Page 109 of Stalk the Dark
He slid a sly look my way. “Why, don’t you trust me? I thought you would, especially after the other night.”
My cheeks heated.
“What happened the other night?” Ordell asked.
My cheeks burned. “Nothing.”
Ezekiel chuckled, low and sexy. “Oh, I wouldn’t call it nothing, Miss Lighthart. Calling it nothing is highly insulting.”
I could feel Hemlock and Ordell staring at me. I felt sick.
Thank fuck neither of them pushed for more information. No doubt there would be questions later. Not that I owed them any answers.
We stopped at the top of the main staircase, and music drifted up to greet us, along with the hum of voices.
“Are you ready?” Ezekiel threw me a sly glance. “Are you ready for somefun?”
I didn’t like the way he said that. Not one bit.
My stomach hollowed with foreboding, but I tamped down on it. Ezekiel had saved my life twice. Held back from hurting me. He was capable of good deeds. He just needed a little encouragement.
It would be fine.
Chapter 34
Ihated pomp and ceremony, but Ezekiel seemed to thrive on it. So a long speech about the prosperity of Dracul territory and the raising of goblets later, the ballroom doors opened, and everyone filed in.
Vampires and humans dressed in their finest mingled. Flutes of wine for the humans and silver goblets of blood for the vampires, probably freshly sourced from the veins tagging along behind them.
The room was filled with fanged smiles and carefully concealed fear.
This was a joke.
Predator and prey didn’t mix like this. It was unnatural. And yet Ezekiel was making it so.
The music grew louder, and the dancing began. Human women twirled in the arms of lethal vampires, their bodies stiff, faces masks of courtesy.
“It’s the epitome of playing with your food,” Hemlock said.
He’d nailed it. “How long will this last?”
“An hour before dawn,” Ordell said.
I kept Ezekiel in my sights as he made the rounds, stopping to speak to each cluster of nobles. Zafrina, Loudon, and Christian were here, along with many faces I hadn’t seen before. There was no sign of Kaster Black, though.
Had Ezekiel’s murder spree at Cosmic Stars gotten out? Of course it would have. Four fledglings killed. Maybe that was why I was getting sharp looks from some vampires. They must know he’d killed for me.
Saved me and my team.
Yes, there was good in him. Buried deep. I caught his eye across the room and smiled. He returned it with an arch of a brow before going back to his conversation.
My gaze flicked to the ballroom entrance. “Have you seen Agatha yet?”
“No,” Hemlock said.
“I can’t see her in here,” Ordell confirmed.
“Let me know if you spot her. I promised her fiancé I’d take care of her.”
