Blood Match (Blood Type 2)

The crowd cheered.

They cheered.

Reyna was sick. How many people at this party had any idea what it was like to be a blood escort? She doubted there were many other than the hired help.

“With the completion of the Blood Census, we’ll be able to work toward even bigger gains going forward. A full registry only makes sense when you consider that vampires have been registered for more than a decade. But more importantly, we have a huge announcement coming early next year. It’ll be groundbreaking.” He grinned wickedly. “I wish I could say more, but be on the lookout for news.”

Reyna’s face paled further. Her eyes moved to Gabe and Meghan. The feeding camps. It had to be. Shit.

“And with that I want to say thank you to our illustrious host, Mayor Sky. She’s a wonder to work with and I’m amazed with the transformation she’s made in the short time she has been running this city.”

“Thank you, William,” Penelope said. “I feel like a new person.”

Then her hand went to the back of her mask and the entire thing fluttered away, revealing her full beauty. Her completely seamless perfect face. There was no sign of the multiple surgeries she had undergone to recover from the fires. She was…the same and yet…

Penelope smiled. Bright and bold and deadly.

Reyna choked.

“No,” she whispered.

Penny had been turned. Penny was a vampire.

Chapter 36

“Fuck,” Gabe spat.

Meghan’s hand went to her mouth. No words escaped.

Reyna just stared. And stared. And stared some more.

Harrington waved his hand and said something into the microphone, but she heard none of it. All she saw was Penelope standing there healed and yet…rotten. Not that being a vampire automatically made you a bad person. She knew too many who weren’t. But…Penelope had done this post-Beckham. This was not a choice. This was…desperation.

“Abort,” Beckham said into all of their earpieces. “We need to abort this now. Get out. I don’t know what’s happening.”

Gabe tried to grab for her, to pull her out of the room. But Reyna yanked away from him. They had not come this far to turn around and do nothing. And if Harrington obviously could not sense her, then she would make him see her. They still had this one shot to get at Harrington. She wasn’t going to squander it just because of Penelope Sky.

And with her plan clicking in place she took a deep breath and pulled off her own mask, revealing her face to the entire crowd.

Harrington’s head turned toward the back of the room. His eyes widened as he took in Reyna standing under a spotlight for all eyes to see. A slow smile crossed his face and he nodded as their eyes met. They seemed to say, Well met.

Instead of walking off the stage as he’d come in, Harrington took the stairs down to the front. He ignored the excitement and congratulations of his fawning admirers. His vice presidents pulled in behind him without having to be asked. But Reyna didn’t dare glance at Beckham. She still didn’t know how much Harrington knew and wouldn’t tip her hand if she didn’t have to.

“What are you doing?” Gabe hissed.

“Getting his attention,” she whispered.

Gabe sighed and then nodded at Meghan. They slid out of view to move into their designated positions. The show must go on.

When Harrington was close enough, she started backing slowly out of the ballroom and through the exit. An empty patio opened onto the entrance to the park. Crowds hovered all around, but none were close enough to this facility and the majority were on the blocks facing the other side of the building.

She was instantly cold and wished that they’d been able to handle this inside. At least snow wasn’t falling. But she was unfortunate enough to be able to see her breath in the frigid temperatures outside. As she had done all those weeks when she had been trapped in Visage, she took all of that and tucked it away somewhere deep and dark inside of her. She would deal with the cold later when it was time for her to think about it again. Until then…she had more important things to deal with.

She had learned at a young age how to compartmentalize the horrors of her youth. Visage had only intensified that instinct. Survival. She knew how to function when survival was her only option.

As Harrington cleared the exit and stood out in the cold, she was glad for it. It would make this easier.

“My little queen,” Harrington said in his lilting voice that made her teeth grind, “you have come home.”

That fucking nickname.

If she never heard it again, it would be too soon.

But she saw the chessboard before her and made her move. And prayed no one would beat her.

“I’m here.”

“Very elaborate attire for such a thing,” he said casually as if they were back underground and she had to listen to his insufferable chatter. “I do prefer you in white though. Much more angelic.”