Read Online Roaring Dawn: Macey Book 3 (The Gardella Vampire Hunters 10) by Colleen Gleason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Colleen Gleason
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familiar.
Startled, she looked up at Grady for a frozen moment, then removed her hand from where it had accidentally landed on his jacket and muttered an apology before ducking off into the crowd.
“Miss?” she heard him call after her. “Miss, is everything all right?”
She ignored him, ignored the pounding of her heart, and the way that silly incident had put her off, and made a beeline toward a cluster of distinguished-looking gentlemen standing in a tight group.
There. The vampire was there, among the men.
And so, Macey realized, was Mayor Dever. But not Al Capone.
As far as she could tell, Iscariot wasn’t there either. She felt a little shimmer of relief that the slick-haired “baron” hadn’t deigned to attend a photography exhibit.
And that she wouldn’t have to face him, at least today.
Then her jaw set, and she felt her lips stretch into a grim smile. She’d have a chat with whatever undead had attended tonight. She knew how to be persuasive—thanks in part to Chas—and surely she would be able to find out where the baron was staying.
As Macey approached, she considered several ways to interrupt the close-knit group. Blunt and direct, ingenue-ish and confused, or coquettish and charming—any of the three would likely work.
But as it turned out, she was saved from having to make the decision. For when she was only a few steps away, the group parted like a theater curtain to reveal a tall, slender woman sitting on a chair among the men.
She had carrot-colored hair and dead-white skin, except for the freckles sprinkled over it. Her frock was a shimmering display of sunny yellow, gold, and clear crystal beads in large diamond-shaped patterns.
“Macey, darling,” said the woman as one of the fawning gentlemen helped her to her feet. “What a pleasant surprise.” She smiled, and her eyes glowed red for a moment before her vampirism was quickly banked.
“Flora,” Macey said, successfully hiding the shock at seeing her former best friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Why, the same as you, I assume—looking at a photography exhibit.” Flora cast a sly glance around the circle of her admirers—including Mayor Dever—and smiled very warmly at them. “It’s a very enjoyable event, I must say.”
When Flora’s admirers grinned back giddily, Macey realized the gentlemen companions were under Flora’s thrall. Hanging on her every word, and she was controlling them with such ease.
The woman had become surprisingly powerful and confident in the last year.
Apprehension skittered through Macey like cat claws on a wooden floor. What was Flora up to? Any answer that came to mind was definitely not pleasant.
“It is a wonderful exhibit,” Macey replied casually. “Do you have a moment? I’d like to speak with you, privately.”
Flora smiled like Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat. “I’m afraid I’m a little busy here right now, darling Macey. Perhaps we can catch up some other time?” Once again, she turned her attention to the men clustered around her, sweeping her gaze over one after the other. Macey actually saw each give a subtle shiver as the vampiress’s thrall connected with his eyes.
“Very well,” Macey replied, giving her old friend a hard look—but a brief one; she knew better than to allow Flora to capture her gaze. “We can catch up at another time. But I do have some business with Mayor Dever.” She directed this last to the man in question.
“I’m afraid he’s rather tied up right now too,” Flora said in a smooth voice. Her eyes danced with malicious delight and her lips—painted blood red, perhaps in an effort to hide any evidence of feeding—curled up at the corners.
Because, after all—what could Macey do? She couldn’t exactly attack the vampire right here in the middle of a party. Especially when Flora had an entire tribe of men at her beck and call.
She hid her irritation and acquiesced—at least outwardly. “Have a lovely evening then,
Startled, she looked up at Grady for a frozen moment, then removed her hand from where it had accidentally landed on his jacket and muttered an apology before ducking off into the crowd.
“Miss?” she heard him call after her. “Miss, is everything all right?”
She ignored him, ignored the pounding of her heart, and the way that silly incident had put her off, and made a beeline toward a cluster of distinguished-looking gentlemen standing in a tight group.
There. The vampire was there, among the men.
And so, Macey realized, was Mayor Dever. But not Al Capone.
As far as she could tell, Iscariot wasn’t there either. She felt a little shimmer of relief that the slick-haired “baron” hadn’t deigned to attend a photography exhibit.
And that she wouldn’t have to face him, at least today.
Then her jaw set, and she felt her lips stretch into a grim smile. She’d have a chat with whatever undead had attended tonight. She knew how to be persuasive—thanks in part to Chas—and surely she would be able to find out where the baron was staying.
As Macey approached, she considered several ways to interrupt the close-knit group. Blunt and direct, ingenue-ish and confused, or coquettish and charming—any of the three would likely work.
But as it turned out, she was saved from having to make the decision. For when she was only a few steps away, the group parted like a theater curtain to reveal a tall, slender woman sitting on a chair among the men.
She had carrot-colored hair and dead-white skin, except for the freckles sprinkled over it. Her frock was a shimmering display of sunny yellow, gold, and clear crystal beads in large diamond-shaped patterns.
“Macey, darling,” said the woman as one of the fawning gentlemen helped her to her feet. “What a pleasant surprise.” She smiled, and her eyes glowed red for a moment before her vampirism was quickly banked.
“Flora,” Macey said, successfully hiding the shock at seeing her former best friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Why, the same as you, I assume—looking at a photography exhibit.” Flora cast a sly glance around the circle of her admirers—including Mayor Dever—and smiled very warmly at them. “It’s a very enjoyable event, I must say.”
When Flora’s admirers grinned back giddily, Macey realized the gentlemen companions were under Flora’s thrall. Hanging on her every word, and she was controlling them with such ease.
The woman had become surprisingly powerful and confident in the last year.
Apprehension skittered through Macey like cat claws on a wooden floor. What was Flora up to? Any answer that came to mind was definitely not pleasant.
“It is a wonderful exhibit,” Macey replied casually. “Do you have a moment? I’d like to speak with you, privately.”
Flora smiled like Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat. “I’m afraid I’m a little busy here right now, darling Macey. Perhaps we can catch up some other time?” Once again, she turned her attention to the men clustered around her, sweeping her gaze over one after the other. Macey actually saw each give a subtle shiver as the vampiress’s thrall connected with his eyes.
“Very well,” Macey replied, giving her old friend a hard look—but a brief one; she knew better than to allow Flora to capture her gaze. “We can catch up at another time. But I do have some business with Mayor Dever.” She directed this last to the man in question.
“I’m afraid he’s rather tied up right now too,” Flora said in a smooth voice. Her eyes danced with malicious delight and her lips—painted blood red, perhaps in an effort to hide any evidence of feeding—curled up at the corners.
Because, after all—what could Macey do? She couldn’t exactly attack the vampire right here in the middle of a party. Especially when Flora had an entire tribe of men at her beck and call.
She hid her irritation and acquiesced—at least outwardly. “Have a lovely evening then,
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