“Mind if I join you, Tegan?” she asks, but her bright green eyes are levelled on Finn with a hungry intensity. He swallows visibly.
“Yeah sure,” I say, wondering what she could want. She sits in beside Finn and directly opposite me. Finn looks uncomfortable as she scoots close to him, she’s clearly trying to rile him up. Then she focuses her attention back on me.
“Please tell me you aren’t conducting a relationship with one of Antonia’s bull dogs,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“Oh for crying out loud,” I sigh. “I was stuck in the middle of a riot and Theodore was about to kidnap me and take me back to his mansion. I wasn’t inclined to be picky about who helped me out of it, plus I was in absolute agony.” I finish.
“Wait a second, what do you mean Theodore was going to take you to his mansion?” she asks, her eyes focused intently on mine. Oh crap. I better leave out the part about how he knows what I am.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. I fell on the ground and the next thing I knew Theodore was crouched before me, saying he was bringing me with him.”
Both Gabriel and Finn are regarding me interest now too. “I knew there was something different about you. I bet Theodore knows what it is, that’s why he wanted you for himself.”
Delilah slides out of the booth and goes directly to Ethan, where no doubt she is relaying the details I have just told her. “Oh for God’s sake,” I say to myself, letting my face fall into my hands.
“I would hate to be you right now,” says Finn, not making me feel any better in the slightest.
“Shut up, or I’ll tell Delilah that you want to volunteer some blood for her next meal.”
“Don’t you dare,” Finn threatens. “It’s hard enough being around all these vamps, I don’t want any of them thinking I’m a fan.”
“Delilah isn’t a vampire, she’s a dhamphir. She lives with the vampires because apparently her fat
her was a very important man, or some rubbish.” I tell him.
“Really?” Finn asks, suddenly looking at Delilah in a whole new light.
“Yeah really,” I answer, wondering why Gabriel has suddenly become very still. “Are you okay?” I ask him.
“Yes, I just, I need to use the bathroom,” he says before leaving me alone with Finn.
Finn is still staring over at Delilah. “Not a vampire you say,” he murmurs quietly to himself.
“Yeah,” I tease, “and hasn’t she just got the most gorgeous skin you ever saw. Like fine porcelain.”
Finn scowls. “Shut your mouth.”
“Make me,” I tell him happily, just as Ethan makes an announcement to the room.
“Right everyone,” he begins. “Gather round, there are some plans that need to be made if we’re going to successfully take on Theodore.” His eyes rest on me for a moment, and I have to wonder what he thinks of how Theodore wanted to take me with him. All of the vampires pull their chairs to the centre of the room to form a circle, Ethan and Antonia sit at the head of it. I get up with Finn to join the group just as Gabriel returns from the bathroom and walks along with us. The three of us sit together, outsiders among a gathering of about thirteen vampires.
A woman with short brown hair raises her hand to speak. Antonia inclines her head by way of giving permission. “I have at least forty of our kind working for me in my warehouse, I grant full permission for you to use them as soldiers if it comes to a war.”
“Thank you Olivia,” Antonia replies. “That is a very generous offer and I will keep it in mind should the necessity present itself.” Olivia smiles and bows her head in gratitude of Antonia’s acceptance. I wonder what her employees would think if they knew she was offering them up as cannon fodder.
“That’s all very well and good,” says Ethan, speaking in a loud voice so as to address everyone present. “But unfortunately, as vampires, we are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to taking on Theodore as we have no magic to contend with his vast supply.”
“Yes but we have numbers,” says Lucas interjecting. “And although he may have hundreds of warlocks and slayers willing to help him win the South, we are undoubtedly stronger than each of them as individuals.”
I wonder if Lucas has forgotten that Finn and Gabriel are sitting right there as he speaks of his superior strength to that of their kind. I glance at them both out of the corner of my eye, but they seem to be controlling their facial expressions very well so I can’t make out if they’re pissed off or not.
I look at Ethan just as a huge smile spreads across his face, his eyes are focused on Gabriel and I can almost see the ideas flit past their dark blue depths. What is he concocting I wonder. It isn’t long before I find out.
“Well, I’d almost forgotten, we do have at least one trick up our sleeve when it comes to fighting magic with magic,” says Ethan in a calculating voice.
Antonia tilts her head to him. “And what would that be, Ethan dearest?”
“Gabriel,” he replies.