Page 27 (1/2)

My confidence falters "Yeah"

He unhooks the rope and steps aside People waiting in line shoot s Inside, the air reeks of cigar s in a slender hallith blood red walls and an ash black floor I pat ht my cell phone

There are vampires, witches, and fey all over the place My first instinct is to shield my eyes with iveaway I was the star You’re not the star anyirl One that will rule the world

I shake the disturbing thought away and weave through the crowd of people The end of the hall opens up into a large dancing area and a bar I’h to be in here Although, if I’m not, I don’t think anyone would care

A woht pink dress dances on the countertop, holding a ht be dinner with the way a row of vampires watch her, dressed in their black clothes, h heels suddenly snaps and she nose-dives to the floor The va for her

The floor vibrates under e" I turn to head back, overwhelmed by the amount of people, most who aren’t human, when someone rams into my shoulder

"Oh my God, I’m so sorry" The wo the stelass, the rim chipped and the base cracked There are bite marks on her neck and blood stains the tip of her auburn hair "I apologize for my misstep," she shouts over the music "But I’m supposed to take you soh the crowd "Uo"

"No, no, no, no, no" She drops the cup to the ground and it shatters "I’ to hurt you, but you have to come with me, okay?" Without perh the crowd

I consider bolting, but curiosity keepsWe wind up, the railing wobbling with our es with a hallhere the o At the end is a door

She lets go of reat place, isn’t it?" She walks inside

Smoke swirls around in my head and cold crackles my body Laylen told me once that va at the elliptical shaped table are vampires They hold cards in their hands and have stacks of poker chips in front of theat the irl, only to realize she’s moved to the opposite side of the room

She places her hands on the back of a chair The person who occupies it has their head tipped down, scrutinizing the cards they were dealt She cups her hand around his ear and whispers so to him When he peers up, I about buckle over

"Laylen" My jaw drops

He grins lazily, his blue eyes burrowing underMy body centers to him Suddenly I need to be near his to irl’s head and slowly brings her neck to his lips Sinking his teeth into her skin, he drinks until she stumbles He releases her and wipes his bloody lips with the back of his hand I want to run--find Aislin and Alex and tell the until I’irl with a wave of his hand "Hey beautiful," he says with a char smile

I smile back He sets the cards face down on the table and pulls les his eyebrows at , no older than Laylen, with spiky black hair and eyes like a storm My hand takes on a life of its own and I reach over and slap him on the face

His fair skin reddens He tosses the cards on the table and the rooer makes me feel powerful

"What do you think?" Laylen asks me "Should I make him suffer? Or kill hier along his jaw "Forever" I slide off his lap and wait

"He can’t hurt s at ernails "What’d you think? Has it been long enough?"

I tip , Laylen clobber’s the guy, sealing his hand around the guy’s throat

"Please don’t killLaylen’s hand "I’s pointing from his deep red lips "Not me"

"I’m s-sorry," he stutters "I didn’t lances at iven?"

I tilt my head and stare at the valy into my eyes

"Please don’t kill me," he sobs

I pat hi "Let hio," I tell Laylen

Laylen obeys and backs away The guy cowers back and ducks under the table, rocking and cradling his legs The rest of the roo to their feet, they bow their heads

"What happened to thee it?"

His estures at the room "This is all for you, Gemma They respect you, because they knoho you are"

I take in the somber scenery of the room "And who am I?"