“Would you like something to drink?” he asked as we stood studying a large bronze sculpture.
“Yes, I think so.” I nodded, glancing around. People were giving us space at the moment, and I didn’t feel quite as uncomfortable.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back. Don’t worry, no one would dare bother you. I’ll just be a moment.”
“All right.”
Zach kissed me on the cheek before walking away, and I felt my face burn with an embarrassed blush. Considering the thick layer of makeup I had spackled on my face, I doubt anyone noticed the expression. Left alone, I studied the sculpture with a critical eye. I didn’t understand it-it looked like a big misshapen lump to me.
“Good evening, Miss Morrow,” a voice behind me greeted. Turning toward the speaker, I frowned, and after a moment I recognized him as Simon St. Jerome. It was the outfit that threw me-he was wearing a simple black suit, and without his Dungeons and Dragons black wizard robes he really looked quite normal.
“Simon? What are you doing here?” The vampire hadn’t struck me as the social type, and this was definitely a social gathering.
“I could ask you the same question.”
I wondered what he must be thinking after seeing me on Harrison’s arm all night. “That’s a long story.”
The vampire tilted his head to the side, studying me. “I’m sure it is. I would like to hear it one day. Are you well?”
“Well enough, no thanks to Laura,” I replied with a grimace, reaching to ensure my throat was still in one piece.
“I take it she objects to your…new status?” Simon raised a finely drawn brow, and I frowned.
“What status?”
“As the Lady of Harrison Tower.”
“Huh. Yeah, I’m about as happy to be here as the Lady of Shallot,” I quipped. I knew he’d get the Tennyson reference, and Simon nodded in understanding. “You didn’t bring your friends? Mr. and Mrs. Black?”
“Actually they’re speaking with your associate Mr. MacInnes at the moment. Apparently he’s a fan of Emily’s writing.”
Glancing around for Mac, I instead spotted Zach returning, holding a white china cup and saucer.
“Here you are, my dear,” Zach said, handing me the cup.
“Thank you.” I smiled. Coffee, perfect. Powered by caffeine, I can survive anything.
“I see you’ve met Lord Wroth. I must admit I am surprised to see you here, you almost always decline my invitations,” Zach commented as he scrutinized him. Simon seemed nonplussed by the statement. I wondered if Wroth was his true name. If so, he was taking Harrison’s rudeness remarkably well.
“You’ve created quite a stir, Harrison. I thought this gathering would be well worth witnessing.”
“Really.”
The two vampires sized each other up for a tense moment as I drank my coffee, and I put a calming hand on Zach’s shoulder. The moment passed, and he smiled pleasantly at Simon. “Well, I hope you have a good view then.”
“I always do.” Simon smiled in return, and there was a sly edge to the expression. He nodded at me, and then bowed slightly to Harrison before walking away.
“I guess even the undead have paparazzi,” I joked, trying to put Zach at ease. “How much longer do I have to stay?”
“Are you tired?” Concern crossed his face, and I shook my head. “Just a bit longer then. We have a few more people to speak with.” He held his hand out to me, and I put my hand in his and let him lead me away to the next objet d’arte.
Everything was calm and quiet as we continued throughout the gallery. We met more people whose names I would never remember, and I saw more art I didn’t understand. Not my kind of party, but I’d take boring over potentially dangerous any day. Zach and I stood in the gallery’s main room, providing fodder for several groups of gossiping vamps around us. Then the conversation died as a commotion interrupted the polite mood.
Turning toward the noise, I saw the body of a member of the security team fly into the room, landing a few feet from the doorway he’d been thrown through. I couldn’t tell if the man was dead, but he was certainly not moving. Harrison took a step forward to shield me from whatever danger approached, and he turned to one of the vampire bodyguards that had been less than inconspicuously hovering around us all night.
“Get the civilians out,” he ordered. “Now.”
The vamp nodded in reply and began speaking into his sleeve like a Secret Service agent. I set my almost empty cup of coffee on the nearest table, which was probably inappropriate considering it displayed a piece of art, but I wanted my hands free to deal with whatever the problem was. A few more grunts and yelps were heard in the direction of the main entrance as the bulk of the crowd was herded out of the room, and then the instigator sauntered into view-a familiar figure in his black duster, T-shirt and jeans.
“Lex?” I gasped in disbelief. Stepping forward, I tried to move toward him, but was grabbed by Harrison and shoved behind him.
“I know you were not invited, Duquesne,” Zach warned.
The guardian glanced around the room and shook his head in disappointment. “It’s not my kind of party. I don’t mean to stay long.”
“You aren’t welcome here.”
Again I tried to step forward, but Harrison tightened his grip on my forearm, almost painfully so. I opened my mouth and prepared to tell him off, but I paused as I caught a hint of his true emotion. Despite the fact he looked outwardly calm and more than a little annoyed, Zach was worried. Afraid even, just as he’d been after Laura attacked me. I blinked as I digested this information, and in a surprising show of tact I kept my big mouth shut.
“I’m just here to collect my Titania, and then I’ll leave you to your soiree.”
“We’ve already proven that you have no grounds to remove her, since she willingly agreed to stay here as our guest,” Lovely Laura chimed in. With slow, echoing steps she crossed to stand near us. Yeah, Laura wanted me dead, but protecting the vampire turf was more important to her at the moment. We were in the middle of a room full of vamps Zach needed to impress-it would be an enormous sign of weakness on his part if he let me leave with Lex now.
“I’m takin’ her home.”
I felt Zach’s mood shift again. He was still afraid, but now he was angry as well. “Perhaps she doesn’t wish to leave with you.”
All eyes turned to me, and I wanted to sink right through the floor. “Umm, could we possibly discuss this in private?”
“There is nothing to discuss,” Zach countered, and then turned back to Lex. “I’ve kept my word. I haven’t forced her, nor harmed her. Catherine chose to be here. Now, you are trespassing, and I see no reason not to remove you from our territory.” He motioned to the crowd, and a sea of vamps surged forward to attack Lex.
“No!” I shouted, and was completely ignored. Turning on his heel, Harrison strode away from the fight, dragging me along behind him. “Damn it, Zach, don’t do this. Let me go,” I implored as I stumbled along. Determined, he continued through the now-empty gallery, headed toward the private entrance we’d arrived at. “Please, tell them to stop.”
“I can’t,” he replied. I tried to give him a magical shove, and it didn’t even muss his hair. I dug my heels in to slow him down, and one of the stilettos snapped beneath me, causing me to tumble to the ground. Zach stopped, an apologetic expression on his face as he looked down at me. “I’m sorry, Catherine, I truly am,” he said as he knelt beside me. “I can’t let you go with him.”
“Why not?” I asked, my voice tight with too much emotion. “You had to know I’d see him again when I left.” I fiddled with the strap of my broken shoe, my manicured nails making the process difficult.