House of Royals(33)

Two attendants stand in the entryway and take masks and jackets as the House members hand them off. In this House, I’m sure they are not just human. Bitten, no doubt.

We file into a library, one similar to Henry’s, but with half the books and only half the shelves still in tact. The place looks like it survived a hurricane and was only partially cleaned up after the storm.

“Welcome to the House,” Jasmine says. Just like a queen, she settles into a grand, yet comfortable-looking chair. Her skirts billow around her, and Teddy wanders over to sit next to her. All she’s missing is a crown. I don’t doubt she has one somewhere. “It might not look like much, but it’s ours.”

“It’s…lovely,” I say. I sit on a chair and watch as all eight members stand or sit around the room.

“We all know your name, so it seems only fair that you know ours,” she continues. “This is Micah Washington,” she says, indicating the man who hovered so close to her all night. He stares at me with coldness in his eyes. “You spoke with Trinity Dalton.” The nose-ring girl. “And Markov, obviously.”

A smile forms on his wrinkly face and he winks at me. I’d never even considered that there would be old vampires, but you resurrect at whatever age you die. Markov has to be at least seventy and totally cruel and bloodthirsty.

“These are the Kask brothers, Christian and Samuel,” Jasmine continues. It was Samuel who had asked me to dance. He smiles at me and gives a total how you doin’? nod. He sits close to me, uncomfortably so. Christian has a coy smile on his face like he’d love nothing more than to drain me dry. “And Anna Burke.” The woman in the suit nods to me without a smile. She looks like she could rip anyone limb from limb without even breathing hard.

“This is Lillian Summers,” Jasmine introduces the beautiful woman with the short hair and the incredible dress. “And Cameron Miller.”

The stoner kid who told me how hungry he should be. Huh. He’s a surprise. More like a druggy than a vampire.

Nine Born vampires.

One me.

Trinity gives a strong sniff, and when I look at her, she’s staring hungrily at me with glowing eyes. “She’s got a scratch on her left ankle,” she says. “You smell damn delicious.”

“Trinity!” Lillian barks, a look of horror on her face. “Alivia is royalty, not a midnight snack.”

“She may be a princess, but right now she smells like a human blood bag.” A threatening smile curls on Trinity’s face. She may be a teenager, but she is also a blood-crazed vampire.

“Do you need to leave?” Jasmine asks, cold and calm. Trinity’s eyes jump to hers, and the glow dies from her eyes.

Trinity looks down at the ground and doesn’t say another word.

“We are sorry for all the secrecy that’s been going on,” Jasmine says. She’s annoyed at the behavior of one of her subjects, but she takes back control. “We’ve been eager to talk with you since we heard of the attack and Henry’s death. Our species can be a little overzealous at times.”

“And that’s why you sent two Bitten to my house to drag me here?” The words snap out of me before I can think about them.

There’s a collective intake of breath. But no one kills me instantly for speaking harsher than I should have.

Jasmine gives a slightly ticked off chuckle. “We don’t often just pick up the phone and invite people over for afternoon tea.”

“Well, give that a try next time.” I try to sound light, like I’m comfortable enough to make a joke. Lillian and Samuel offer a smile. Cameron snickers like it was the most hilarious thing ever.

“I will keep that in mind,” Jasmine says.

My heart is beating faster and faster, and I hate that they can all probably hear it racing. They can probably smell the sweat on my palms. See my chest rising and falling just a bit too fast. I can pretend I’m brave and unafraid all I like, but they know the truth.

“How much do you know about the King and how a Born House works?” she moves on. Teddy nudges her hand and she pets his head absentmindedly.

“I know the King had two loyal grandsons and he gave them everything,” I recount. “He gave them leadership of the world. Their direct descendants rule different areas.”

“Good,” Jasmine says. “Ian Ward didn’t fill your head entirely with half-truths. And you know that your father, Henry, was a Royal Born who abandoned us.”

I swallow hard. We’re getting to the meat of my fear. I nod.

“You don’t need to be so scared, love,” she says with a smile, but the glimmer in her eyes says she’s got me exactly where she wants me. “I promise you no harm will come to you while you are in my House.”