We enter the building and Kasha races around the glass counter along the back wall.
“Draven, hi,” she yells across the store. “Owen, come and look who’s here.” She bounces over to us, her long black ponytail swinging from side to side. Her blue eyes light up when she spots Allison. “I didn’t get a chance to meet you at your wedding. It was so busy.”
Allison smiles. “I met so many people that day I wouldn’t even know if we did or not.”
Owen walks out from the back room. His smile is quick and as he stalks over to us. “This is the woman who stole your heart, huh?” Owen asks, his laugh full and loud.
Kasha beams.
I nod. “It is.” I introduce Allison to them.
“I think it’s my heart he’s stolen,” Allison says.
“Good girl,” I say only to Allison’s mind, happy she’s playing the part so well.
“Glad you stopped by,” Owen says to me. “Did you hear about Grander Earlson?”
I shake my head at Owen’s mention of one of my London suppliers. “No, what happened?”
“He killed a woman as she was leaving the mart. Drained her blood right there in the back alleyway.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I’ve known Grander for nearly a century. When I went into business, he was the first person who encouraged me to do so. He’s been a friend of Simon’s for even longer. “When did this happen?”
Allison pales. “What happens when a vampire kills?”
“He’ll have to answer to his clan leader,” I say. “Most likely Rao will put him to death.”
“How does a vampire die?” Her voice is tiny, innocent, almost like a child. Like the thought of death is too much for her to think about.
“Two ways,” Owen says. “Onyx-tipped arrow straight to the heart or detach the head.”
“Enough of this doom and gloom talk,” Kasha says. “Allison, I’m guessing you’re here for a dress, so let’s go find you a stunning one.” Kasha wraps an arm around Allison’s shoulders, leading her over to a rack of gowns on the side wall.
As soon as Allison and Kasha are rummaging through the mass of dresses, Owen motions his head for me to follow him into the back room.
“We were surprised when you got married,” Owen says, pulling a bottle of my DN-Ade from the shelf and filling two glasses. “I never thought you had it in you.”
“I just never met the right woman until now.”
Owen beams. “It’s crazy what happens to a man when the right woman comes along.”
I nod, bringing the glass to my lips. “It sure does.” I take a sip and set the glass down. “It’ll make a man change all of his beliefs for just one taste.”
Sixteen
Allison
* * *
“Try this one next,” Kasha says, draping a shimmery white dress over the dressing room door.
I take it from her hands, admiring how pretty it is. “It almost looks like a wedding dress,” I tell her.
“Crap, you’re right. Hand it back over. I have something in the back that would be perfect for you.”
Within a few minutes, she tosses over a black dress, and I hold it up by the hanger. “Wow, it’s breathtaking.”
I quickly slip it on and fall in love. The silky fabric hugs my curves, and the off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline makes my breasts look amazing. It’s sexy with an off-center slit that opens high on my thigh but covers enough that it’s still classy.