Page 51 of Fanged Secrets
When I finally lifted my head, Amara’s rolling eyes steadied to meet mine, and she reached for me, thumb wiping at the blood that stained my bottom lip. She brought her lips to mine, feverish and wild. Her words were slurred, like she was speaking through a haze, but they struck straight to my core.
“I love you – ” a sharp intake. “I love you.”
And I was hers, just as she was mine.
Chapter 26
Amara
The Leyore Grand Hall was a breathtaking sight, even more so than it had been the first time I set foot inside. Tall, arching ceilings stretched above, and the chandelier’s golden light cast a soft glow on the crowd of elegant attendees. Everywhere I looked, there were faces so strikingly beautiful that I couldn’t help but stare. These weren’t ordinary people.
All of them were vampires.
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the gnawing unease in my gut. We had a plan, but it pressed heavily on my shoulders, the roar in my head making it difficult to fully appreciate the beauty of the hall or the stunning people within it.
I glanced down at my attire. Dressed in the gown Dylan had bought for me, the sleek, lilac number that hugged my curves in all the right places, I felt like I could almost blend in with the supernatural crowd. Almost.
But I was human. And that made me different. Vulnerable.
Dylan had been by my side all evening, her presence a constant source of comfort despite her ferocious glare. But I could feel the tension radiating off her. Her eyes darted around the room, scanning the faces for any sign of Don. I knew she was on edge, and it heightened my own anxiety. Seeing my father again, knowing what he had planned for me, it was too much. But I had agreed to the plan. I had to go through with it, for Dylan. And for my own sake.
In an attempt to distract myself, I wandered over to the snack table, fingers idly hovering over the spread of canapes, and did my best to act casual. The table was laden with delicacies, but I wondered why they had bothered. Vampires didn’t eat.
I glanced over at Dylan, smothering the smile that played on my lips. Well, vampires didn’t eatfood.
A new presence at my side had me spinning on the spot. The woman was tall and willowy – long, blonde hair braided over one shoulder. Her light green eyes shimmered with a warmth that put me at ease.
“I’m Sky,” she mouthed, pointing to herself. “Jordan’s wife.”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. I hadn’t expected Jordan, the imposing leader of the Leyore vampires, to have a partner so... ethereal. Her beauty was almost otherworldly, and yet, there was something about her that felt grounded, human even.
“I – hi,” I stammered, feeling suddenly self-conscious. I pointed to myself, a hand on my chest. “Amara.”
At least I hoped that’s what I said. It had been so long since I’d spoken my own name.
Her mouth stretched into a smile as she laughed. I imagined the sound; a tinkling of bells and chimes to match her whimsical demeanor.
Then, to my immense surprise, her hands moved gracefully through a series of gestures that were familiar to me. “I know who you are. The whole coven’s been talking about you.”
Her expression was kind, like she was trying to soothe my nerves, her hands signing with a comfortable familiarity. “How are you holding up? I imagine all of this must be a bit overwhelming.”
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But there was something in her eyes, an understanding, that made me want to open up.
“It is,” I signed quickly, happy to hold a conversation in a language I was fluent in. “I didn’t realize how... different it would feel. I’m not sure I really belong here.”
“I know exactly how you feel.” Sky’s expression softened further, her lips moving with a faint smile as she signed. “I was human once, too.”
I blinked my surprise and Sky nodded. “And I remember how out of my depth I felt at my first gathering. Everyone was so... beautiful, so powerful. It was intimidating, to say the least.”
I hadn’t expected to find an ally in Jordan’s wife of all people, but the woman’s warmth and kindness was a balm to my frazzled nerves. I found myself relaxing, the tension in my shoulders easing up. “How did you handle it?”
“I had Jordan,” Sky said simply, lips outlining her partner’s name with love. “She made me feel safe, even when the world around us was erupting into chaos. I imagine Dylan is that for you.”
My hand instinctively went to my neck, where the telltale prick of fangs had left their mark. I glanced over at Dylan, who was still stoically scanning the hall and warding off an excited Maxine simultaneously. A small smile tugged at my lips.
Sky noticed my expression and I saw her laugh again. “I must admit, you’re braver than I was. When I first met the Leyoremembers, Dylan scared me the most. But she seems different now. Softer…”
We both watched Dylan glower at Maxine. The smaller vamp was dressed in a puffy pink gown, earnestly trying to straighten out Dylan’s suit. Dylan stood stiff, but compliant, right up until Maxine pulled a stick of pink lip gloss from her purse, to which my wife responded by pulling a blade from her pocket.
