The Dark Ones (The Dark Ones Saga 1)

He handed his keys to the valet, who eyed me up and down like I was a piece of candy.

Mason growled at the valet, who jolted out of his stare-down and ran toward the truck. "Idiots, all of the demons."

"Wh-what?"

"Demons." He shrugged. "Even hell won't take 'em, so they toil here for us until it's time for judgment."

"And then?"

"Hell welcomes them back with open arms."

I shivered.

"Are you cold?"

No, just completely freaked out. My studies had said nothing about demons. Nothing.

What other immortals hadn't I been told about?

I was almost afraid to ask.

Mason walked me through the doors of the hotel. Music sounded from somewhere in the lobby, or maybe it was the restaurant. The music grew louder as we walked toward it in silence.

When we stopped, it was in front of a black door.

Mason nodded to a tall man wearing head-to-toe black. He had an earpiece in his ear and examined the iPad in his hands. He turned the iPad t

oward Mason, who placed his hand on the screen.

It flashed green.

And the door opened.

I think, in my head I'd built the Gathering up to be something like I'd seen in horror movies — an orgy, blood-drinking, people in little to no clothing.

Instead… it was like I'd just walked onto a Hollywood movie set. Heads turned, both male and female, and they were flawless. My fingers dug into Mason's arm.

It wasn't fear.

More like awe. It had been hard enough to keep my jaw tight when I'd entered the throne room. This was a bazillion times worse.

Every woman in that room was perfectly proportioned — tall, exotic, beautiful. There was no imperfection — at all.

The men, if I could call them that, since most of them were most likely immortal, were all pretty large in size and seemed more curious than anything. I noticed a few smiles in my direction.

A few sneers — from the women.

And in the far, far corner of the room, there were a group of people who looked like me, who looked normal, not like they belonged on the cover of a magazine.

"Humans," Mason whispered. "Over in the corner, most likely gossiping about their mates."

"What?"

On closer inspection, the humans looked… different. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but their skin was brighter than mine. Their eyes too. They just appeared extremely healthy.

There were both men and women, which I hadn't expected. Not that men's numbers had never been called. I just hadn't really thought about it much.

The room was decorated in blacks and silvers; long tables lined the walls, piled high with food and champagne.