Finding Fire

Chapter 26

The hours that led up to the party were a whirlwind for Anna. She hadn't gotten dressed up in formal wear since her senior prom, and for that, she'd felt like an eighteen-year-old playing with her mother's makeup and fancy clothes.

This, however, was the real deal. Evie had lent her a dress that somehow fit the both of them. The dress was fantastic. It was a light blue Grecian inspired dress. The straps came over her shoulders and met the high back to hide Anna's scars.

The waist of the dress was just under Anna's breasts, and the soft material just flowed to the ground from there. The material had a sizable slit along the leg to give her plenty of movement.

She studied herself in the mirror, amazed at the results. She was so used to her jeans or her teaching clothes. She felt as though someone else stared back at her. Someone who was confident and fearless. A woman who could have casual flings with vampires and save kings from assassination plots.

Evie put Anna's hair in wavy curls and had done her makeup like an expert. The shoes she wore were simple silver with straps and a flattering high heel that didn't kill her feet with every step.

She was just turning to put a few essentials in the small silver clutch that was also a loaner from Evie when there was a knock on her door. After one last glance in the mirror to assure that everything was in place, she opened the door.

But instead of Evie or Aleksander, Fredrick waited for her. "Good evening." He took in her dress and politely added, "You look lovely."

She smiled at the compliment. It was always nice to be appreciated by an especially handsome man. "Thank you. You look nice too." It was true. He wore a dashing suit and had an antique sword strapped to his back. The only thing taking away from his dapper appearance was the bandage on the side of his neck he'd been sporting the past few days. "I thought Evie and Aleksander were escorting me."

"Duty called them away. However, I would be more than happy to have the most beautiful and mysterious woman here on my arm when I walk in tonight," he said.

A blush spread across Anna's cheeks. "I'm mysterious now?"

"You'll be the only human in attendance, and only a handful of people know why you're here. Everyone will be dying to know your secrets."

She frowned at his choice of words. This whole party was a trap, so she didn't like Fredrick throwing around words like dying so easily.

He held out his arm to her, and she hooked her hand in the crook of his elbow as he started to lead her to the ballroom.

"Have you been feeling better?" She glanced again to the bandage.

"Yes. I've been back to normal this week. Having Nicolas back has been very helpful."

She stared at his neck for a moment, trying to see any sign of a recent injury. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened to you? I thought vampires healed really fast."

As they turned out of the wing of the house she was staying in, he said, "You have been told the best way to kill a vampire is through the heart or the head?"

She nodded.

"Well, someone was trying very hard to decapitate me."

Anna gasped. "Who would do that?"

"Vampire hunters," he said.

Evie had mentioned the vampire hunters. It didn't surprise Anna too much. For the majority of her life, she'd been pretty anti-vampire herself. "How did you get away?"