Page 40 of Twice Bitten

Leo’s gaze went back to the road. “The Prime never invites females to dine with him. Whatever you did, you’ve intrigued him.” He didn’t meet my eyes. “It is never a good idea to intrigue someone as powerful as Alric.”

I sighed. “It was accidental, I assure you.”

“May I ask what happened?”

My laugh this time held a sardonic edge. “Your Prime left me for dead in an alleyway.”

Leo’s eyes went wide.

“Surviving made me interesting, I suppose.”

The vampire blinked, a small furrow appearing between his brows. He opened his mouth, paused, then closed it.

I nodded. “Thank you for your warning. I will do my best to heed your words.”

Leo didn’t have to tell me his warning might have come far too late to help me now.

The feeling of being followed never left me, not until the vehicle slid through the massive iron gates of the Prime’s Hive. Few supernaturals ever visited a vampire’s private Hive, much less one belonging to a Prime. Humans who visited rarely left, for obvious reasons. Vampires loved parties, lots of willing victims to attend to their needs, but gatherings were held on the public part of a Hive, usually run by humans and kept far away from the main area where the vampires resided.

Leo pulled the vehicle right up to a well-kept French provincial-style home. Soft gray brick and black shutters lent the residence a slightly gothic feel, softened by surprisingly hedonistic landscaping. Flowers bloomed everywhere, spilling out of the ground, from planters dotted along the large entry way, and large hanging baskets above. Pink, red, white, violet, and purple varieties of petunias mixed with violas and geraniums competed with sweet potato vines in a riot of color.

“Who does the landscaping?” I asked as we slowed to a stop.

Leo met my eyes once more. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” The amusement shimmering in his eyes made me frown.

I stared until realization hit me. “You’re shitting me.” Though, if my hunch was correct, Alric was far smarter than I’d initially given him credit for. Some lower-powered hedgewitches took side gigs as landscapers and botanists, though none worked for vampires. A sneaky hedge or natural witch could doa whole lot of spying when left to their own devices on a vampire’s property. But I assumed the vampires’ dislike was more than their paranoia.

Leo’s laugh was bold and genuine. “The Prime has quite the green thumb. He can’t maintain all the grounds, but he insists on planting around the main residence and his private cottages. All the flowers and plants you see within this acre are planted and maintained by Alric.”

“I’ll be damned.” Even with my suspicion, I was struck dumb. A complete monster couldn’t have done this, could they?

Leo turned the vehicle off. “Vampires are not the soulless creatures we are sometimes portrayed to be, Miss Alex. We may no longer be human, but we do still possess souls.”

“You think I’m judgmental.” The realization, as true as it might be, stung.

Leo shook his head. “No. I believe you are somewhat new to our ways. Be careful not to put us in a box. We are full of surprises.”

I nodded slowly. “Will you be driving me home?”

“I will not know until dinner ends, Miss Alex.” With those cryptic words, Leo slid out of the seat and hurried over to open my door, offering a hand to help me out.

His fingers were cool but strong, and he released me as soon as I stepped away, my hands reaching down to straighten my dress so I wouldn’t trip.

“How many people are attending?” I asked as he led me up the steps.

Leo moved to the side and held the door open. He frowned as I walked through. “Just you.”

I stumbled over the hem of my gown and threw my hands out to break my fall. A cool hand wrapped around my arm, gently bringing me upright.

I lifted my head and bestowed a grateful smile upon Leo, only to see Alric standing there. The difference between thetwo males was astounding. Every vampire was deadly, but some wore violence around them like a shroud. Maybe Leo was better at hiding his predatory nature and putting people at ease, or maybe Alric didn’t care to pretend. He was the Prime, revered and more powerful than any other. He had no need to hide his true self.

My heart knocked against my rib cage. The Prime’s hand fell away when I stepped back.

Magic beat against my senses, but that wasn’t what overwhelmed me. Alric in a tuxedo was…my mouth went dry.

Every inch of his tux was cut and molded to his body, but he wasn’t wearing a bow tie or any tie at all. The crisp white shirt he wore underneath his jacket was open, the first two buttons unbuttoned, exposing the toned marble of his chest.

He was freshly shaven, his jaw sharp. The scent I’d come to associate with Alric floated around us, the brisk, sharp smell of cedar and balsam. His blond hair was swept back from his face, a careless style that must have taken hours.