Dear, Sinfully Mine

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

I walked arm in arm with Lucas into the big ballroom where tonight’s gathering was being held. He explained in the car no two meetings were held in the same space. That it helped against anyone watching to do them harm, from rivals of their own race to government officials wanting to keep an eye on them.

I was there as his confidant and had to be on his side a hundred percent, united against everyone and anything during this trip. Being in a foreign land with no allies it was easy to accept Lucas’ terms, he was the only person I knew here and I wouldn’t go against him for some stranger. It was a classic case of sticking with the evil you knew.

On the car ride over Lucas had explained more of this meeting to me, at least after I nagged with endless questions. There were two representatives for each race and each representative had a staff of three with them. For the vampires one of the three were normally human or in my case, human enough to walk through the sun. It would be foolish for a vamp to travel without a daywalker. I was one staff member and until now, I hadn’t known who the other two Lucas brought along were. I didn’t have enough time in the car to ask who they were and why we all hadn’t traveled together.

I wasn’t surprised to see Ryan. He was a master vampire in his own right in his 200s and Lucas’ first turned progeny. They were like father and son who looked more like brothers. Ryan was turned early in his human years at twenty and Lucas wasn’t turned much later than that. The master vampire didn’t go around telling me too many details but if I had to guess Lucas was no more than thirty when he was killed and turned into an immortal.

I was however shocked shitless to see Alec, my ex boyfriend suffering from amnesia since his forced turning. He hadn’t decided to enter this life willingly like Ryan had explained to me he did. Alec was only five years old in vampire years and that was still considered a baby, baby vampires were unpredictable and still green around the gills at controlling their tempers and gaining their independence away from their sire. Lucky for Alec his sire was dead, truly dead to never rise again.

I looked up at Lucas to find his aqua eyes attempting to gage my reaction. “Do you want to hurt me or is there a good reason that you would have him here at such an important event?” the question was pretty condescending on my part.

“I have no reason or desire to hurt you.”

“Sometimes I really don’t believe that.”

“We can discuss it farther if you’d like, later.”

“Fine.” I knew this was the last place we should be arguing and for the greater good I shut my mouth and pushed my anger away for later.

Still arm in arm, we walked forward and joined Ryan and Alec at the table they sat waiting. There were a number of empty chairs and we sat. I busied myself by glancing around and noting there were several tables all with eight chairs. Two representatives, three employees each. Huh, didn’t that make perfect sense?

“Have you heard from Anthony?” Lucas directed the question to Ryan.

Crap, the mention of the first vampire left me antsy. I didn’t know the guy and I wanted to keep it like that but this meeting was screwing me from all sides. At the CPD a lot of us knew the name Anthony Casstiano, not because he was a part of the newly exposed vampire race, but because he was a notorious crime lord with his fingers in just about every illegal aspect you can think of. Only a few cops suspected the crime lord was a vampire. He was very smart at remaining hidden; we didn’t even have a picture of the guy in our files. I only made the connection when Lucas entered my life and started mentioning the guy as his superior.

Ryan was sipping on something that looked like white wine. He set the glass down and shrugged. “We made sure he was on the last flight out of Celestin but a raid at the office slowed down progress. He should be here shortly.”

I’m glad I never worked narcotics.

“We’re not the only ones running late.” Alec spoke.

I was trying very hard not to look at him and to forget he was even here. It was a hard feat and always had been since we met as teenagers. Alec was beautiful, every man I was sitting with was attractive in their own special intoxicating way, but unlike Lucas and Ryan, Alec had my heart and I hadn’t figured out how to take it back.

“Who is he traveling with?” asked Lucas, still on the subject of the tardy Anthony.

Ryan answered. “He left Max in charge, opting to bring Wyatt and Faith.”

Lucas tensed at the woman’s name. “That’s two.”

“Since when have I been big on rules?” The top master vampire finally arrived, smooth enough that none of us had noticed until he was there at the table with his companions.

In my earlier need to avoid Alec and keep as much distance between us as possible I left myself wide open for Anthony to take the empty chair at my right. Holy crap, I was sandwiched between the two most powerful male vampires in the world! I nearly fainted at how terrifying it was. I was trying to very hard to hide my feelings and be invisible but of course it wasn’t working.

“And who do we have here?” Anthony asked, trailing his finger down my cheek. I jumped back and would’ve fallen on Lucas’ lap had he not gripped my shoulders.  “Of all the tales I’ve heard about Zoe Langston no one ever called you skittish.” His hair was blonde and his eyes were striking shades of blue, even his pupils were blue. With eyes like that it was no surprise he was careful not to be photographed, as his eyes gave his true supernatural influence away.

I chuckled weakly. “You’ve heard about me?” it wasn’t a comforting thought and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t shut down the fear gripping me. If Anthony wanted to he could kill me without even getting up from that chair. I subconsciously kept etching back closer to Lucas because I knew he didn’t want to have me for a dinner snack.

The woman, Faith, leaned over Anthony’s shoulder and laughed. “Do you think Lucas would let us have a taste?” she batted her long eyelashes at the vampire gripping my shoulders. “You used to like to share your pets.” Her dark eyes were accusing and not friendly at all.

Ryan stood and in seconds was at my side grabbing my hand. “We haven’t had a chance to catch up lately. Let’s go for a walk.” He didn’t want for a reply and pulled me away from the table and the terrifying bloodsuckers.

Away from the table I was able to catch my breath. “Oh my god, thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry about them. You’re extremely valuable to Lucas and he isn’t going to let anyone touch you.”

“Like his other pets?”

“You’re not a pet, you’re a lifeline and equal to Lucas not submissive to his command. Faith will try to get under your skin but she wouldn’t risk hurting you and facing punishment.”

“And Anthony?” I wasn’t worried too much about Faith; from what my sixth sense picked up on she wasn’t the oldest thing at the table or the most powerful.

“That’s just his personality. He and Lucas go back centuries and he cares too much about Lucas to harm him and harming you would harm him.”

I nodded and felt my heartbeat calm back down into my chest and out of my throat. “Both Faith and Wyatt are vampires. Where is Anthony’s confidant?” I was kind of looking forward to another living person but instead I was stuck at a table full of vampires for the next six nights, seven including this one. At least I could have my days to myself all alone.

“He doesn’t have one. I can explain it to you better later, right now we should be back.” He took my hand again. “Relax, this will get easier.” I somehow doubted that.