King's Gambit (7 page)

Khalil cupped my cheek, running his hand down to my neck just like he had last night. His thumb rested against my pulse point, stroking over my skin in a slow but firm manner. He licked his lips and a hint of fang peeked through. His head dipped down and he grazed his lips across my cheek, down to my neck, where I felt the faintest prick as his mouth closed over my flesh.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” a familiar voice said.

My eyes widened and the world snapped back into place. I stepped away from Khalil to gape at our interloper.

“Alex?”

5

Alex was a sight for sore and incredibly-oh-so-very-much-strike-me-down-with-lightning-now-please-God eyes. He wasn’t wearing a tuxedo, and while his dark shirt and suit combo was nowhere near as expensive as Khalil’s clothing, it played up his low-key model look well. Like, hot damn did he look good. What didn’t look good was his expression. It was like the lemon fairy pissed in his eye after downing a plate of asparagus.

Chasing the image that simile brought far, far away, I took another guilty step away from Khalil and gave Alex what I hoped was a natural smile. Considering the fact that my face felt like smushed Play Doh, however, I’m guessing “natural” was the last word anyone would use.

“A friend of yours?” Khalil asked, a pleasant expression on his face despite Alex glaring daggers at him. “You need to better educate yourself on social interactions, friend. Most people would be able to tell we were occupied. And yes, you were interrupting. Now, if you don’t mind…”

“Actually–”

“Wine!” I was surprised I could even speak with all the awkwardness I was drowning in. “Let’s go get more wine and talk about this where no one can hear us so there won’t be a scene.” The last few words came out in a squeak, which I admit with no small hit to my pride.

“And here I thought you were abstaining until we were done,” Khalil said, pressing his cheek against mine to speak into my ear. Judging by the smirk on his face, he knew exactly how his words and actions would make Alex react.
Fuck my life.

“What exactly are you ‘getting done’?” Alex asked through a clenched jaw.

“This dance,” I said, worried my face would freeze with this creepy smile on it.

“Is that so?” he said. “I was about to cut in, too. How rude.”

“Ah, but it’s certainly understandable,” said Khalil, holding my hand out to Alex. “Perhaps you should take this dance, after all. Miss Morgan has proven to be quite the handful. If my heart was still beating, I’m sure she’d have it pounding.”

The flames that raged in Alex’s eyes had me wondering how Khalil was still standing. “I would hate to interrupt your…moment.”

“Not at all. In fact, I think I see a glass of blood calling my name over there.” Khalil gave us both a nod and navigated his way through the dance floor.

Awkwardness, population: me. If I thought my heart had been racing with Khalil, it was giving Usain Bolt a run – pun intended – for his money now. Unlike with the vampire, dancing with Alex felt stilted. I winced almost as much as he did when I stepped on his feet. Who needs a knife when you have stilettos?

“How did you– What are you doing here? In town. City. Here…” I trailed off, resisting the urge to destroy the ground under me just to make this end.

“Liam, the head of the Campbell family–”

“I know who–” I bit my lip, regretting it immediately as I realized I was wearing lipstick. “Sorry. Go ahead.”

“We’ve gotten an influx of new graduates from the academy – guess everyone wants a post near LA. Unfortunately for them, sunny California doesn’t have unlimited space. Liam asked a few of us if we wouldn’t mind stepping back so they could rotate in a few newbies.”

“Noobs.”

A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. “We were all noobs at one point.”

“I didn’t put these heels on to be insulted, son,” I said, smiling as the tension around us faded a bit.

The smile slipped away as Alex’s entire face fell, his eyes drifting over to where Khalil was lounging with his glass of blood. “What
did
you put them on for?”

“Just politicking,” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him flat against me so I could whisper in his ear. “I’m on a job. Hush hush.”

“Isn’t it always?”

“Grumble, grumble, it’s a secret to everybody.”

He pulled away. “Was that a Legend of Zelda joke?”

My jaw dropped. “How did you know that?”

“My sister’s a gamer,” he said. “Why are you so surprised I know that?”

Because you’re like, the biggest, cutest stick in the mud ever?
“Um…Don’t change the subject. What are you doing
here
? How did you know where I was? How did you get an invite?
I
didn’t even get an invite. I’m here as eye candy.”

“
That
is changing the subject,” said Alex. “You do make very nice eye candy, by the way. Even if it isn’t my eye candy.”

“Yours? I’m not a poodle,” I joked, trying to shake off the chafing feeling at the implication of being owned. “I’d be a hella cute poodle, though.”

“You would,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. I’d almost forgotten how gorgeous he was. “As for why I’m here…I thought I’d surprise you, so I asked Rowan for some help. She mentioned there was an inaugural party you had to attend. I figure I’d take the chance to see you all dolled up.”

“That was last night.” The song finished and we made our way towards Khalil. “Is this surprise why you haven’t been answering your phone?”

“I’ve been busy.”

“I get busy, too,” I said, trying to keep the edge out of my tone; “Morgan, woman scorned” wasn’t a title I wanted. “I still call you.”

Alex worked his jaw side to side before sighing. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

I looked at him suspiciously. “Really?”

“Yes. I got preoccupied, and I didn’t think we’d been apart long enough for it to be a big deal and…Well, I shouldn’t have ignored you like that.”

Apparently, it was that easy. Good to know. Maybe this relationship stuff wasn’t so hard, after all. Oh, if only I could believe that for even a second. I squeezed Alex’s hand, and he smiled at me. This was good enough for now.

Khalil was sipping blood from a long-stemmed glass when we reached him. He raised his drink up in greeting and led us to an empty corner.

“Did you have a nice dance?” he said. “Any plans form in your mind?”

“Yes,” I said. “And no.”

“Plans for what?” Alex asked.

Khalil quirked a dark brow up.

“We can trust him,” I said.

The vampire gave him one last wary look before turning to me. “If you vouch for him, I suppose that’s good enough for me. Nevertheless, the walls do have ears. A statement that can be quite literal in the homes of some of the oldest European vampires, but that’s a topic for another time.”

“Really?” said Alex. “You’re going to trust me just because she says so?”

“No, I’m going to trust
her
,” said Khalil, flashing me a wink. “What are partners for?”

“Partners?”

“For now,” I said, looking away so Alex couldn’t see me smile. Khalil was too suave, even disregarding the supernatural charm.

“Now you’re just teasing me, my dear,” he said. “Would you consider keeping me around if I told you I had an idea on how to get you a private audience with our illustrious host? Or, perhaps you were serious about your previous offer? Because if that’s the case, I’d be happy to be sent away after the fact.”

We looked into each other’s eyes a moment, enjoying the feeling that came with being privy to something no one else knew. Alex cleared his throat and stepped closer to me. Actually, he stepped in front of me, but only for a second, because I moved him back to my side right away.

“What have you got for me?” I said, ignoring Alex’s affronted look.

“Nothing.” Khalil gestured up and down my body. “You’ve got it all.”

“You know what…” Alex trailed off, waving his hand at Khalil.

“Oh, right. Sorry, guys,” I said. “Alex, this is Khalil – just Khalil, like Cher – my…partner for this job. Khalil, this is Alex Campbell, my–”

“Boyfriend,” Alex finished aggressively, holding his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

The way Alex said the word made it feel like a noose around my neck. I may have been an amateur at this committed relationship stuff, but I’m sure that wasn’t the feeling I was supposed to have. Ugh, I need more wine.

“Likewise.” Khalil shook the offered hand, cocky smirk firmly in place. “What were you going to say before?”

“I was just wondering if you did anything else besides attend fancy parties and hit on my girlfriend.”

I looked out the window. We were high enough that the fall could kill me. That or I’d be a puddle on the ground until I fully regenerated. Both options sounded tempting.

“I would take it as a compliment if others found my romantic partner attractive,” Khalil said, an edge in his eyes. “In this case, however, my comment was more for business than pleasure. Franklin is a pig.”

I snorted at his declaration. “I thought the walls had ears.”

“And every one of them knows I speak the truth. Just go up to the man and be charming. It shouldn’t take long for you to get his attention. Once you have it, ask to speak with him alone.”

“We’ve spent all of five hours together,” I crossed my arms. “What makes you so sure I’m capable of being charming enough?”

“Being able to read people is important in my line of work.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, then. But how am I supposed to get a blood sample?”

Khalil shrugged. “You could try staking him.”

“We’re supposed to be inconspicuous.”

“Aren’t vampires the ones who take blood from humans?” said Alex. “What’s with the one-eighty?”

“We’ll discuss it later,” I said, barely sparing him a glance before focusing on Franklin. Sure, I could have sounded less, well, bitchy, but his chauvinistic territorial thing was getting on my nerves. Plus, it was embarrassing. Khalil’s probably laughing his ass off at me, a grown woman, being overshadowed by my boyfriend.

Alex nodded but didn’t look happy. "Fine. Maybe it would be better if I let you guys work this out on your own. You’re obviously too busy.”

Outrage burned through my veins as I watched him walk away. He just spent a week ignoring me, and now that he was here, he expected me to drop everything and cater to him? Fuck that. Not to mention he was throwing a hissy fit in a room filled with creatures that had extra sensitive hearing. Jerk. And I hate surprises – he should’ve let me know he was coming. I huffed and crossed my arms, nitpicking every little thing Alex had done to find more reasons to be pissed at him. Stick in the mud, more like stick up my ass.

“He’s certainly…passionate,” said Khalil. “Are you going after him?”

“To do what?” I said, my tone as bitter as the taste in my mouth. “Grovel for his forgiveness even though I’ve done nothing wrong? No, let him cool off.”

“Perhaps I should apologize to him. I had no idea he’d be so sensitive.”

“He’s not–”
Oh, who am I kidding?
“He’s…intense. I think you should leave him alone for now, though. Then again, if he tries to hit you, it might start a huge fight. That way I could cut Franklin and get some blood without him noticing.”

“I love an innovative woman.”

“You’ve loved many, I’m sure.”

“Have you been speaking with Elise?”

I laughed. “Maybe. No. How could I?”

“She uses those magic mirror things. And a phone. She has that, too. Dorian is fond of answering it.”

“Does he say anything?”

“No.”

That was creepy. But also kind of funny. “Well, I don’t have her phone number. And I’ve never really gotten into crafting artifacts; I’m not very creative.”

“Says the woman who imagined starting a fist fight in the middle of this lovely gala.”

“Now you’re just stroking my ego.”

“Got to start stroking somewhere,” he said with another wink. “I think I’ll go occupy myself somewhere else for a while. Can’t have Sir Franklin thinking the lovely lady in the red dress isn’t available. Not that it’d stop him.”

“Any tips on how to get his attention?”

“Bleed,” he called over his shoulder as he swaggered away. “Good thing you’re wearing red!”

And then there was one. Dangling like a worm on a hook…A cute worm. Yeah, now I felt better.

Franklin was surrounded by a mixed group of preening socialite vamps and star struck humans. I didn’t understand what was so appealing to the humans. If these vampires were actively trying to lure them in, then it’d make sense, but otherwise… Maybe they smelled money or were just following the herd in sucking up to the important-looking people. I cracked my neck once to the left, then to the right. Showtime.

I took a glass of wine and one of blood, and hoping I wouldn’t confuse the two, made my way over to the boisterous group of people. A loud burst of laughter had me reeling back, but unlike high school me, I wasn’t about to let a bunch of harpy-like guffaws from the popular kids scare me away. With a fake smile that would make even Barbie shiver, I joined the herd.

“You’ve led a very interesting life, Mister Franklin,” I said, dead smile in place.