Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,70

been revolted. Instead I smiled and nearly laughed. "You mean Marcus is a kept vampire?"

Henry chuckled. "Marcus enjoys the good life."

"And his lover is human, correct?"

"That's right."

"He doesn't care that Marcus is a vampire?"

"He cares a lot. It's an added bonus, in fact."

I screwed up my face. "So he likes all the bloodsucking and biting?"

Henry looked me over carefully. "A lot more than you, apparently." He took my arm and led me back to the door. "What Richard really likes is a man who won't age and a man who can't get sick."

I looked away. "Oh."

"We'll be down in a moment," Gavin said as Henry and I started out of the October room.

I glanced back. Noel was conveniently inspecting figurines on a Creamsicle-colored shelf.

"Don't worry," Henry said. "I'll show Aurora the way back." He turned to me and smiled. "It looks like you could use a refill."

I glanced at my half-empty champagne glass. I hadn't drunk that much. How could I with my mouth hanging open in awe of the place?

"Sure," I said.

When I looked back over my shoulder, the silver bat hung from the doorknob of the October room.

"You are curious," Henry said to me smoothly. "And yet cautious. I'll be honest. It makes me want to bite you even more. You should not be here until you are ready." He whispered inside my ear. "The others aren't as considerate as I am."

Shivers ran down my spine.

Henry released my arm at the foot of the spiral staircase. "Enjoy the party, Aurora Sky."

Part of me wished Henry would escort me downstairs. Why did vampire boys have to be so much cooler than normal boys like stupid Scott Stevens?

Dante had said the first bite was better than sex. Maybe it was vampire sex that was better.

On that thought, my cheeks heated. I looked over my shoulder in time to catch Henry slipping inside the October room.

Why was it I wished I could trade places with Noel right then? Maybe it had something to do with the two hotties who would soon be sinking their teeth simultaneously into her neck.

I shook my head violently to clear the visual.

Fine, back down to the party I went. I was just the assassin here. I didn't get to engage in love bites with devastatingly hot vampires. Nope, I got the meanie, nasty, psychotic sickos who ripped through my flesh like rabid wolves and bled all over my clothes.

Remind me what the perks of my job are again?

By the time I'd made it down to the first floor, I'd emptied my champagne glass. I took it inside the kitchen and held it under one of the spouts spurting bubbly.

"Hi there," a woman with platinum blond hair said. "I haven't seen you before. I'm Rachel."

"Hey. My name's Aurora."

The woman smiled. "Well, Aurora, it's nice of you to join us."

People certainly knew how to mingle here.

"Let me know if anyone bothers you."

"Um, thanks." Was this woman a vampire? I didn't see any bite marks on her neck. Vampires really ought to stick out more.

"Don't mention it." Rachel smiled and walked out of the kitchen.

I followed her out and leaned against a wall overlooking the living room. Now me, I wasn't a mingler. I was more of the type to stand nervously in the corner thinking about how I didn't know anyone.

"Hi there." A man in his late twenties joined my side. Like all the other males partying at the palace, he wasn't bad to look at. "Are you friends with Marcus?"

"We just met."

"Same here. I'm William, by the way."

"Aurora."

"That's a pretty name." He smiled and tilted his head toward the living room. "My girlfriend goes way back with Marcus...centuries back."

I turned and looked at him closer. "Your girlfriend's a vampire?" Was it Rachel? How many inter-species couples were there at this thing? Maybe dating Fane wasn't such a big whoop after all - apparently, everyone was doing it. I scanned the women in the crowd. "I haven't met any lady vamps."

William chuckled. "No, you don't come across too many fanged females. Quite the pity."

"How long have you been together?"

"About a year."

"And you're not worried about what will happen when you get older and she doesn't?"

William smirked. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Shouldn't someone your age be living in the now rather than worrying about the future?"

"It's never too soon to think about the future."

"Life's short. It could end at any moment."

I glanced into the living room. My eyes rested on Marcus. "Or it could go on and on."

William followed the