Fangs And Fame (27 page)

Aurora

DAMIR AND I HAD come to New York early in hopes of meeting with Mr. Sullivan before the gala. It wanted to size the man up, try to gleam any thoughts of Stanislav Vidic from his mind, but every attempt I’d made at meeting with him had failed miserably. At first, Lilly had said she would try to arrange something the night I got to town. She’d called me back only to break the news to me that Mr. Sullivan was otherwise occupied and wouldn’t be available to meet with me until the next day, at the earliest. Lilly had promised to call me the next day if he had an opening in his schedule and we’d try to get something on the books. That hadn’t worked out either. By then I was having a hard time not believing all of Damir’s snide comments tying Stanislav Vidic into my failed attempts at a meeting with Mr. Sullivan. I’d come to New York early for nothing. I’d left Trey behind in Chicago to follow Damir to New York, and I still had nothing to show for it. That made the ways things had gone down between Trey and I on the tour bus just that much worse. I might have been able to justify the way I’d just taken off if I had learned anything important while I was here. Now, here it was, the day of the gala, and I still knew nothing more about the man I’d commissioned the paintings for than I did the day he’d had Lilly hire me.

I understood all of the reasons this gala needed to happen during the day, lighting being only one of the issues, but I desperately wished I had access to every ounce of mental prowess the moon could afford me as Damir and I stepped out of our car. I
’d met with Lilly, Mr. Sullivan’s assistant, this morning to go over the tiny details, once again without glimpsing Mr. Sullivan. Then I’d gone back to the hotel to get ready. I didn’t see Damir until it was time to leave. He’d complimented me on my dress, which just made me remember the Lunar Eclipse Ritual and how he’d practically chased me to the elevator. He was dressed in a fancy tuxedo, which was only just a step above his normal attire. A woman at the entrance of the gardens took my name, and even Damir seemed impressed when she didn’t question me about my mysterious plus one.

“
It seems weird,” I said quietly to Damir as we entered the grounds. “Not having a plan.”

“
There’s no point,” he said, smiling at a gorgeous woman who walked past us. “He’ll read a plan as easily as you’d skim through a magazine.” Which is exactly what Damir had told me when I’d tried to come up with an idea of how we should handle the situation during the plane ride to New York. He’d shut me down then, and he was doing it again. Not having a plan was making me crazy. Mostly just because I didn’t want to admit that Damir might be right about this entire ordeal.

“
If Stanislav even shows up,” I added. I was still hoping against hope that Damir was way off base; that Stanislav Vidic wasn’t involved at all with this gala that was supposed to launch my career to the next level. Was it really so much to ask for?

“
He’ll be here,” Damir said confidently.

“
How are we going to explain the fact that we’re here together?” I asked.

“
Let me worry about that.”

“
You don’t seem worried at all,” I quipped. “That’s what’s bothering me.”

Damir nodded at a waiter who was passing by with glasses of champagne. He took a glass for himself and handed one to me.

“Ewe,” I said, holding it away from my face to avoid the reek of alcohol inside.

“
For someone who spends her days with humans, you’re really bad at pretending to be one. We’re supposed to be fitting in,” he said. “This is a grand event,” he added. “You’re the artist. Everyone will expect that you’re celebrating the momentous occasion. Celebrate.”

I looked at the glass resolutely, and forced myself to hold it like I didn
’t despise the contents. We continued walking, and I tried to enjoy the light instrumental music that was playing from hidden speakers all around the gardens. It didn’t take long to reach the first of my twelve paintings.

“
You’re getting better,” Damir stated as he paused to look at it.

“
Excuse me?”

“
Your technique,” he said. “It’s improved over the last year.”

I raised an eyebrow at him and said,
“What exactly do you know about art?”

“
Enough,” he said simply. “When you spend your days around the rich and powerful you develop an eye for these things.”

“
I hope it lives up to your standards,” I said sarcastically as I kept walking. Damir waited another second before catching up to me.

“
I wasn’t trying to offend-”

“
You didn’t (italicize) offend (Stop italicize),” I said. “I’d have to care about your opinion in order to be offended by it.”

Damir opened his mouth like he wanted to respond, but I spotted Lilly at that moment and made a beeline for her.

“Aurora,” she said with a smile as I approached. She put an arm around my shoulders and gestured with her other hand at the small group of people she was standing with. “Everyone, this is Aurora Evins. She’s the artist responsible for the amazing pieces on display tonight.”

“
It’s lovely to meet you,” said a woman standing to my left. “The paintings are quite unique. Where is it you’re from?”

“
Chicago, originally,” I told her. “But my studio and gallery are in Florida now.”

“
Florida,” she said wistfully. “Beaches and palm trees. I imagine the landscape alone is quite an inspiration.”

Damir stood in the background while I answered questions about my muse and my fascination with the night. Again, a night time gala would have seemed a more appropriate time, but there was nothing I could do about that. After a few moments Lilly excused us and led me over to meet the next group of influential people. Damir stayed nearby, striking up conversation with anyone on the path to follow me. Lilly had me so busy meeting people and discussing my work that I almost forgot Damir was creeping around.

Lilly glanced at her expensive wristwatch and almost panicked when she saw what time it was. She politely excused us and said, “Mr. Sullivan should be arriving now. He’s going to want to meet you right away.”

It was about time. I let her lead me back across the gardens to the pavilion in the center. A man was running the music from inside the pavilion, and I had to smile when I realized I felt more comfortable standing next to his soundboard than anywhere else in the garden. One more way Trey had forever changed me. Just thinking about Trey filled me with mixed emotions. Then I felt it, the hum of a power that only comes with age. Damir was right in at least one regard. Stanislav Vidic was here, unless Mr. Sullivan was friends with other ancient vampires, which I highly doubted. I looked over my shoulder, expecting to see the elusive Mr. Sullivan and Stanislav Vidic standing behind me.

Lilly was handing a microphone to the only man within ten feet of me. She clapped and winked at me as the man grinned and took the microphone, lifting it to his mouth as the music faded.

“
Welcome, welcome,” he said, his voice booming through all of the hidden speakers. “I’m so glad you could all join me. Today is about beginnings. New friendships, new partnerships, new opportunities, and new art from new talent to gaze upon. I’d like to introduce you all to the lovely Aurora Evins.” Then Lilly was gently urging me forward, her hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the Synod Elder who stood, a hand outstretched toward me. I put a smile on my face, determined not to let him see how much he’d just gutted me. I stepped forward, taking my place next to him and nodding at everyone who was applauding around us. “Aurora’s paintbrush supplied the engaging pieces that are scattered throughout the grounds today. She is a rare talent with an old soul. I’m sure you all understand why I had to take advantage of that when planning this gala.”

I cast my eyes around, seeing Damir in the crowd toward the back. The look on his face seemed more regretful than anything. I wasn
’t sure whether that made me him like more, or hate him. 

Trey

“I THINK I SHOULD come with you, boss,” Tytus had insisted after I explained to him that I was jumping on the next plane to New York to be at the gala with Aurora.

“
I need you to stay with the guys and keep an eye on things until Aurora and I get back,” I told him. “Besides, I got the last seat on the plane. I can’t wait around for another flight or I’ll miss the whole thing. I have to go this morning.”

Tytus had wanted to argue, but he resigned to do as I asked. I
’d told the guys I’d be back for the show that night, and then I’d taken a cab to the airport. They were more than a little nervous that I wouldn’t be back in time for the show to start tonight, but I promised them that I would and I left. They didn’t have much of a choice but to trust me. I felt bad about putting them in that situation, but I had my wife to worry about just then. I barely made my flight, and I spent most of the time in the air trying not to think about what would happen if Damir was right. When the plane finally landed I headed straight to the hotel Kacie said Aurora was staying at. I’d called ahead and managed to get a reservation since I couldn’t get in to whatever room Aurora was staying in. I was in a hurry, but I had to get cleaned up and change into my tux. I took another cab and gave the driver directions to the address Kacie had given me for the gala. I’d been so concerned with getting there that I hadn’t really considered the fact that they might not let me in until I was standing at the entrance to the property. A woman in a sequin dress greeted me with a smile, a clipboard in her hands.

“
Welcome,” she said. “Do you have your invitation?”

“
Not exactly,” I admitted sheepishly.

“
Are you on the guest list?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I put my hands in my pockets and said,
“I’m not sure, actually. My name is Trey Decker. I’m with Aurora Evins, the artist whose work is being displayed tonight.”

She checked the list on her clipboard and then said,
“Give me just a moment Mr. Decker.” Then she turned on her heels and walked back to talk to a man with a walkie-talkie of some kind. I stood there, hoping against hope that I wouldn’t have to call Aurora. For one, I wasn’t sure she’d even answer her phone in the middle of the gala like this, and I really wanted to surprise her. After a long moment the woman returned, a smile on her face. I wasn’t sure whether the gesture was meant to give me relief, or break the bad news to me gently. “Welcome to Mr. Sullivan’s residence, Mr. Decker,” she said, gesturing with a graceful sweep of her arm for me to come inside.

“
Thank you,” I told her, giving her my best smile as I nodded at her and made my way through the gate. Aurora called our place a mansion, but if my house was a mansion, this place was a castle. The grounds alone were impressive, and I watched for Aurora as I wandered. I recognized the first painting I came across as one that Aurora had painted in the lounge backstage at one of our shows. I wasn’t at all surprised that she’d chosen to include it in the collection tonight. It was a landscape scene, with a lake and the ruins of a old gothic-style stone building. The moon was low in the sky, casting its dim glow along the center ripples of the lake. Everything she did was amazing, but this one stood out to me because of the way she’d managed to make it almost completely black and white. I say almost, because she’d added hints of green in the foliage, such as the vines that threatened to cover the ruins completely, and also in the dark, ethereal lake water. I moved on, crossing the garden space to the other side where a larger crowd was gathered.

Then I saw her.

She was standing next to a stone bench with her back to me. She was wearing a mint colored dress with lace that ran down one arm and wrapped around her neck to meet in the back. She looked absolutely stunning, Just seeing her made my heart light feel so light that even seeing Damir standing a few feet away couldn’t put a damper on my mood. I felt it as I stepped toward her; the hum of power I’d learned to recognize in vampires, but Aurora’s and Damir’s power signatures combined wouldn’t be that strong. My eyes darted around instinctively, and I sidestepped as I moved closer, scanning the faces of everyone who was gathered around. Then I saw him.

Stanislav Vidic
.

I didn
’t want to believe it even as I stared at him. Damir had been right to be suspicious of the Synod Elder and his involvement in this gala all along. I wished that meant that Damir wasn’t involved; that he didn’t have an ulterior motive for helping us, but I couldn’t trust him that far yet. Then Stanislav looked directly at me, making eye contact before he smiled and waved me over.

“
Trey,” he said, causing Aurora to look over her shoulder.

Her eyes met mine and she smiled in surprise, reaching out for my hand.
“Trey,” she said, “I can’t believe you’re here.” But there was a hint of panic in her voice, too.

“
I couldn’t miss this,” I said, putting my arm around her waist to hug her.

“
I was hoping you’d turn up,” Stanislav added.

“
I was just explaining to Mr. Sullivan that you were tied up with work,” Aurora said to me with the slightest nod in Stanislav’s direction.

I tried not to let it show on my face as it dawned on me. Mr. Sullivan was Stanislav, but none of the innocent humans around knew anything about that.

“I finished up early and took the first plane to New York,” I said, offering my hand to Stanislav. “I’m already glad I came.”

I saw it in his eyes that he suspected my statement was a loaded one.

“So am I,” he said, a slow grin stretching across his face. “So am I.” He glanced around for a second and then added, “Actually, maybe we should have a word in private. Let’s step into the house for a moment. I’ll open a bottle of the good stuff.”

“
That’s a great idea,” I agreed, taking Aurora’s hand and placing it on my arm. “Lead the way.”

Damir moved to follow, and Stanislav stopped him with a raised hand in the air.
“You stay here and keep an eye on things,” Stanislav instructed.

Damir nodded, although he didn
’t look too happy about being left behind. Aurora and I walked behind the Synod Elder as he made his way back to the castle. I squeezed Aurora’s hand on my arm, hoping that in that one simple gesture she’d gleam everything I wanted to say to her right then, but couldn’t; that I was sorry about everything that had happened when she’d left, sorry that Damir had been right in more ways than one about this job being a ploy of Stanislav’s, sorry that I hadn’t gotten here sooner. She squeezed my arm gently, and I hoped that meant she understood, and that she might at least forgive me for being an idiot.

No one said a word as we entered the house. Stanislav ordered what he called a bottle of his finest from one of the servants we came across in the house and asked for it to be brought to the library. Then he gestured for us to follow him again. The room Stanislav had referred to as the library seemed to be exactly that. Books were immaculately stacked to the fifteen foot ceilings all along the walls, each one perfectly in place, and not a speck of dust in sight. A large desk rested on one end of the rectangular shaped room, but Stanislav didn
’t go to it. Instead, he gestured for us to join him near the window where a vintage wing back sofa and a pair of chairs were situated to give a perfect view out into the gardens where the gala continued without us. Aurora and I took the sofa, and Stanislav took a chair opposite us.

“
Why are we here?” Aurora demanded, and I knew that her anger had been bubbling just beneath the surface until now.

“
I was hoping we could pour some blood wine before we broached the subject,” Stanislav said, smiling at her. “But, if you insist we get right down to business-”

“
I do,” she stated. He studied her for a moment, and then his gaze fell on me. I met it, unflinching. I was tired of the games, too.

“
Very well,” he said. “I was being sincere when I spoke of new partnerships, new business opportunities,” Stanislav began. “You are here today because I believe we have such an arrangement.”

“
Do we?” Aurora asked.

Stanislav smiled.
“My dear, the very fact that you are alive is evidence that we do.”

“
You saved my life, and now you think you own it?”

Stanislav didn
’t respond immediately, and I felt the need to jump in. “I’m the one who came to you for help,” I said. “If there’s any sort of arrangement, it’s between you and I. Aurora was unconscious at the time and has nothing to do with it.”

“
How very noble of you, Mr. Decker,” Stanislav said. “However, my plans require the both of you in order to succeed. You are still a new vampire, and although your connections with humans are great, it is Aurora who will convince vampires to fight for my cause.”

“
Vampires don’t fight for causes,” Aurora said, pausing when the servant entered the library, carrying three glasses of Vidic Vineyard blood-laced wine.

Stanislav took a glass and nodded for us both to do the same. I took a sip and Aurora did the same. I
’m sure she was feeling like I was, like a jolt of blood could only do good things for us.

“
As you were saying,” Stanislav prompted before taking a sip from his own glass.

“
Look, I don’t know what this cause is you’re so passionate about, but vampires don’t fight for causes,” Aurora repeated. “What makes you think they’ll fight for you?”

“
Not for me,” Stanislav said. “For you, and for themselves.”

“
I’m not leading a rebellion for you,” Aurora began. “You’ve had vampires following us, you even went so far as to create a fake job to get me to New York. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble for nothing.”

“
Fake?” Stanislav feigned insult. “Does this look fake to you?” He gestured to the large crowd in the garden and said, “Do not underestimate me. It is a mistake you will regret.  This is very real. So real, in fact, that your passion, your career, hangs in the balance.”

Aurora jumped to her feet, and I followed suit.
“I don’t appreciate being manipulated,” she said sternly. “If you knew anything about me at all, you’d know that much.”

Stanislav didn
’t try to stop Aurora and I as we left the library.

“
I’m sorry,” I told her, breathing in the scent of her hair as I held her close to me. “I’m sorry about everything, including the way I acted before you left. It was never about me trusting you. I was more afraid of finding out that this business with Stanislav was true than I ever was about Damir.”

“
I’m sorry, too,” she whispered. “I just had to know.”

Damir was the only one who came after us as we waited for a car to be brought around out front.
“What happened?” he questioned.

“
We’re leaving,” Aurora said.

“
I gathered as much,” Damir said, sighing.

The driver pulled up with our car and I opened the door for Aurora to climb in without waiting.

“Please,” Damir said. “Tell me.”

I considered him briefly and said,
“Don’t make me regret this.” Then I gestured with a quick nod to the open door of the car. “Get in.”

We were pulling away from the castle when Aurora finally spoke.
“Your grandfather wants to use Trey and I to fuel some crazy agenda,” she said to Damir.

“
What agenda is that?”

“
You tell me,” she retorted.

“
I already told you,” Damir stated. “I have no idea what he’s up to.

“
Neither do I,” Aurora said. “Does it really matter? We told him no.”

“
You told him no?” It was a statement, not a question.

Aurora nodded.
“Yeah. Why?” Damir frowned, but managed to look impressed at the same time. “He doesn’t own us.”

“
Did you tell him that, too?”