Penny's Choice (Book 1 of Penny's Choice Series)

Chapter 5 (The Party)

Penny sipped a drink, relishing the taste. It pleased her, melting on her lips. Normally at 18, she would not be able to consume alcohol, but not in the Brotherhood. She was an adult and could do whatever she wanted. She sighed and placed the drink on a nearby table. She eagerly glanced at the people dancing. She had to keep alert in case any vampires came out. After the incident with the library, Penny had to beg to get put on this team. And even then, she was just a decoy. It had been almost three months since she had burnt down the UGA library. She had been praised for her quick thinking but was still put on probation. She was, though, allowed to train in the use of the fire guns. She enjoyed shooting the gun, and the Brotherhood, especially the High Warden, was quite impressed with the accuracy of her aim.

She leaned against the walls and straightened her treacherously tight, little red dress. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back, and the excessive high heels made her legs go on for hours. A small ensemble played classical music as unsuspecting humans twirled around the floor. She felt confident.

"A vampire has entered the ballroom," Charles said; his voice echoed into her ear through her electronic earring. She raised her head to search for Charles and found him standing at the opposite end of the room; he met her gaze with his sexy eyes and nodded in the door's direction.

"Another two entered. Get ready, Penny," he said through his collar. Charles had insisted that he go on the floor with her. She wasn't sure if it was because he didn't trust her to do a good job, or if he just was concerned for her safety.

Penny had an incredible urge to grab her small wooden daggers out of the back of her dress and get rid of the vampires. Even though her aim was impeccable, she was still not allowed to carry the fire gun into combat. Too much risk of civilian casualties. Just as Penny calmed herself down, a tall man with curly mousy brown hair caught her attention. He wore the standard tux, and his hair flowed around his neck. He looked around twenty, which was only a couple years older than Penny. She would never forget his face. He had been there the night that all of her trouble had started. When the vampire turned in her direction and met her gaze, a friendly smile appeared on his face, and he raised his hand as if he were saying hello. She felt her face grow incredibly hot. Who exactly was he?

"Charles, that one there, he's the one," Penny said through her microphone. She started to tremble and braced herself against the wall.

"What?" Charles replied.

"The one with the curly hair...he's the one who shoved me in the closet...the one who was there that night!"

"What that one?" Charles said, looking over in the vampire's direction.

"Yes," Penny said. Her composure started to fall apart. She wasn't ready to face him yet.

"Oh, great," Charles said. His voice was filled with irritation. "Listen, Penny, you stay away from him! Do you hear me? Don't you go anywhere near him."

"What, but..."

"That's an order," he said curtly. He then stalked directly over to the vampire, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him down the hallway. He must have muffled his microphone because Penny couldn't hear anything that he was saying to the vampire. Penny would have thought that Charles's aggressive behavior with the vampire was strange, but she could barely remember her name at the moment.

She found a chair and sat down. Her head swam around the room. Emotions flew through her. She went from rage to hopelessness then to confusion in just a few seconds. His face brought back scenes from the last night she had spent with her family. She had tried so hard to forget them.

"Charles, I'm heading to the bathroom," she whispered into the microphone. "I need to collect myself."

"Fine," he said in a muffled reply. "Stay out of trouble."