My Shadow, My Vampire

Chapter Three

The grand room of Rhett's victorian mansion is just as lavishly decorated as his bedroom, only this room is all red and chocolate oak, heavy curtains and candelabras. Committing to the aesthetic, I think wryly as Rhett leads me with a hand at the small of my back to a narrow loveseat beneath one of the windows. The room seems multi-functional: a grand piano sits tucked into one corner, a long, beautiful couch along one wall, several plush ottomans scattered around, and two separate carts stocked full of various wines and liquors.

Beau is already lounging on the couch when we walk in, and Ava is perched on a bench that's built into the large bay window beside our loveseat, staring at me with a potent mixture of loathing and lust. "Looks like you took my advice," she drawls at Rhett without taking her eyes off me.

"No thanks to you, I'm sure," Rhett drawls. Ava just raises an eyebrow and continues to stare at me as if I have no clothing on.

"Can I help you?" I ask finally, raising an eyebrow. I've had enough customers give me that look in the restaurant that it doesn't throw me off. That is, unless it's Rhett's gaze aimed at me.

Ava just smiles slowly. "Got a mouth on her too, hm?"

"It's when you say things like that that I wonder if you were ever human at all." Rhett grumbles.

"That's because it was a looooong time ago, baby. Watch yourself." Ava's smile doesn't dissipate. "Anyway, are you sure Eugene's coming out? Last time I checked, they were still in their trance."

"Bien sûr," Beau replies tiredly, yawning. No sooner has he said so than a figure appears in the doorway. They're relatively petite compared to the two males—a lithe, thin frame swathed in a billowing, jade-blue silk robe. Bare feet. Black hair neatly cut off beneath the cheekbone. Pale skin, dark eyes. Dark purple stains their lips and they hold a tall wine glass in one hand. I check the time. It isn't even 11 a.m. yet. They move unlike the other vampires, too—with even more fluid purpose, like a hunting panther.

"I trust you're all behaving yourselves during our sojourn here," they intone, their voice a thousand layers of promises and threats.

"Always," Ava says quickly, sitting up a little and finally looking away from me to turn her attention to the new figure, who I gather must be Eugene.

"Are you drunk?" Beau blurts before he can check himself. He looks surprised, a little amused.

Eugene's sphinx-like eyes drift from Ava, pause on me, and then move to Beau. "I just mediated for two years straight, honey—and now I indulge." They eye Beau's form, lain out languidly on the couch. Something changes in the air, and Rhett pulls me closer to him protectively, onto his lap until I'm straddling one of his thighs, my back pressed to his chest. But he's staring at Eugene like he physically couldn't take his eyes off them even if he wanted to. The same is true for Beau and Ava. Envy mixed with reverence leaps into my throat, but I stay quiet, pressing closer to Rhett.

"Do you mind?" Eugene continues, gliding toward Beau on the couch. Beau, looking nervous for the first time since I've met him, swallows, eyes shining as he looks up at them.

"Not at all." He moves to sit up, but settles back down at a wave of Eugene's hand. As we all watch, Eugene straddles Beau, settling down on his lap and hiding the middle section of the other vampire's body in swaths of blue. One hand still holding their wine glass, they reach their other hand down into those folds. Beau hisses between his teeth.

"And have you all been doing just as I told you to?" Eugene looks from Ava to Rhett even as Beau squirms under them. My imagination is going wild imagining what is going on beneath that robe. I press even harder back against Rhett's chest, and feel with mild surprise that he is rock-hard against me.