Page 49

Her presence had not gone unnoticed. Several people around him turned to look at the stunning, mysterious woman lingering on the stairs.

Julian saw Devon, a fellow Council member, making his way toward Leah.

His night was about to take a turn for the worse.

Leah took a moment to catch her breath. She’d barely made it before Julian’s deadline. Vampires and humans in expensive gowns and tuxedos mingled with each other. From the sound of conversation, people were enjoying themselves. A few couples swayed on the dance floor before the orchestra. More people congregated around the bars on each side of it.

Two humongous chandeliers hung from the paneled ceiling, bathing the ballroom in bright yet intimate lighting. Everyone on the planning committee had agreed to make the room brighter to make the humans comfortable instead of going for the darkened aesthetics the vampires preferred.

So far, so good. Everything seemed to go according to plan.

Now she just had to get down there without drawing unwanted attention to herself. Where was Julian anyway? Considering he’d ordered her to show, he should at least greet her.

Leah descended the stairs, her eyes scanning the crowd for him, but there were too many people, especially vampires. Too many Ancients here who had too much power.

If the Organization was to blow up this tower, then their war with the vampires would be half over.

She suspected that won’t happen since there were human leaders in attendance who supported the Organization. There was no way the Organization could have the resources it did without the secret support of some governments.

Leah saw a beautiful dark-haired vampire seconds before he approached her. It was impossible to miss the graceful and lithe form in the perfectly tailored navy tux, not to mention the arresting magnetism she associated with older vampires.

Was there a rule against ugly vampires? She thought with irritation as the dazzling stranger stopped beside her and flashed her a grin that could melt Arctic ice.

Leah’s heart skipped a beat.

“Good evening. I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of your acquaintance,” he said while handing her a glass of champagne skillfully plucked from a waiter’s tray.

Smooth. Leah accepted his offering. “And how do you know my acquaintance would be a pleasure?”

He blinked, not expecting her answer, then laughed. It was a seductive sound that should’ve made her feel something, except it didn’t. “In my experience, most beautiful women are.”

“And no doubt you’ve had a lot of experience with beautiful women.”

“Not nearly as much as I’d like,” he admitted conspiratorially, as if sharing a secret.

Leah couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll do my best to not contradict your experience then.”

“If I may be so bold, can I ask for my lady’s name?”

“Leah. Leah Davis,” she replied. “And you are?”

“Devon Whitmore.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Devon.”

“The pleasure is all mine.”

He bowed with the perfection of someone who’d been raised in the old world. It was unfair how all the vampires she’d met were so beautiful and suave. Was that something that came with vampirism? Or were they like this as humans?

“So, what brought you to this beautiful city of ours? It seems remiss that you should be alone.”

“I work…” Leah trailed off when she spotted Julian behind Devon and frowned at the wild fury blazing in his cerulean gaze and the hard set of his jaw.

What was he angry about? She’d come like he asked. Still, he looked ravishing in the black tuxedo that hugged his muscled body. He had brushed back his blond hair and trimmed the beard, accentuating his strong Nordic features. Memories of that beard scratching her neck made her skin tingle.

Devon looked behind him when Leah failed to answer. He looked at Julian, then Leah, then Julian again.

“Oh.” His honey-brown eyes gleamed with wicked delight. “Oooh.”