Page 43 of Lured

“May I help you, ma'am?”

“Yes. I can't find my partner who booked me into the room and wanted to check if he was in here. I'm not sure when we're supposed to be having dinner either. I took a nap and I think he left me to sleep.”

“Do you have your cruise card, ma'am?”

“Oh,” I replied, frowning as he went over to a small computer attached to a pedestal. “I'm sorry, I don't. I seem to have left that in the room.”

He also looked concerned for a moment and I knew why. It would mean that I couldn't get back into the room without finding Leo.

“I'm in room eighteen-oh-two,” I added, hoping it would help him find me. “Can you check what dinner sitting I would have been assigned to at least?”

He nodded and began tapping away.

“Anais Johnson?” He asked a moment later and I exhaled with relief that he had my name. “You and your partner have been put down for the evening sitting. It will begin in about an hour.”

“Oh, perfect. Thank you. I'll come back in an hour, then, even if I can't find my partner until then.” I smiled as if this was no trouble at all and exactly what I suspected.

The man nodded and I hurried away before he could stop me or try to keep me there or even look for Leo for me. If none of the vampires were meant to dine until later and I hadn't found Leo yet, the best thing for me to do was go back to the room and see if he had gone that way as well.

He had said something about wanting to get me more clothes so I made my way to the shop deck along the way back to the room. I wanted to see what there was and if I might like any of it.

I was sure that the clothes Leo picked out for me would be beautiful, but I wanted to also get an idea of the cost. If this was insanely priced I might suggest some cheaper alternatives. I also didn't want to be stuck in dresses that I didn't feel entirely comfortable in the whole cruise.

This was a bit of a risk, but I also knew there was a good chance that I would find Leo here. And I might have a whole hour to kill, either way.

Many of the shops on board were for other items, perfume, jewelry and basic necessities, but there were a couple of clothing shops. Neither of them carried the sorts of clothes I would have chosen for myself and I quickly passed through.

The price tags were also the sort attached to designer clothing labels, even if I didn't recognize most of them. This was another world entirely and I wasn't sure it was for me.

With no other places to go but back to my room or try to find the lounge we were in earlier, I chose the former and found one of the stairwells again to make my way to the right deck.

I'd gone up and down the full length of the ship and partially back before I ran into anyone I knew. I turned a corner to go down the corridor toward the suites and almost walked straight into Ludis.

“Well, hello.” He smiled and grabbed my arm before I could get away.

“Hello,” I replied. “Have you seen Drew? He left me sleeping and I woke up without him. I was missing him.”

As I'd done earlier, I pouted a little, but Ludis shook his head. “I wouldn't tell you were Drew was even if I knew. I'm still not convinced that you two are for real. You are a lot like a hunter.”

I frowned and tried to shake my head, but I looked down all demurely. “I really don't know what I've done to upset you, but I promise I'm not any kind of hunter. I was a waitress, that's all. In Vegas. Drew asked me all sorts of questions I didn't understand. Said he had to be sure.”

Although I was sort of making this up on the spot, I lifted my hand to my throat as if I was trying to ease a pain there.

Ludis was staring at me, and I didn't know if he was buying it, but I wasn't about to give up. I couldn't give up.

“What drew you to... Drew?” Ludis asked.

“I... right place at the right time,” I said, trying to think of the right way to put it and remember what I had tried to say last time. “My friend told me to come to the casino and I was sitting at the bar with a drink trying to work out how to play all the games and he sat down beside me. It was...”

As I looked up at Ludis again, I paused as if I was struggling to put it into words. “Drew is something I didn't know I needed in my life.”

“And you know what he is?”

“I didn't then, but does it matter? Are you not as well?” I asked, acting far more innocent than I was.

“I am.” Ludis still had a grip on my arm and he pulled me in closer to him.

I looked up at him and tried not to look frightened. I knew he could easily kill me, however. He reached out with his other hand and placed it on my hip. It took all my control and focus to imagine Leo doing so instead and think of how he had touched and enjoyed me earlier so that I appeared comfortable and not scared or disgusted by this.

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