“Sorry,” Kate grumbled, looking out the window. “I don’t think they are so bad.”
Willa handed Stephanie the invitation. “Zoe and I are going. I can bring another guest.”
“Put that away,” Stephanie said, waving the invitation away as she pulled away from the red light. “I don’t know what you are thinking, Willa. But this is not a good idea. He will find you if you go to that party. Do you know who will be there? The most elite vampires and humans in the south. There’s no way you’ll stay out of the media if you go.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Willa murmured.
“Don’t worry about her, Steph,” Zoe said. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her, and if she had told me what was going on two years ago, I would have protected her then as well.”
Kate lifted her brows in curiosity. “What happened?”
“None of your concern,” Stephanie said. “How did you get the invitation? You’re supposed to be in hiding.”
“Just yesterday, outside the tube, a man picked up my scarf and handed it to me.” Her eyes narrowed at the memory. “He was a vampire. I think he might have used some form of glamor on me.”
Stephanie shook her head, sucking her teeth. “What am I going to do with you?”
“You’ll come with us,” Zoe said.
Willa nodded. “I think he might have been the one to put the invitation on my pillow. He must work for Kristoff.”
“What the hell? He was in your house?”
Willa shrugged. “He didn’t mean me any harm.”
“There is no way I’m letting you go to that ball with a freaking vampire stalking you. It could be a trap.”
“It’s illegal for a vampire to feed on a human without their consent,” Kate said.
“Shut your mouth, Kate. What have you been reading?”
Kate frowned. “Which one is it? Shut my mouth, or answer your silly question? It was on the news, Stephanie.”
Stephanie gave Willa a look. “See what I mean? Twelve going on twenty-two. Smart ass.”
Was Stephanie right? Was Willa being led into a trap?
She doubted it. Kristoff would never set her up.
Willa folded the invitation and slipped it back into her bag. “I guess Zoe and I are going alone then,” she said, giving Stephanie a sidelong glance. “It would have been nice to go with another Grand Elite Caster just in case things turned sour. To think of what power we could conjure together. No one could harm us...”
Sighing, Stephanie shook her head. “I don’t want to hear it. If you’re going to be hard-headed, I suppose I’ll have to come along. Someone has to keep an eye on you.”
Smiling to herself, Willa looked ahead as they drove over the Cooper River Bridge.
Somehow, she felt that tonight was going to be special. Dying would be worth it, if only she could see Kristoff in person one more time.
“I guess we better go shopping,” Stephanie said, eliciting a cheer from the twins in the back.
“Thank you,” Willa said.
Stephanie shrugged. “Anything for you, Willa. We are family after all. And witches stick together.”
“Amen,” Zoe said.
Chapter 9
“WOW,” STEPHANIE SAID, as she watched Willa come down the stairs of her two-story townhouse in downtown Charleston. “You look freaking gorgeous in red.”
“Seriously,” Zoe said, coming from the sitting room in her sparkling gold dress. “You look like a fairy tale princess.”
“Really?” Willa stepped into the foyer and ran her hand along the red lace. “I wasn’t sure if the red was too much.”
“You’re not going to a wedding,” Stephanie chuckled. “I think you’ll turn some heads.”
Willa smiled. “Thank you. You two look lovely as well. I love it when you do your hair like that,” she said to Zoe, smoothing it with her fingertips.
“Thank you, love,” Zoe said. She’d straightened her usually curly hair so that it hung long and straight down to the small of her back.
Spinning in her royal blue ball gown, Stephanie smirked. “I guess I’m passable.”
“Maybe you’ll meet a nice stepfather for the girls tonight.”
“Please. I’m done with men,” Stephanie said, her face darkening, all traces of her smile vanishing.
Willa felt sorry for bringing it up. Stephanie had never expected to be a widow, raising twin girls on her own.
Stephanie snatched her clutch from the table at the front door. “Are you two ready?”
“Ready,” Zoe said. She slipped on her gold heels and stood by the door. “Let’s make heads turn.”
Nodding, Willa followed her, picking up her golden clutch, stuffed with her invitation, passport, and lipstick.
“We won’t be gone too late, Jess,” she shouted to the babysitter.
The perky college student stepped from the kitchen. “Sounds good. We are baking cookies and watching movies tonight.”
“Good,” Stephanie said. “You can sleep in the guest room if you get tired. Lights out at eleven. We have church tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Jess said, bubbly as a cheerleader from one of the shows Willa watched about American high school kids. “Have fun!”
Butterflies filled Willa’s stomach as they stepped outside. A full moon awaited. That meant many things for a Grand Caster Witch, one of which was the fact that her powers would be increased ten-fold by its light.
The warm Charleston night smelled of magic. It wafted into her nose like the fragrance of a bouquet of freshly cut flowers. She could almost follow it to other witches in the city, hiding, masquerading and blending in with the humans. It brought a smile to her face. This was a place that instantly felt like home. The Spanish moss that hung from each tree that lined the street captivated her. It was unlike anything she’d seen in England.
Maybe this place could be a new home.
A black sedan awaited them, a driver in a suit waiting in front.
“Miss Willa Avery and guests?”
Willa’s jaw dropped. “That’s me.”
He nodded and held the door open. “Compliments of Lord Dargaard. All VIP guests are being treated tonight.”
Stephanie glanced at Willa. “VIP?”
“I suppose Kristoff wants to make an impression,” she said to Stephanie as the driver held the door open for them.
“You better start praying, girls,” Stephanie said as she slipped into the seat by the opposite window and put on her seatbelt. “I have a feeling we are in for more than dancing at this fancy ball.”
Willa’s smile widened. “I do too, and I’m not afraid.”
“Neither am I,” Zoe said, her smile matching Willa’s.
Stephanie’s gaze took them both in. “Good Lord. What have I signed up for?”
The two witches shared a giggle.
“We shall see.”
***
DARGAARD ESTATE WAS twenty minutes away, on an old plantation that had been converted to accommodate Lord Dargaard and his vampire companions. The butterflies in Willa’s stomach seemed to have multiplied as they approached the front courtyard where valet attendants awaited.
Their driver parked in front and stepped out to help them from the car.
“Enjoy your evening, ladies,” he said, bowing as they set foot on the stone walkway.
“We are in the Twilight Zone. I just know it,” Stephanie said as the driver got back into the car and drove off.
Another older couple followed behind them as they went to the front door. Willa noted their distinguished appearance, with expensive clothing and an overall air about them that hinted that they may have been important people. Politicians perhaps.
Tall candelabras led the way to the entrance. A squadron of security waited outside, eyes sharp and alert as they scanned the premises.
“Invitation please,” an older gentleman with black-rimmed glasses said when they made it to the top of the stairs of the wraparound porch.
Willa f
ished the invitation out of her clutch and handed it to him. She peeked over the man’s shoulder when the doors of the estate opened for two more security guards.
Bright lights and sounds of loud music floated out, and ceased instantly when the doors were closed again.
“Splendid,” he said, smiling at Willa and Stephanie. He handed her the invitation and nodded for security to open the door.
Stephanie glanced at Willa, her cheeks paling as the doors opened to the elaborate scene before them.
“Here we go,” Zoe whispered.
Willa stood in between them and took their hands into her own. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long.”
Stephanie’s eyes brightened. “I know. You deserve this chance. My memories of Kristoff are quite fond. I know he loved you more than anything back then. That doesn’t fade like most emotions.”
“I do hope you’re right,” Willa whispered.
Inside they went. Into an entirely new world.
Chapter 10
THE WORLD SEEMED to slow when Willa entered the ballroom. Kristoff’s heart leaped from his chest at the sight of her. His breath was ripped from his chest, as he leaned forward and clutched the banister of the balcony overlooking the dance floor below.
Nothing in the entire world mattered at that moment. His eyes took her all in. She hadn’t aged a day. Every feature that he’d fallen in love with and dreamed about was the same. He was supposed to meet her at the altar. That was a century ago. Now, instead of a white dress, she wore a red one, one that looked stunning on her petite frame.
Kristoff wanted nothing more than to leap from the balcony and go directly to her. He stepped back, into the shadows of the corridor. He couldn’t do that. Not in public. He’d seen Willa’s picture in a magazine for a feature on her discovery of Sun Serum 99. Despite his shock and rage at finding that she had been alive all of that time he thought she was dead, he noted the look in her eyes.
There was no joy. Those blue eyes that used to gaze into his with such love and innocence were lifeless, dark and full of fear.
He had to find out why that was. But not in front of his guests, not with Lukas keeping tabs on him.
Josef waited in his office. He spoke to Kristoff’s new assistant, a middle-aged woman with a no-nonsense look about her. Her drab, yet well-tailored gray pantsuit, and blunt cut shoulder length brown hair served to enhance her professional persona.
That’s what he needed. Just an assistant. Not another moody lover.
“Kathy,” he called to her.
She looked up, adjusting her glasses. “Sir. Did you need something? We were just going over the schedule for the Vampire Nation Assembly next month.”
“I just need a moment in private with Josef. He’ll come to you when we are done.”
She nodded. “Of course. Just let me know if you need anything. I’ll be in my office.”
Kristoff nodded and waited for her to walk past him and leave the room. Closing the door, his attention went to Josef, his best friend since the dark days of his transformation. Kristoff was lucky that the Vampire Nation was so welcoming of such a lost newcomer. Now, he was the most famous vampire on the planet.
“She’s here,” he said, almost unbelieving of his words.
His eyes widened at the weight they held. He hadn’t been so nervous in ages. Running his hand through his brown hair, he sat down on the leather sofa against the wall beneath the large window that looked out into the woods behind his backyard.
“That’s good news, sir. Isn’t it? She is the woman you were looking for, correct?”
Josef’s soothing voice was what Kristoff needed. No. Willa Avery was what he really needed. There was still a banquet dinner, speeches, and dancing ahead of them, but Kristoff didn’t want to wait any longer.
Looking up at Josef, Kristoff pulled at his tie, loosening it. “Yes. And it’s exquisite news. I almost didn’t believe it was her when I saw that story in the magazine. Seeing her is like seeing a ghost.”
“A beautiful ghost,” Josef added, with a lop-sided grin.
“Hey,” Kristoff said, giving Josef a look. “Look, but don’t touch.”
Chuckling, Josef nodded. “Of course not, sir.”
“Bring her to me.” Kristoff swallowed. This was it. The moment he’d only dreamed about. “Please.”
Josef nodded and gave a quick bow. “Of course. Is there anything else?”
“Make sure her guests are taken care of,” he said. “They are Grand Elite Caster’s, just like Willa. Don’t anger either of them...especially the tall one.”
Josef raised a brow. “Oh. Is she special?”
Kristoff chuckled. Memories of witnessing Zoe’s power ripping through the town when Willa went missing came back to him. “That would be an understatement.”
“I’ll take good care of them both.”
“Thank you.”
When the door was shut, Kristoff laid back on the sofa and put his hand over his heart. It beat way too fast. Like a boy with his first crush, his mind raced with all of the possibilities of being face to face with her again. The anticipation was maddening.
He sat up quickly and strode to the adjacent bathroom. A quick study of his reflection only slightly eased his nerves.
“Fucking hell,” he said to his reflection as he fixed his hair. “I’m too old to be so wound up about a woman.”
But Willa wasn’t just a woman.
She used to be his.
Satisfied with his appearance, Kristoff left the bathroom and made himself a drink at the wet bar. He downed a glass of scotch. And another. And one more before he felt a slight buzz.
Kristoff fixed his tie.
Here we go.
***
AN ORCHESTRA PLAYED the most beautiful melodies as Willa, Stephanie, and Zoe made their way into the gathering of exquisitely dressed guests. The ballroom was large, with ornate chandeliers hanging above, and slick marble beneath them.
Willa had to focus on keeping her steps steady, for fear that she would slip and fall in front of everyone there. She felt better that there were so many people all around. That way she and her companions blended into the crowd. It gave her a sort of shade against unwanted attention.
“Let’s find the bar,” Stephanie said. “My nerves are shot. This whole thing is surreal. Fucking vampires everywhere I look.”
Zoe laughed. “They don’t scare me.”
“Of course, they don’t,” Willa said with a smile as they stopped near one of the bars at the back of the room. There were seats filled with guests all along the perimeter of the room. “You are more powerful than most of them.”
“That’s why I’m here, doll,” Zoe said. She flicked her hair behind her exposed shoulder and looked to Stephanie. “So relax. Together they can’t even touch us.”
“If you say so,” Stephanie said. “I haven’t Cast a spell in ages.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Zoe said. “You never forget.”
“Remember what you said back at your house?” Willa gave Stephanie a mischievous grin; her eyes hooded under her thick dark lashes.
Stephanie’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “What?”
“You’re on the hunt for a man, right?”
Stephanie laughed. “Yeah. A man. Not a vampire.”
“There are plenty of both. Don’t discriminate,” Zoe said. “You mustn’t forget that we are immortal.”
“True.” Stephanie shifted her weight. “These heels are already annoying me.” She gasped. “Holy hell.”
Stephanie clutched Willa’s arm.
“What?” Willa looked around to see what the fuss was. Her eyes darted around the room, just knowing they would land on Lukas’ deceptively handsome face.
“Look! Jackson Phillips is here,” Stephanie whispered.
“Who?” Zoe followed her gaze.
“The actor!”
“Oh,” Willa said. Her stomach was in knots. She didn’t even glance at the actor. Her sights were on al
ert for either Kristoff or Lukas.
A cute server approached them, an assortment of beverages on her silver tray. Her eyes revealed that ethereal look customary for vampires. A flash of a bright smile showed sharp fangs.
“Would you like some champagne, red, or white wine?”
“Red,” Willa said.
She handed them their drinks and moved on to the next group of guests.
Willa sipped her wine, hoping it would calm her nerves.
“So, where is he?” Zoe was able to look over most of the heads of almost everyone. “Where is dear Kristoff?”
Shrugging, Willa drank more. She couldn’t stop wondering the same thing. “I’m sure he will show up soon.”
“Of course, he will,” Zoe said. “I have no doubt about it.”
As if summoned, the man from the tube appeared before them.
Willa held her breath when he stood in front of her, a kind smile on his lips and within his eyes.
Where did he come from?
The three of them stared at him in silence.
It was as if they all could feel the power emitting from him.
Magic could sense magic. But a vampire’s was slightly different. Willa didn’t fear him, even though she knew he held a power similar to Lukas’—one that could freeze her in her steps.
She swallowed. “Hello.”
His smile widened, and he bowed to her. “Josef, at your service.”
“I’m sure you know who I am,” Willa said.
“I do,” Josef said with a nod. “Lord Dargaard wishes to speak to you. Privately.”
Willa nodded.
Stephanie held onto her forearm. Her eyes were laden with concern. “Be careful, Willa.”
“I will. I promise.” She glanced at Zoe. “Try to have fun.”
She turned back to Josef. “I’ll be back,” she whispered to her companions. This moment had finally arrived. Her heart raced as she tried to keep her face calm under Josef’s gaze.
I’m ready, she thought. She just prayed he would side with her, and not the monster that tore their world apart.
Chapter 11
WILLA BUSIED HERSELF with making sure her hair was still perfectly curled, and her gown was wrinkle free as she followed Josef from the buzz of chatter and music from the ballroom.