Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 37

As we drove into the night, the speaker gave off directions to The blooms courtyard.

Putting the last curl in place, I asked, "I wasn't able to reach April Thorne, were you?"

He shook his head, saying, "No. Her line kept going to voicemail."

A sigh escaped me. "There goes our plan of buying our way in."

"Don't worry, I'll think of something," he assured.

__

My mouth gaped open in shock while watching Vaughan drag the couple's unconscious forms back into the car they came in.

"This," I hissed. "Was your plan?

Just shortly after coming here, we'd parked at a corner in the spacious lot. Vaughan had come out the car to briefly scan the environment, and then proceeded to make a beeline towards a couple at a distance alighting from an SUV. I'd followed him, right up until the time he'd asked them their names.

I thought it was weird he wanted to socialize, and what was more-- he was going about it the wrong way, staring down his nose at the the confused couple and imperiously demanding their names.

After a while the man supplied it. They were Mr and Mrs Emerson, he'd said.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than had Vaughan struck, or pressed. He'd made short work with a nerve on their necks, rendering them both unconscious within seconds. Which brought us back to the present. Me gaping at him, and him strapping seatbelts across their limp forms.

"And what if they wake up?"

"They won't," he grunted. "At least not until the party's over. Come on."

We headed towards the grand entrance. The huge wooden doors ahead had golden embellishments in them, and they softly glinted under dulcet light. The thin man in front, who was dressed as stiffly as he looked, came forward as we approached.

Bringing up a long list to the glasses perched on his nose, he said, "Names please." The bouncers stationed on either side of the entrance watched the proceedings without interest, but I knew they'd attack immediately at the barest hint of a signal from the thin man. "Names please," he repeated in a bored drone.

I started to speak, "Ah, we're--"

"Mr and Mrs Emerson," came Vaughan's reply.

Checking and seeing that the names were on the list, the thin man gave a nod, moving aside. "Welcome. I hope you enjoy yourselves tonight."

Heart racing, I adjusted my black mask and followed in after Vaughan. The guards pulled open the doors, and we might as well have walked into heaven.

My lips parted at the sight of large golden chandeliers filled with glittering cut glasses, the golden panels around the room, and the white velvet flourishes dispersed around.

Up above the dim lights casted a soft glow on the richly adorned guests on the dancefloor. Around, tables containing large portions of food and drinks were set. Open balconies lined the length of the adjacent wall, letting in fresh, unfiltered breeze, along with the distinct scent of flowers.

I looked up when Vaughan started to talk, a smug look on his face. "See? My plan worked."

Rolling my eyes, I asked, "Smug much, Mr Emerson?"

A chuckle left him. "Of course. I have every reason to be--after all you couldn't come up with one."

A gasp left me. "Are you downplaying my intelligence, Mr Emerson?"