Page 46 of Dawn Caravan
She raised one eyebrow, and Ben read the entire conversation in her eyes.
So we are ignoring this?
Yes. We’re ignoring it.
Didn’t you say we should not avoid those things between us?
That was before. We’re ignoring them now.
“The Corsicans” —Tenzin’s smile was amused— “are very entertaining.”
“Entertaining in a really murdery, violent way?”
“Yes.” Her eyes lit up. “But they enjoy karaoke as well.”
13
Ben had been faced with a lot of unexpected twists and turns in his life, but seeing a stocky Corsican earth vampire absolutely killing it on a karaoke cover of “Born to Run” was definitely not on his bingo card for the year.
He leaned over to Tenzin. “You said they like karaoke, but I had no idea.”
“Yes, they are very competitive.”
This wasn’t your drunken sorority-party version of the sing-along. It was more along the lines of a singing competition, and participants were not making fools of themselves.
If anything, it made the gang even more creepy.
They’d landed an hour before on a brightly lit yacht floating off the north coast of Corsica.
Why a boat for earth vampires? Ben had asked Tenzin, and she’d waved a dismissive hand.Rich men, whether they’re human or immortal, like big boats.
The three brothers, Juvan, Carlo, and Alcide, greeted Tenzin like she was an old friend, offered blood-wine to both of them, and then seated them on the top deck at the front of an ongoing karaoke party where Ben and Tenzin were clearly the guests of honor.
“I’m just glad we’re guests and not participants,” Ben muttered in Mandarin.
Tenzin’s eyes went wide. “Wewillbe expected to sing, Ben.”
Oh fuck.
“Uh, no. I didn’t agree to that because I don’t sing.”
“Everyone sings, Ben.” She took a slip of paper from her pocket. “I have prepared a song. Everyone comes prepared with a song. It’s karaoke.”
“Do I have a history of enjoying karaoke? Have youeverheard me sing when I’m not drunk?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I suppose not.”
“Exactly.”
Alcide was finished paying tribute to the Boss, and a raucous round of applause rose from the gathered vampires and humans. The party was a fairly even mix between the two, though Ben noticed the vampire attendees were pretty heavily weighted toward the men who were dark, heavily stubbled, and dangerous, while the mortal attendees were pretty much all young, beautiful women.
Lotsof young and beautiful women.
Another vampire was taking the stage with two others. They began a three-part rendition of “Sweet Caroline” that would have left Neil Diamond crying from the harmonies.
He leaned over to her, trying to ignore the instant burning in his throat and the tightness in his pants. “Tenzin, are you serious or are you trying to push my buttons? Do we really have to sing?”
“Not together. I am sorry, Benjamin, but I did not prepare a duet.”
