Crimson Death (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #25)(9)

“Or drink it straight,” Lara added, swirling her soda around the glass. “You might need a stiff drink before tonight.”

What was that supposed to mean? I considered calling her out on it, but I decided to play nice for a while longer. No use making enemies in the only group I had right now. “Actually, I’m okay for now, thanks.”

Lara rolled her eyes back so only the whites were visible. “Let me guess. You don’t drink?”

“Not often,” I said airily. And by that, I meant “never.” Back in San Jose, my friends were mostly straight edge. It was cooler not to drink in our circle. I couldn’t think of a way to say that without sounding like a pretentious douche bag, though, so I left it.

Lara raised her glass. “Then let tonight be one of the special occasions.”

I smiled with my lips. “No, thank you.”

Niamh looked between us nervously. Lara blinked at me, then took a deep gulp of her own drink. “Whatever, dude. Chill. Take it you, uh, don’t smoke, either? What are your views on swearing and premarital sex, pray tell?”

I was saved from responding by Juliette, who shook her head, hopped over the nearest clothing pile, and sprayed perfume all over herself like it was deodorant. If her scent goal for the night was to turn into a walking asthma hazard, she was nailing it. “No smoking tonight, unfortunately,” she said. “Mom’s been catching on, open windows or not.”

Niamh threw herself back on the bed and kicked her legs in the air in a kind of yoga-protest. I watched her, then glanced back to Lara in time to catch her gesturing to me while pulling an “is he for real?” face at Juliette.

Lara didn’t realize I noticed her. Juliette did, though. She chewed the inside of her lip, but didn’t try to defend me. Which was fair, I guessed. She’d only just met me. Why should she go into battle on my behalf? Still. It didn’t do wonders for my comfort levels. I’d better start practicing mindfulness real fast, or I might do something rash, like fake salmonella poisoning and bail. But then I’d have wasted all that emotional blackmail on my parents, and ruined my chances at fitting in with a group. Even if it was a group that was maybe a little too edgy for me. It was better than being alone.

I spent a solid twenty or so seconds thinking over all of the above. And by that, I mean I spent a solid twenty or so seconds sitting in silence, staring ahead mindfully. My brain had officially gone on strike. I think I might have been panicking.

Finally, a topic came to me. “Did you do that on purpose? Rose-gold roses?”

Juliette unclasped her chain and held it out to examine it. “Huh. I didn’t even think of that. Rose gold.”

“Double the rose power,” Niamh said. “Even better.”

“What do they stand for?” I asked.

“Female strength,” Juliette said. “It was the symbol of Venus.”

“Not love?” I asked.

“Who needs love when you can have passion?” Lara said. She brought the chain up over her jaw and clenched the metal between her teeth.

“I like them,” I said.

“Too bad they don’t sell them anymore,” Lara said. “Limited edition, you know? That’s why we don’t let new girls into the group. It’d ruin the theme.”

Before I spent too long floundering for a response, Juliette jumped in. “Hey, finish your drinks now anyway, guys. We should probably head over soon.”



The house was an anthill. Everyone at the party seemed to know each other—everywhere I looked was arm-clapping, and lip-reading from across the room, and people putting silent hexes on each other with angry, narrowed eyes. The temperature soared by at least twenty degrees as soon as we walked into the living room, and the air smelled like warm beer and Axe body spray.

Lara had to shout to make herself heard over the music. “I’m gonna go scout.”

With that she was off. To scout for guys, I guessed? Or alcohol? Juliette hesitated, then held a finger up in a “one second” gesture. “I’m going with her. We won’t be long.”

And then there were two. Niamh and I glanced at each other, basking in the awkwardness. How did you start a conversation again? I was about to settle for so, you like stuff? when she saved me the severe embarrassment by speaking first. “I know we’re only at the start of the year, but what are your plans for after school? Got any colleges in mind?”

A group of guys pushed past me to get to the front door, and we moved to the wall to get out of the way. “Not really. I’m not even sure if I want to go to college. I was hoping to figure that out sometime this year. How about you?”

Niamh brightened. Something told me she’d had this answer ready for some time. “Actually, college is my backup. Ideally, I’ll move to New York and get into modeling.”

“Oh, seriously?”

“Yup. There’s an agent up there who’s pretty interested in some of my pictures, so I’m hoping to build my portfolio a bit and go for it.”

“That’s awesome. You could have a real shot, too. You’re crazy pretty.”

Niamh glowed, and shrugged. “Well, obviously we don’t have to beat around the bush, I’d be doing plus-sized modeling.”

“I’m not beating around any bushes. You are crazy pretty.”