Bite Shift

17

It was nearing midnight when Rhys turned into a long driveway that, I assumed, would lead us to our next meeting. After the revelations of Alex Kitchner and the sudden lust for young, female bartenders, I wasn't sure I could handle much more. The thick trees lining the drive way reminded me of movies set in the South and I half expected a plantation to emerge at any moment. Instead, I saw a red brick house that resembled something closer to an English manor than a Georgian plantation. It seemed impossibly long and tall with sharp grey roof tops and three floors worth of windows. The right side of the castle-like home was a round extension, lined with glass. That is the biggest sunroom I have ever seen. Do rich people call it a sunroom? No, they'd call it like a 'solarium' of something like that.

The black drive ended in a semi-circle. Rhys passed the front door and parked to the right of the entrance. I could see the rounded extension better now and the lights in the room revealed a large group of people drinking, talking and laughing as the lounged on long white furniture. White Christmas lights twinkled in the trees to the side of the house with more people standing outside. Everyone was unbearably glamorous. I glanced down at my sweatpants and groaned.

"There is no way I am walking into a fancy party like this."

Rhys cut off the engine and turned to me. His expression showed me instantly that he was very serious. "Kate, you have to meet him tonight. There is no time for changing and he will care less about you arriving in that outfit than he would care about you not introducing yourself on the night after your turning. It is law."

"Well, if it's that important...."

"It is. Make no mistake. He has the power to end your life in Pittsburgh or end your life completely."

I felt the color drain from my face. Guess vampires get scared, I thought but wasn't even in the mood for my own jokes. "Let's get this over with, please."

Rhys opened the door and stepped out of the car. A man was suddenly next to the passenger side of the car and opened my door for me. I climbed out and watched Rhys hand the keys to a second man. Holy crap, they came out of nowhere. The second man got into the car and pulled it away from the home. This guy's got valets for his driveway? Oh, to be rich. The first man gestured towards the front door and I took a deep breath. I couldn't back out now, the car was gone. Rhys offered his elbow and I accepted. Walking up to the door, I could sense that he was nervous, too. I turned around to see that the man who had opened my car door was gone again. I didn't have time to look for him because, in front of me, I heard the door to the home swing open.

The woman who stood in the doorway must have been 6 and a half feet tall. Her skin was the color of coffee when you've only added a small amount of cream. The size of the chignon on the back of her head told Kate that her dark hair was extremely long. Black leather pants ended in black boots with heels, at least, 4 inches tall. A white satin blouse billowed as a night breeze caught it. She looks like she should be carrying a whip or fighting alongside Zorro, not in a Pennsylvanian suburb. "He has been waiting for you," she said. Her voice was rich and deep but the tone was all business.

Rhys and I reached the doorway. The tall woman moved aside so we could step into the front room. "We came as soon as we could," Rhys responded. "Is he busy or can he see us?"

"He has asked that I bring you to his office first. The young one can wait in the solarium or outside. You will find her when he is done with you."

I smiled to herself. I knew it was called a solarium. I should be on Jeopardy! or something. I looked around the room we stood in. It was all dark, polish wood with the highest ceilings I'd ever seen. Directly in front of the door they'd come through was a set of wide stairs leading up the second floor where, I assumed, the bedrooms would be. My thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of being stared at. I looked up to see the pirate lady looking at me.