like a person instead of a… a…”
She looked to John for help.
“An ancient, elder vampire,” he said dryly.
“No, that’s not what I mean,” she said, exasperated. “Like he’s out of the ordinary. Different. Just treat him like a professional businessman, and he’ll give you the same courtesy.”
Analie couldn’t help but imagine herself shoulder-bumping Royce and tousling his hair before initiating conversation. That thought almost made her choke trying to hold in a laugh. Or a shudder of horror.
Freddy evidently had the same thought, covering his mouth with his hand and trying to look composed.
Analie looked at the stairwell. ‘I get to walk right into a vampire pit. Oh, man.’
“Am I allowed to go up there?” Analie asked.
“Probably not,” John muttered, earning another dirty look from Jessica.
“I’m sure he won’t have an issue with you paying a visit to apologize. I’ll go with you, if you want,” she offered, daring John with a look to gainsay her. He just threw his hands in the air and stalked down the hall to his room, skirting the group as best he could without looking like he was flinching from a couple of kids.
Jessica rolled her eyes and held out both hands in offering to the pair to help them up. “Come on, the longer you wait, the more time Alec has to get himself worked into a mood.”
Analie didn’t want to go into Royce’s room. On the other hand, she didn’t want him to get into a “mood.”
It was not a common gesture in the pack, but Analie thought it might be rude to leave Jessica hanging, so she took the woman’s hand. Freddy did the same.
Analie couldn’t help but think that Jessica was severely misinformed about Royce’s temperament.
“Thanks,” Analie said.
Her legs felt like lead as they took the stairs. She glanced at Freddy to see how he was doing. There was a strange fluidity to his movements. His tiger side becoming more prominent.
She nudged him and started humming Eye of the Tiger.
Freddy punched her arm, a lopsided smile on his face. “‘Cause I’m hungry like the wo—ow!”
Analie blew on her knuckles. “Watch it, buster.”
It was like they were walking down the liquor mart for dreamsicles rather than heading into a vampire pit.
Jessica was a bit perplexed, but nonetheless amused with their antics. She didn’t say anything else as she led the way, taking the lead. Once they reached the third floor, she rapped on the single closed door across the landing on the top of the stairs.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Jessica. Can I come in?”
A long, drawn-out pause.
“Alec?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. Come in.”
Jessica opened the door, heading inside first, but gesturing for Analie and Freddy to follow her.
The door opened into a room that ran the length of the building, open and spacious. There were two doors at the far end leading to a bedroom and office. The rest was just a spare, open space with a number of large pillows and throw-rugs here and there for people to sit upon and mingle, and a few pedestals with carefully spot-lighted statuary placed throughout. Every one of the many terraced windows had been thrown open, letting in fresh air and giving a view of Central Park up the block. The scent of vampire was still strong, but not as bad as it was downstairs.
Royce was leaning against one of the window sills, staring out into the night. He didn’t turn around until Jessica placed a hand lightly on his arm, shifting so he could give her his attention.
His expression instantly shifted to a blank, emotionless wall when he saw Freddy and Analie were with her.
“Someone wants to apologize,” Jessica said, poking him lightly in the side. Obviously a familiar gesture, since the intimidating expression cracked as a smile threatened at her antics, one arm sliding around her waist to hug her close.
Freddy hadn’t expected anything so open. He had been expecting something tomb-like, dark and musty and frightening. Hell, he was even starting to relax. The last time Analie had been up here—when Christoph and Ashi had broken through the wall—all the windows had been closed, and plaster dust had been heavy in the air. For the first time, Analie felt like she could breathe in this house.
The familiarity, the friendliness between Royce and Jessica—that was unexpected. Analie began to realize if she didn’t stop looking at Royce like a predator, she was never going to set things right.
She took a second to figure out a non-Goliath way of apologizing, flinching under the heat of