A Shadow of Light (A Shade of Vampire #4)(2)

“There was another crew digging at the site. They were also after the orb.”

“And who might I ask is behind this other crew?”

His name tasted bitter in my mouth. “Aiden Claremont,” I hissed.

Mr. Banks’ wrinkled old face contorted in surprise. “Aiden Claremont? What would a guy like him want with an artifact like that?”

I frowned at Mr. Banks, raising my eyes to meet his for the first time. “You know him?”

“Of course I know him.” The man was looking at me like I’d been living under a rock all my life. “He’s one of the youngest multi-millionaires in the world. He owns one of the largest security conglomerates in the United States. You’d never heard of him?”

I shook my head. “Hard to know about people like that when you spend all your time inside libraries and museums.”

Mr. Banks narrowed his eyes on me. “Well, we had a deal, Miss Saunders. I paid for your dig, you get me the orb. Unless you get the Red Orb in my hands, then I’ll ask you to pay me back everything I spent on your expedition.”

My hands gripped the armrests of my seat, knowing full well that there was no way I could afford to part with that kind of money. “But…how… Where would I get that much money?”

“Figure it out. I’ll give you a month, Miss Saunders.”

Mr. Banks’ ultimatum was still circling my mind when I returned to the apartment I was sharing with Amelia. The moment I arrived, she threw a pillow at me.

“You will never guess who just called,” she exclaimed.

“Not in the mood for your guessing games…” I went straight for the refrigerator to get a cold drink of the pink lemonade I’d made earlier that day. “I have a headache.”

“What happened?”

“Don’t want to talk about it.”

“All right. Well, you’ll be happy to find out that the love of your life, Aiden Claremont, just called. He’s hoping to meet you for dinner tonight.”

I choked on the lemonade and coughed violently—something Amelia found hilarious—especially after she had taken a quick shot of the scene with her Polaroid camera. “I knew your reaction to the news would be precious!”

“Why would he want to meet for dinner?” I asked, suddenly feeling my cheeks grow red at the prospect of seeing him again. I was inwardly slapping myself for acting like a foolish teenager.

“How am I supposed to know?” Amelia shrugged. “Oh my gosh, Cam! Are you blushing?!”

“I’m not!” I screeched in horror. But I was. He was the only guy who’d ever been able to do that—make me blush.

I checked my appearance in the living room’s full-length mirror for about the hundredth time. I didn’t understand why I cared what he thought about me. I tried to remind myself that I hated him, that he was an arrogant, pompous and conceited “doorknob,” but I was fooling myself and I knew it. Aiden Claremont was every bit my match and that made him attractive to me.

Plus he has the Red Orb. Of course I find him attractive, I told myself as I smoothed my palms over the contours of my waist. I wasn’t exactly the kind of girl one would find in magazines, with the tall, skinny, hourglass figure. I had more of an athletic build—mostly because of the kind of work I did. Still, I knew I was beautiful. Staring at myself in the mirror, taking in what others often called my assets, a familiar sickening sensation came over me.

For all the glory it got from the world, beauty was a commodity that I had to pay dearly for. Long buried memories of my past began to haunt me and I had to hold on to a nearby chair for support to prevent myself from falling off balance.

“Wow, Cam.” Amelia stepped out of her bedroom and looked at me. Concern sparked in her eyes. “Are you alright?”

I nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Nervous about your date?”

“It’s not a date.”

“Uh-huh…for all I know, you’ll be making a bunch of little Aidens and Camillas in no time.”

I was stunned by how revolting the idea seemed to me. “No. Never. Mark my words, Amelia. I will never have children—his or anyone else’s.”

I could never forget the way Aiden looked that night. Crisp, white shirt, straight cut jeans, shiny black shoes… That smile… That look in his eyes when he first laid eyes on me—like I was the most beautiful woman in the room.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he greeted with a wide smile.

I frowned at him, desperately trying to keep my walls up, afraid of what would happen once they all completely crumbled—something that seemed to be inevitable considering how charming he was being. “Could we just cut to the chase and get to business, Claremont? Why did you ask to meet with me?”

“Get to business, Camilla? Is that why you put on mascara to emphasize those lovely, long lashes of yours? Is that why you’re all dolled up and looking incredible tonight?” He narrowed his eyes at me, looking as dashing as ever. “You dressed up just so we could discuss business?”

“The way I look and the way I dress should be of no concern to you, Claremont.” I shifted my weight on my seat, hoping that my voice wouldn’t break so that he wouldn’t see past my bluff. “I want the Red Orb. What do I have to do to get it?”