Page 5 of A Memory in the Flame

“Let’s get out of here,” she says airly, ignoring this. “I want to hear about your new life as a sewer rat.”

I laugh humorlessly. “I’m going to need another drink forthatconversation.”

But that conversation never happens. After a stop at the bar, we clink our glasses together and dance to a few more songs while we drink. I’ve lost count of how many whiskey sours are sloshing around in my stomach, but when I stumble up to the bar and Mia turns me away, I pout at her.

“Nope. You’re cut off,” she says.

I turn to Valerie. “You’re a princess. Make her give me another one.”

Valerie shakes her head. “Yeah, not going to happen.”

I stop listening to her halfway through the sentence, my hearing picking up on a conversation from the other end of the bar. They’re talking about a weeper attack that happened today, this time in Midtown. Suddenly the drinks in my stomach feel like concrete.

I whip around, and the room spins. Clenching my jaw, I say to Valerie, “I need your phone.”

She blinks at me. Pulling her phone out, she types in the passcode and hands it to me. “Uh, sure. You don’t have one anymore?”

“Dear ol’ Dad cut mine off.” Sure, he gave it back earlier tonight, but I can’t tell Val that. I take the phone. “Why? Did you try to contact me?”

Her cheeks go a deep shade of pink. “Oh. Um, no, but—”

“Got it.” I pat her shoulder, smiling, though I’m not sure why—it’s not funny in the least. If my bloodstream wasn’t singing with whiskey, I’d be hurt. “Don’t worry about it. He’s a scary, scary vampire. I know that better than anyone.”

I slide away from her and almost teeter over.These fucking heels. I’m tempted to take them off, but too wary of what might be on the floor of this place. I right my balance and shuffle away, tapping on the screen until I can manage to get the right app open. I type in the same shining bright in my mind, like neon paint beneath strobe lights, and search results fill the screen. Within seconds, I find his number listed in a New Ve directory.

I lean against the wall, plugging my other ear from the music. “Noah Forrest,” I say, lowering my voice in an imitation of his growl. Then I start giggling again.

He sounds irritated. “Who the fuck is this?”

“That’s no way to speak to a princess. No, wait,ex-princess. Whatever.”

Noah pauses. “Charlotte Travesty, did you drunk dial me?”

“I need to tell you something,” I say, ignoring this.

“I’m all ears, halfling, but I can’t hear much over that shitty music. Where the hell are you?”

“I’m at a nightclub, covered in paint, dancing to that shitty music.”

Now Noah chuckles. The sound makes something flutter through me, unsettling the alcohol in my stomach. “Good to know my assessment of you was spot on.”

I scowl even though he can’t see me. “Well, thanks. What else was included in this assessment? How do I appear in the mind of Noah Forrest?”

“Naked, usually.”

I choke on the air in my lungs. There’s a voice—a much more sober voice than my current subconscious—that tells me Noah is just trying to get a rise out of me. Well, I’m not going to let him. Nope. This timeI’mgoing to mess withhim. “I mean, I pretty much am naked, in this particular dress,” I purr.

Noah’s voice is notably deeper. “Careful, baby vampire. I don’t think you really want to play this game with me.”

I’m not sure if it’s the liquor or the monster that says, “You have no idea what I want, hunter.”

There’s a second pause, this one notably longer than the first. “Tell me where you are,” Noah orders. Any trace of humor is gone from his velvet-soft tone.

“I can tell you where I’mnot,” I slur. “Definitely not Ada’s, since she kicked me out last night.”

There’s a frown in his voice as he asks, “You’re not staying at the boardinghouse anymore?”

“Nope. But that’s not why I called you.”

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