"What did you think I was?" He was smiling slightly, now.
"I don't know," I said, puzzled over the whole thing. I didn't even know why I was telling him that and hadn't realized I'd said it aloud until he chuckled.
"If we weren't surrounded by this crowd, most of whom want to sleep with you, or take you home and then sleep with you, I'd kiss you," he said. "Wlodek may want to punish me for dancing with you anyway, but I have an invitation, just as many holdings as most of the others and am older than seventy-five percent of them. He—and they—can stew about it." He turned me smartly and we took off again.
The dance was ending when I heard someone having an orgasm off to the side. It was a female and she was having a good time, from the sound of things. Gavin growled. "They are not supposed to be doing that here," he said angrily. "Come."
Wondering if all vampires had that "come" thing down pat, I followed along behind, almost trotting to keep up with him. His legs were much longer than mine and he was moving swiftly. Russell and another vampire were already there and ushering the female (who was human) and her vampire lover toward the door. Wlodek stood nearby, looking thunderous. Merrill came up beside Gavin and me.
"What happened?" I asked Merrill.
"This is considered a public place, little one, and therefore the no biting rule applies. I know we haven't discussed this but I will explain it later. Suffice to say, they did wrong." I nodded, still a little confused. I did see two other vampires, their fangs out and eyes red.
"They get the smell of blood and it cannot be helped at times," Gavin whispered, leaning down and pulling me against him protectively. "It is warm blood as opposed to chilled, and it has a greater attraction, especially to the ones who were born in an era where only warm blood was available." That included him as well, but I didn't say anything, moving out of his embrace instead.
"Gavin," the vampire from whom I'd taken the tiaras walked over and greeted Gavin as if he knew him, and knew him well.
"René, how are you?" Gavin nodded politely.
"I saw you dancing with our little rose, here," René de la Roque said, offering me a lovely smile.
Stepping a little closer to Gavin, I looked up at René. If he ever discovered that I'd taken the tiaras—I'd seen his face and his fangs—I'd be dead, no doubt about that. Gavin placed his arm around me, his eyes locking on mine. Then he said something that chilled my soul. "René and I are cousins, turned by the same sire at nearly the same time."
I shivered under Gavin's arm and he pulled me tighter against him. Vampire politics and intrigue, indeed. Did Gavin know exactly where I'd been? Whom I'd taken those tiaras from? It hadn't come up in my conversation with Wlodek while Gavin had been there. I did my best not to let it show in my face.
"René, Gavin," Wlodek walked over to us and nodded at both vampires. "We have the problem sorted out now," Wlodek went on. He knew. I know he knew, but that vampire habit of showing absolutely no emotion was coming into play for him. Perhaps this was why they all cultivated it. No guilt or recrimination on either party's face.
"Always a pleasure," René nodded respectfully at Wlodek.
"Gavin, please bring Lissa and follow me," Wlodek commanded. Gavin had a hand at my elbow and steered me into Wlodek's wake. We picked Merrill up on the way out the door; he came along behind us, my wrap slung over an arm. "We are expected at Flavio's town home; it is nearby," Wlodek said, ushering Gavin and me into his limo. Merrill rode with Brock in the Rolls—we were all away in minutes.
Flavio's town home was very nice; a three story in an affluent part of London. "He only uses this when he must," Gavin told me quietly as we pulled up to the house.
Flavio arrived before we did and was waiting on us as another vampire opened the door to allow us inside. He showed us through a long hall and then into a very nicely appointed drawing room. There were paintings on the walls that could have been done by Gainesborough, but I wasn't about to ask. They were beautiful landscapes and certainly looked like his work. There was also a large fireplace in the center of the back wall. Faberge eggs and other little knickknacks were sitting on the mantle—all probably worth a fortune.
"I received two very strong offers for our Lissa tonight," Wlodek said as soon as we sat down, causing me to draw in a shocked breath. Flavio had not opted for period furniture, settling instead for modern sofas and chairs that were ultimately more comfortable. Gavin made sure I was seated next to him, and I wanted to huddle against him after hearing what Wlodek had to say. Offers? Someone had made offers? What did that mean? Was I being auctioned off? Was this what Merrill had meant earlier? I forcibly held back a shudder.
"From whom?" Merrill was still standing, his face showing no emotion.
"From Ivan Baikov," Wlodek began.
"The Russian?" Flavio asked. He didn't sound pleased. I couldn't help myself—I did huddle against Gavin. Gavin's gaze was trained on Wlodek, listening intently even as his fingers stroked my elbow.
"And the other?"
"René de la Roque," Wlodek said. I must have whimpered because Gavin placed both arms around me.
"There is a third offer," Gavin said, sounding a little angry.
"Which one is that?" Merrill asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Mine," Gavin growled.
Wlodek studied Gavin for a moment. "Then we have three viable offers," he conceded. "Lissa, you will not be bound by marriage to any one of them until your five years of instruction are finished," Wlodek said. "And perhaps not then if things do not work out, but accepting one of these offers now will prohibit the others from coming forward later and bombarding Merrill with requests. Each of these candidates is strong enough and old enough to make the others back away."
"And what if I don't want any of them?" I asked. I was terrified and being backed into a corner. "Is Merrill going to make this decision for me, even if I hate the one he picks?"
"Lissa, I will only make that decision for you if you will not choose for yourself," Merrill informed me. Why had they not told me this before? Why?
"I don't want to pick one and I don't want Merrill to pick one either," my voice was shaky as I stared at my hands. My fingers were laced together as tightly as I could make them, to keep the others from seeing how upset I was.
"Then they will struggle against one other, trying to win your favor and attention. None of those who danced with you tonight were disappointed," Wlodek's eyes were boring into mine as I looked up at him. "Wellington found you quite charming and interested in English politics and the Royal Family, with which he is obsessed." Wlodek almost smiled. "He only backed away when he learned that Ivan and René were making offers."