Of Blood and Downfall

Chapter 28.

Issy insists on sending a chauffeur to pick me up from the estate, but I tell her I'll take a taxi. I'm not sure how Europeans or vampires do it but I'm always late to parties. Or I'm not the first to arrive.

    It's past the time it's supposed to start and I'm waiting for the taxi. I've pregamed at the apartment and as I tip back the rest of the alcohol, I adjust the top of the dress I'm wearing. It's a strapless fitting brown dress that kisses every curve on my body.

    I slip on my booties and grab the purse sitting on my bed when I see headlights shine through the window in the kitchen. Rushing out the door, I reach the back of the taxi and greet him in simple Norwegian.

    Handing him the address to the estate, he gives me a wary look before driving.

Karden's POV:

    I stare outside the patio and towards the garden. There are a few guests talking and drinking near the fountain. The doors across the wall are all open for some nightly fresh air. Music is blasting from the live band near the dance floor and others are dancing carelessly.

    Witches and vampires celebrate among each other for the happiness of my brother and his mate. Emilia and Aiden are dancing with their arms looped around each other, going around in circles until they grow dizzy. Aria is dancing with her girlfriends as I stand around with Damien and our friends.

    Lou keeps his distance with me, standing on the other side of the circle. When he arrived, he apologized but didn't mind slipping out the words, she was appetizing though. It boiled my blood when he walked away with a grin on his stupid lips.

    Now he's making small talk with a female witch with thick braids, golden bronze skin and green eyes. She's a descendent from Greta's bloodline, a witch with mortal blood in her veins. Barely can possess the power her bloodline can obtain since her mother married a human male.

    As the last two hours have passed, I wondered if Mavis was going to show.

    Until I sniff her scent with a mix of perfume from afar.

    I watch as Issy rushes out of the ballroom doors and down the corridor. Pushing out the noises surrounding me, I hear Issy and Mavis talk.

    "They wouldn't let me in." Mavis says, sounding out of breath. I assume she means the security outside of the gates. "I thought they were going to make me freeze out here."

    "Yeah, it's not as nice as it was yesterday." Issy answers, pitiless because she barely feels the cold.

    "It's okay, I brought a sweater."

    "You look amazing though." Issy compliments and Mavis's heart begins to race.

    "You do too." She answers before her breathing stops short when they appear at the entrance of the ballroom.

    I turn towards them.

    She looks more than amazing. She looks incredibly beautiful.

    Mavis is underdressed but that isn't her fault when her only motive here was to capture a photo to ruin our lives. Yet she is able to find something so simple and make it extraordinary. Her hair is a bundle of loose curls over her bare shoulders. The dress is tight but falls loose at her ankles because of the open slit in the back.

Her knuckles are almost white for gripping her sweater and purse strap tight. Mavis exhales deeply when she captures the decorated room, loud music and crowds of people. Many heads turn and look but others are uninterested.

Emilia did warn most of the vampires that she's off limits and without questioning, they abided. Nervously, she runs a shaky hand over her hair and pats it in place. Issy tells her something, but I am so mesmerized by her beauty that I can't hear.