Page 32 of Blood Claims (Garnet Dagger Mafia #2)

TRUTH OR DARING TO LIE

VANESSA

I had to say, the night wasn’t what I had been expecting.

Of course, the impulse to give into panic the second I saw the reporters gripped me hard.

But for once, I pushed it down, because I didn’t want to be ‘that panicked’ girl for them.

I wanted them to see a side of me that included strength, not just the broken parts.

So, I had swallowed it down, stepped out of the car, and put on a smile.

A smile that only became natural once we were inside and the world outside evaporated away.

One that left me gawking at the grandeur of the event the second we walked into the grand ballroom.

Quickly forgetting for a moment, that I didn’t belong in their world.

Although I think they would disagree with me if I was foolish enough to mention anything about not belonging, as they walked in with me on their arms with nothing but pride.

A feeling I fed on like a calming drug I needed to get me through the night. Because the ballroom was incredible. Pure opulence and old-age stateliness that meant if I felt like a fish out of water before, then this was something else. This was the ocean I was floundering in.

The huge room had that otherworldly feel to it, as if stepping back in time. One side held seven open arches, each of them framed with golden curtains. These were tied back and held open with elegant folds and sways in the same material hanging either side from above.

Roman-style pillars stood in between the open arches, with golden rams’ horns curled at the top.

From this point, the ceiling curved over, with circular windows inserted and surrounded by fancy golden molding.

There were even round paintings of cherubs in the corners, giving it that fancy European style.

On the other side of the ballroom, another seven arches framed the wall, and each held a small balcony with curved, fancy, elaborate railings. As if this created a private space for those that wanted a moment alone but still wanted to maintain the ambient feeling of the ballroom.

Two huge crystal chandeliers hung from above, surrounded by golden rosette moldings. There was also a stage at the far end, lit up ready for the auction. Three rows of round tables lined the long room, each with an expensive bouquet of cream flowers overflowing crystal bowls as the centerpieces.

It was stunning and took my breath away.

In fact, I was still gaping at the room while Victor was reading the seating chart to see what table we would be sitting at.

“Come, let’s get our girl a drink,” Victor said, leading us over to a table that held rows of champagne flutes filled with golden bubbles.

The waiting staff were floating around the room with glasses balanced perfectly on trays, but it seemed the brothers weren’t ready to wait for one to come close enough.

And I knew why, as they no doubt wanted to help me relax.

I was actually surprised that we weren’t as late as I thought we would be, seeing as we hadn’t missed the dinner that was just getting announced. There must have been a long time for the reception drinks, as everyone was only now taking their seats.

“Should we?” Tal said, leading me toward the table and pulling out the chair for me to sit between them.

I swear, I felt like the belle of the ball getting to sit next to them both, as they were by far the most handsome men in the whole room.

And didn’t the women just know it? They were barely able to keep their wishful eyes from them.

Which, unfortunately, included a woman who immediately lowered herself into the seat the other side of Victor.

Her knowing smirk was one I instantly disliked.

Her long dark hair was a cascade of curls that were pinned to the side, held there by an expensive cluster of diamonds that matched the band of them worn like a collar around her long neck.

She was beautiful, to be sure, but she also looked as cold as ice.

She not only oozed confidence, but it was dripping in the type of arrogance that was ugly.

Her dark eyes were like a cat playing with the mouse for fun.

A look that instantly put me on edge because it was hostile, masked with makeup and a fake smile.

The dark red lipstick matched the color of her skin-tight shimmery dress, that was long but had a single slit up the side that was only a few inches from being indecent.

“Why, if it isn’t the Erebus brothers. I must admit, I expected you, Victor but not Talon, a happy surprise indeed,” she practically purred, making Tal scoff, before raising his glass and acknowledging her with a curt,

“Carmilla.”

She grinned, tipping her own glass his way. But then her untrustworthy gaze flittered to me before she asked,

“And who do we have here? Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new squeeze?”

I gritted my teeth at this, and I felt them both tense either side of me. So, before they could say anything, I decided to show them that I could stick up for myself. Especially when facing a stuck-up bitch like this.

“New squeeze? I like that considering how well the three of us squeeze together.” I then purposely ran the backs of my fingers down Victor’s cheek and squeezed Tal’s hand on the table.

I also winked at her, making Tal nearly choke on his champagne, whereas Victor coughed back a laugh.

As for the bitch, Carmilla, she gave me a sly and fake smile before saying,

“Ah yes, good one.” To which I then felt Victor’s hand come to my thigh and grip it, gaining my attention so he could wink at me while Tal picked up my hand and kissed the back of it, each of them showing their own affection for me.

Something she didn’t miss.

“Tell me, Victor, wherever did you meet such a pretty little thing?” she asked, making me laugh at her back-handed insult. However, Victor answered after he first gave her a scathing look in return. One she had the good sense to flinch back from.

“Really, Carmilla, I would have thought you would have recognized when one of us meets our Moirai Theía, seeing as word on the hell vine is that your own father recently just found his… damn, but I bet your mother didn’t take that well.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, the slither of a growl making its way up her throat, telling me instantly that she was another Vampire. A fact well hidden from everyone else taking their place at the table.

“Yes, well lucky for my brother and I, it meant us both finding her at the same time. And now we get to come to places like this with the most beautiful woman on our arms and show her off, eh brother?” Tal added, making me blush crimson.

“Lucky indeed… oh look, there is your father now, perhaps you should go to your own table,” Victor said, after picking up the name holder in front of her and flicking it her way.

To which she gritted her teeth and stood from the table.

Her long painted red nails digging into the cloth in a way that tore lines in the material.

“Of course, enjoy your evening and… whatever it may hold,” she added with evil intent in her tone before she walked away.

“God, I hate that bitch,” Tal grumbled before downing the rest of his drink.

“You hate most of them, Tal, it’s why you don’t come to these things, you have no patience for it,” Victor commented, making me turn in surprise toward him.

“You don’t?”

“Like he said, I don’t have the patience for the bullshit like Vic does,” he admitted, making me frown.

“Then why come to this one?” I asked, making his hard gaze soften. Then he ran the back of his fingers down my cheek before telling me,

“Because I have all the patience in the world for you, and you make nights like this enjoyable, even if it’s just by getting to look at you in a pretty dress.”

I melted, leaning into him and braving kissing his cheek in return.

“That was really sweet, thank you,” I said, making Victor laugh and finally get his own back as he teased,

“Ha, now look who’s blushing.”

To which Tal sneered at him over my head, and warned,

“Remember, brother, we grew up together.”

“And?” Victor pushed.

“And I know all your embarrassing stories.”

“Oh please, like you don’t have enough of your own,” Victor replied with a roll of his eyes, making me laugh and clap my hands.

“Oh, please oh please, tell me one, because at this point, I can’t imagine either of you doing anything embarrassing,” I admitted, making them scoff, and it was a very twin thing as it sounded exactly the same.

Tal opened his mouth ready to tell me something, but Victor saw him, and he narrowed his eyes and warned,

“Don’t you dare.” Something that made Tal throw his head back and laugh.

After this, the banter continued, despite me not getting an embarrassing story out of either of them.

And as the evening went on, it was as if we were inside our own bubble.

Even if the conversation of others around the table tried to penetrate it, they didn’t achieve it for long.

Nothing past pleasantries. Anytime my attention was elsewhere, the brothers would find some way to bring it back to them both.

Something that gave me even more cause to grin to myself.

But then after so much champagne, it was time to find the ladies room. However, the second I made a move to stand, I quickly found two hands gripping the tops of my thighs.

“Chill, I just need to use the restroom,” I told them, making their hands relax, but before I could walk away, my hand was grabbed as Victor pulled me back.

“Don’t be long, or we may come to find you.” Then he winked at me, making my heart flutter in my chest like some damn teenager getting attention from a boy she liked. Which meant that I wasn’t watching where I was going, or should I say, a certain bitchy woman wasn’t.

“Oh, how clumsy of you,” Carmilla said, making me roll my eyes.

Because it made me question whether or not she had been waiting for me to leave the table.

A chance at revenge, perhaps. A way to knock me down or tell me something about her sleeping with both of them and I was sloppy seconds. I was literally waiting for it all.

However, I would soon learn it was far worse.

“Milly, wasn’t it?” I said, making her sneer down at me because she was close to being six feet tall in those heels.

“Carmilla,” she corrected in a curt tone before adding, “I’m afraid I didn’t get your name.”

“That’s because it wasn’t given,” I pointed out, folding my arms, my stance clearly unfriendly. But then she smirked, and it instantly put me on edge because her next words became a weapon against me.

“It wouldn’t be Stacey, would it…? Oh wait, no, that’s the name of the human that was recently saved from being kidnapped… but of course, you would know all about it. Especially seeing as it was your Fated mates that sent in their second to swoop in to save the day.”

She knew she had won because my mouth dropped as shock tore through me.

Because how the fuck would she know my friend’s name if it hadn’t happened?! My mind whirled to the point where I felt sick. Of course, I had no clue if she was lying or not, but either way, I needed to know.

My eyes snapping to the two men at the table who held the answers. The question now was…

Would they lie to me this time?