Ravage the Dawn: Book 1

Chapter Seventeen

Elizabeth couldn't remember ever spending as much time getting ready for anything in her life as she did for her meeting with Malik that evening. She must have tried on fifteen different outfits before she finally gave up and settled for what she had on. She left her discarded clothing strung over the floor of the closet and returned to the bathroom to make a go at her hair.

She really had no idea how she should be dressing anyway. Elijah hadn't told her where they were going, only when to be ready. When she had inquired as to how his boss might be dressed, the older man had only smiled and said 'In his usual way, Miss." She took that to mean Malik could be counted on to look as 'put together' as he normally was. She felt pressured to do the same if she were going to be seen with him. However, the wreckage of her closet could attest to the fact that she really had no frame of reference for dressing high class.

When she'd abandoned her efforts she was wearing a floor length black A-line dress with a moderately deep v at both the front and back; though a thick banded empire waist halted the exposure of skin early enough to keep the dip of the neckline stylish. The top most layer of fabric was sheer; a silky material with an understated sparkle. Across the crest of the shoulders and down the sides of the bust embroidered black flowers trailed a subtle design, and while it wasn't an 'opera' scale of formal it still felt much more sophisticated than anything she'd ever owned. She was so short that she had to lift the skirt on her way to the bathroom just to avoid tripping on it. You're definitely going to have to wear heels.

She'd pulled her hair back in a high tail and straightened it until she thought it looked sleek and refined. Keep it simple. She told herself as she opted for mascara and gloss only outside of her foundation. The girl staring back at her from the mirror when she finished looked far more elegant than she felt. She didn't look as nervous either. That's a lucky break, maybe he won't notice. She mused anxiously.

She retrieved a pair of heels and sat down on the sofa, blowing out a sigh as she slouched into the cushions. The television was on, and she watched mindlessly as she fretted about the evening to come. Stop being such a spaz, it's fine. She reprimanded herself grumpily. It seemed like a reasonable thing to be anxious about, but admittedly she was as excited as she was uncertain. Her imagination had devoted a lot of time over the past few days to wondering how much about the world and history in general that he could tell her. That was of course, in addition to addressing the myriad of questions she had about vampires and why she was here.

At a quarter to eight a knock sounded at her door, startling Elizabeth upright. "Just a second." She called out nervously as she shoved her feet into her heels and grabbed her wristlet off of the table. She jumped up and rushed to the door as fast as her shoes would allow, pausing briefly to make sure that her hair and dress were still in order. She then threw open the door without asking who it was; fulling expecting to find Elijah there waiting to escort her down to the car. Instead it was Malik who stood before her. She sucked in a breath. "Hi."

"Hello Elizabeth." Malik assessed her briefly in what she thought had to be the least offensive 'once over' a man had ever given her. "You look lovely this evening." She dipped her head in acknowledgement of his praise, and the gesture had the unintended effect of drawing his gaze downwards.

He lifted a hand, the pad of his thumb brushing across the skin near the hollow of her throat as his fingers settled on her shoulder. The flesh that had previously been marred by wounds was now smooth and free of blemish. A soft smile formed as he lowered his hand. "David, I presume?" He asked, the slightest hint of amusement in his tone.

Elizabeth cleared her throat, shifting her weight as a slight tinge of color rose to her cheeks. "Um, yeah."

"I am pleased that you felt comfortable enough to have trusted him." He assured her. "Shall we?" Malik asked; offering her a smile as he gestured towards the stairs. She nodded, locking the door behind her as she came out into the hall.