A breeze, a brush of something against my back … Half turning, I felt Caden’s body pressing up behind mine, his mouth hovering over my right ear. My skin began to tingle. He thinks I betrayed him, my touch will soon be lethal, and yet he’s willing to protect me. With a trembling hand, I reached back to clutch his fingers. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to regard the group, now feeling marginally safer.
The six new faces stood as a poker-faced wall to oppose “the enemy”: Mage, Viggo, Sofie, and Mortimer. Amelie stood off in a corner with Julian tucked in behind her. Why he was here, risking his own safety, was beyond me. Why I was here was also questionable. No doubt Sofie had her reasons, though.
All except one of the vampires looked to be in their twenties to early thirties, based on physical appearance. And as usual, all were striking beyond measure. Four males stood side by side like soldiers, frozen and grim-faced, dressed in perfectly tailored dark clothing. Next to them, a brunette woman in a full-length red leather jacket and thigh-high stiletto boots faced off against Sofie, a pinched glare on her face. The little hairs on my neck lifted. That has to be Lilly. Such a pretty name for such a hideous thing.
As alarmingly scary as Lilly was, it was the female vampiress standing next to her who garnered my attention. It wasn’t because of the shiny black bob framing her tiny porcelain doll face; it wasn’t because of the way she eyed me, genuine curiosity sparkling in her pale blue irises, or that she was smiling. It was because she was a child! No more than twelve or thirteen in appearance, though she held none of the gangly or awkward traits of a prepubescent. Above all the fear and guilt that I stepped into this room carrying, my heart ached for this poor girl. What monster would transform a child?
Despite the tension in the room—thick enough to choke a person—I returned the little girl’s smile, finding solace in it. In a room full of vipers, this little creature appeared so refreshing, so innocent, so unpretentious …
Lilly spoke, her acrid voice ruining the moment. “She’s human,” she stated without so much as a glimpse in my direction, red lips twisting derisively.
“Only a little different, I sense …,” the child murmured with the most lovely British accent, her head cocking to the side. She had to be sensing the Tribal magic within me.
The sound of hands clapping bounced around the cavernous room. “Bravo, Kait,” Viggo said, his cold gaze settling on Lilly, needling her with a smirk. “I can see why Lilly has added you to her harem.”
I frowned. Wait a minute … If Lilly is Kait, then who is …
“Evangeline, meet Lilly,” Sofie introduced calmly, gesturing toward the child.
That’s Lilly? I gawked openly, shocked. This was the wicked, dangerous vampire who had everyone in a frenzy? Those pale blue eyes shifted to me again. “Hello,” I stumbled. With a struggle, I managed another smile.
She didn’t return it this time. “You tell me you are desperate for our help and that you have venom again, and yet you flaunt two humans, both fond of their vampire companions.” Lilly’s pointed at Caden and me to prove her claim. “Why on earth would I believe you? Please explain.” Listening to her speak, to her language, a prickle of discomfort crawled down my spine, the temporary sense of her innocence dissolving faster than sugar in boiling water.
Mage was the one who answered. “Try to sense her emotions, her mood and see if—”
“I already have,” Lilly cut her off in her childlike British lilt, pausing. “I can’t. She’s a blur.”
“Yes. That’s the effect of an anti-vampire magic coursing through her body due to … an unfortunate event,” Sofie explained. “We cannot convert her yet.”
“An unfortunate event? Another one of your mistakes?” Lilly’s tone had turned hostile. They glared at each other, exchanging a silent understanding. “Why is she here then? Why are either of the humans here?”
Good question, Lilly.
“I brought her here tonight because, well …” Sofie’s voice buckled slightly as if the next words pained her, “she means a great deal to me. Everything to me, in fact.” For just a second, her features softened. It only lasted an instant and then she was back to hard-ass Sofie, leveling Lilly with her confident gaze. “I could have hidden her from you. I didn’t. I want you to see that I am trusting you implicitly with all knowledge. That is how critical this situation is.” That’s why I was here? A sign of good faith?
Lilly seemed to consider that for a moment before she spoke again. “And what about your end of the deal for bringing us here? Are you going to uphold that?” This time, her question was directed at Viggo.