“How old are you?” someone in the crowd asked.
Narie grinned. “Now, it’s not nice to ask a lady that question.” She paused and snickered. “So it’s a good thing I’m not a lady. I’m fifty-seven.”
Justus kissed her cheek. “She doesn’t look a day over twenty-five.”
Jelisette barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. The love between the three partners was sickening. She wished she hadn’t accepted the invitation to this stupid party. Who celebrated birthdays when they were immortal? Jelisette hadn’t done it in over three centuries.
Was she glad to be alive, at least in the loosest sense of the word? Yes. Would she celebrate the day she was given this life? No.
But Jelisette considered Narie and her partners to be friends… or at least, they weren’t her enemies.
After one lived for as long as Jelisette and many of the other vampires in the Republic of Balance had, that was sometimes all that it took to constitute a friendship.
She nursed her glass of blood wine, leaning against the bar top as she listened to the conversations around her. They were all fake. All full of false flattery.
Half these people would stab a stake through Narie’s heart at the first possible opportunity. They were all here for onereason: money and power.
Everyone knew that aligning themselves with Narie’s triad was a good idea. They had old money, and Justus was powerful. He was one of the only vampires who hadn’t gone into a deep sleep after the Four Kingdoms had reformed into the Republic of Balance.
The fakery continued around Jelisette. No one spoke to her, which was exactly how she preferred it.
Jelisette gave off a strong “leave me alone” vibe. She had for the past several centuries. One of her biggest pet peeves was when people were fake. She always preferred it when people spoke their minds, having lost her ability to endure pedantic, pointless conversations about two centuries ago.
Three and a half weeks had passed since she saw the mysteriousESat the lake. She’d returned twice, but both times, there was no sign of him. She didn’t know why, but that disappointed her.
She had so many questions about him. Why had he been there in the first place, and why was she so intrigued by him? All vampires were dangerously beautiful, but there was something about this man that made Jelisette’s core tighten.
She lost herself to the memory of ES’s wicked smirk and dark wings until enough time had passed that it would be socially acceptable for her to slip into the night without anyone noticing. Finishing her third glass of blood wine, Jelisette paid her tab with the bartender and walked towards Narie’s table.
“Congratulations on another birthday,” Jelisette said, infusing as much warmth in her voice as she could muster.
It was just on this side of icy, so not much.
Narie either didn’t notice or didn’t care because she smiled. Gods, she really was still so innocent. “Thank you, Jelisette. It was so nice of you to come.”
Justus stood behind Narie’s shoulder. The vampire used to be a fierce fighter. He served under the Last Vampire King and Queen, for Ithiar’s sake. He used to be known for his viciousness and brutality. He’d drained more than one Source of their lifeblood over his existence.
But now?
He smiled dotingly at his progeny. A century ago, he fell inlove first with Ilana, and then with Narie. He Made them, and now they lived in a mansion on the outskirts of Golden City.
Justus had called it domestic bliss when Jelisette had made the mistake of asking about it a decade ago.
She thought it sounded more like a prison. How could he just turn from bloodletting and violence like he’d never found joy in it? Jelisette didn’t understand. How could something as stupid as love and devotion ruin such a wicked vampire?
It turned out Justus was nothing but a weak, weak man.
“I appreciated the invitation,” Jelisette said smoothly. “Unfortunately, the night is calling me.” Despite the blood wine she’d enjoyed, she was still hungry. “I might go search for something… more filling.”
Justus nuzzled Narie’s neck, kissing her skin softly. “Perhaps you should find a Source, Jelisette. Someone to remain with you permanently.”
Jelisette did not think that would happen. She wasn’t inclined to keep Sources like some of her brethren. “Perhaps I will.”
Justus’s fangs glistened in the purple light. “Think about it.”
“I shall.” Jelisette dipped her head, her chestnut locks falling over one shoulder. “Have a wonderful evening.”
With that, she took her leave. The bell above the door chimed as she pushed it open and slipped into the cold night. Her breath clouded in front of her, and icicles dangled from the lampposts.