front of her face. “Leona kept referring to humans, not people. The fangs. The Council. Changelings.” She gave a nervous laugh but still hadn’t let go of him. “You can’t possibly be a…a… Can you?”