Shadow Lake Vampire Society - Wendi Wilson Page 0,58
young, laughing and drinking without a care in the world.
Did they know I was human? Likely. From what little I knew of vampires, they could probably smell my human-ness. My blood. A few glanced at me but looked away if I turned in their direction. Maybe they’d been told to expect me. Maybe having humans in their midst was normal.
Either way, it was freaking me out.
“Where is he?” I whispered. Levi had been vague on the details, only that we would speak to Warren Thornberry, the owner of the house and head of the Shadow Lake Vampire Society. Levi didn’t say more for fear of the other counselors overhearing our plans.
Levi nodded toward a cluster of people at the end of the room. At the head of the group, a handsome man was holding court, telling some story that held everyone’s attention. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but when he paused, a round of uproarious laughter echoed from the crowd.
“That’s Warren Thornberry, the man we’ve come to talk to.” Levi’s brow wrinkled just the slightest before smoothing out again.
Warren Thornberry, of the rich and famous Thornberrys. I swallowed hard and gripped Levi’s hand as we walked toward him.
“Ah, Levi,” Warren said, slipping around a busty blonde to greet us. “And this must be the lovely Piper Williams.”
He reached out, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips. It took every ounce of my willpower not to yank my hand away. His entire vibe screamed danger.
“Nice to meet you,” I breathed, noting Warren’s light British accent.
Beside me, I had the impression Levi was holding back, stiff and watchful.
“Lovely,” Warren said, kissing my skin again before letting me go. His eyes lifted up, tracing my form before meeting my gaze. “Welcome to my home, Piper. It’s not often we have guests.”
A trill of laughter sounded from his entourage. He said guests, but he meant humans. I tried not to shiver.
“Don’t worry,” he said, noticing my nerves. “We’ll make you feel right at home. Follow me.”
He led the way through the crowd, out of the room, and down a hallway. After a series of ornate doors, he opened one and crossed the threshold. We followed.
Compared to the room we’d just left, this one felt more… well, normal. It appeared to be an office with several bookshelves lined with ancient tomes and interesting items. I noticed a tribal shield and some sort of family crest before drawing my eyes back to our host. Warren strode around a large oak desk and sat in a leather chair. Levi and I perched on matching arm chairs on the other side.
A cozy wood-paneled office was a welcome change from the huge room filled with vampires, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“There. You see, Levi. I know how to make your girl comfortable.” He laughed good-naturedly, but Levi ground his teeth.
“We appreciate you seeing us on such short notice, Warren.” Levi’s voice was even, no sign of emotion. “There’s something of great importance we need to talk to you about.”
“Charles told me,” Warren said, leaning back in his chair. “The matter of Scott Williams.”
Hearing my father’s name on a vampire’s lips made my stomach twist, but I’d been preparing for this. I clenched my fists, using the trick Levi taught me to calm down. After a count of five, I lifted my eyes to Warren’s and spoke without allowing my voice to waver.
“Do you know who killed my father?”
Warren sat up, putting his hands on the smooth grain of his desk. “Piper, I am sorry about what happened to your father. Did you know that The Shadow Lake Vampire Society was formed to stop something like that from ever happening? Of course, when we heard about the tragic events from a year ago, it rocked our community. I promise you many changes were made.”
He spoke like a politician, deftly meandering around my inquiry while trying to placate me. But I had come too far. Too late to back down now.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Thornberry, but you didn’t answer my question.”
I expected him to be mad, but Warren Thornberry barked out a laugh. “I see why you like her, Levi. Spunk. Yes, I love it.” He clapped his hands together and returned his gaze to me. “I love it when someone sees through my bullshit and calls me on the carpet. It was a test, Piper, and you passed.”
A smile crept up my face, but I felt unnerved. A test? I’d heard billionaires tended to be