Page 196 of Vampires of Eden

“You’re the sweetest, you know?”

“I try.”

“I love you.”

“I know.

“You should let me eat your ass tonight.”

“Danny.”

“What?”

He laughs. “Thattook a turn.”

“You don’t need to be shy about this. I would really, really like to?—”

“Hola, did we make a decision about going into the village for dinner?” Leoni rounds the corner and steps into my room. “Vanessa is waiting?—”

We both look at her and she stops the same way that Alexander did. She frowns. “What the hell is wrong with your eyes? What did you do, cariño? You look mortal. It’s weird!”

Alexander tries to hold in a laugh but fails. He looks up at me apologetically.

“I was testing them out,” I say defensively. “Give me a break.”

“They’re no bueno,” she says, stepping forward to meet us by the bed. “Your natural eyes are so pretty, Danny. Like purple clouds!”

“I told him the same thing,” Alexander says, grinning.

“Get rid of them and let’s go into the village. I’ve decided that we’re going to hold a casual meeting at the bed and breakfast sothe two of you can get to know Vanessa and everyone spearheading the union.”

I want to feel incensed, but the sensation doesn’t get very far because I’m too busy being impressed with Leoni. Turns out, she’s been helping to unionize the ranked vampires across Eden’s villages, along with Mayor Vanessa Hart of Hollywick. The two of them tapped into their budding network of ranked vampires and quickly confirmed who was responsible for the fire.

Leoni contacted Ansväd with the evidence. If he and the board had refused to take the accounts of the ranked vampires seriously, they were prepared to stage a walk out. All the ranked vamps across the villages—and even some in Central—were primed and ready to leave their positions until justice was served and Lord Cherrington was held responsible for his actions.

But they didn’t need to do it. Ansväd and the board believed them without question and talked to the witnesses.

“Is Mayor Hart going to give us some inclination as to what’s happening at this party tomorrow?” Alexander asks, pushing himself up to stand. “Nobody will tell us anything—not even stupid Raph.”

“Because we want to surprise you and Danny—and don’t call Raphael stupid. Just relax and let us take care of everything.”

Alexander and I thought for certain that the party would be held at some purebred’s snobby, fancy estate in Central. Likely his own, in that glass fishbowl ballroom with the grand piano. That doesn’t seem to be the case. All we’ve been told is that a car is coming to pick us up tomorrow evening, and to be ready in formal dress.

Alexander is nervous about this. I’m not, though. Leoni is in on whatever is happening, and so is Ansväd. I trust them both.

I might even go so far as to say that I’m looking forward to it?

“Rafah is here!” Leoni’s voice calls out from downstairs.

“Rafah?” I say, confused.

Standing behind me, Alexander adjusts his satin-white tie in the mirror over my shoulder. “They’re weird. Leoni and me grew up together and she was always jealous of Raphael as my manservant. She used to say that she wanted to steal him from me. And when Raphael would get mad, he’d threaten to leave me for Leoni.”

I scoff, amused as I fluff the top of my hair. “I have never heard her talk about Raphael like that.”

“They’re notintoeach other. They just vibe, I think? I don’t know. Raphael once volunteered to me that he was biromantic asexual. I didn’t ask any follow-up questions.”

I’ll have to ask her about this later. Leoni is also disinclined to sexual relationships, which is why she turned down all of her bonding arrangements and we ended up banished here. But she doesn’t distinctly label herself.