Summit at Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 3) (16 page)

Talise appeared beside Aiden as he greeted Katrina. Caleb noted the woman’s obvious Native American heritage in her appearance and marveled at how vampires seemed to touch all cultures and denominations.

In turn, Aiden introduced Talise to Caleb, whose attention was distracted by Katrina’s closer inspection of his neck out of his peripheral vision.

“Are you okay?” Katrina insisted.

I’m so going to make sure that someone regrets this
, she vowed.

“Really, everything’s fine now, Kat. It was just a misunderstanding, that’s all,” he reassured his mate before casting a pleasant glance at Aiden and Talise. He didn’t want her going on some vengeful tear so soon after their arrival. Instead, he just wanted to forget the entire event.

“The captain of security took care of things pretty fast,” Aiden said.

“Paige, that is,” Caleb added as his eyes met Katrina’s.

Her green eyes turned flat and steely-looking, much like Paige’s had been earlier, which caused him to tense slightly.

“Paige is here? And she’s on the security detail?” Katrina asked with surprise.

So, that’s why she was so hedgy about her contract job
, she divined.
Leave it to Paige.

“Let’s speak more about this back at the room,” she suggested.

They excused themselves from Aiden and Talise and made their way to their hotel suite on the fifth floor. On their brief journey, Caleb was taken aback by the sheer number of vampires they passed in the lobby and hallways. He was happy to have made the European trip with Katrina, but wondered if the episode in the lobby portended a dangerous theme for their visit.

As they unpacked their luggage to place items in closets and drawers, Katrina insisted that Caleb explain the earlier encounter in the lobby with the rude vampire. To say that she was displeased was an understatement, and he deliberately tried to soften the edges of his story for her. That was not to say it wouldn’t have pleased him to see the vampire brought low by his mate. Rather, he felt as if Paige’s response had been appropriate enough for his satisfaction, a point he made by recounting her intervention on his behalf in explicit detail.

When he finished, Katrina sat on the edge of their king-sized bed.

“Well, I suppose that Paige represented me well enough in my absence.”

“She was impressive, really,” he heartily agreed. “She’s surprisingly fierce for her size.”

“She’s an alpha,” she noted matter-of-factly with a slight shrug.

Of which I’m very proud
, she thought, once again thankful for the young vampire’s helpful presence in Caleb’s life.

He walked over to where she sat and kissed her warmly on the lips.

“I
so
love you, Kat. Thanks for bringing me with you.”

Her arms slipped around his waist, pulling him onto the bed beside her. Her lips targeted his almost magnetically, and she kissed him affectionately. Despite the earlier road bump in the lobby, she was happy that she had brought him with her, as well. She merely hoped that her additional duties in the conference meetings wouldn’t negatively impact her time with him.

As they kissed, his hand gently massaged the back of her neck. Moments later, his hand traced down her back and slowly slipped beneath her sweater to seek her right breast.

She parted from their kiss and whispered, “I like where this is going, but we need to get ready for the reception.”

He recalled an earlier comment from Maddy’s consort about the reception. “It’s mandatory?” he asked.

She looked upon him sympathetically. “I’m afraid it’s expected. Besides, it’ll give you a chance to meet more of the human companions.”

He remained silent. While intrigued to meet others, some intimate time with Katrina made all other endeavors pale by comparison.

Sensing his dour mood, she kissed him on the tip of the nose and promised, “No worries. We’ll pick up where we left off later.”

He watched her roll off the edge of the bed and move in a blur to the bathroom to start the shower. After a few minutes, he joined her.

Later, she applied a modest amount of makeup in the bathroom as Caleb finished cinching the knot on his fashionable new silk tie that she had bought for him back in Atlanta. He scoffed out loud at the off-center dimple below the knot, hastily undoing his tie and starting over from scratch. The truth was that he felt somewhat nervous about the upcoming reception, particularly given his earlier vampire-related misunderstanding in the lobby.

Katrina heard him scoff and offered, “I know you’d rather skip this, my love. But perhaps it’s even more important considering what happened earlier. Believe it or not, most of the humans in the lobby appeared rather wary from being around so many vampires at once. You’d make quite an impression if you simply treated the vampires just like any other human.”

“You think?” he asked as his second attempt with his tie was more successful.

“I’m certain of it,” she confirmed while surveying her eyeliner. “Most vampires enjoy intimidating humans. It’s a sort of perverse pastime with a number of them, a way of indulging their overinflated egos and sense of superiority. I suggest that you treat them politely, but no differently from anyone else you would meet in public.”

Caleb frowned as he stood before the mirror. “I dunno, Kat.”

She smiled with self-assurance as she ran a brush through her mane of red hair, letting it cascade across her shoulders.

“Trust me. Do you remember that textbook publishing event that we attended for one of your peers a month or so ago?”

Caleb nodded. One of his fellow professors had partnered with a Georgia University professor to generate a new history textbook that had been adopted for statewide use. The celebration had been a stuffy affair, mostly filled with other professors who were keen to brag about their latest research projects and publishing opportunities. Caleb recalled that it had been a snore-fest of epic proportion, in retrospect.

“Oh yeah, I remember.”

“Remember how bored you were passing through the room shaking hands and politely listening to people drone on?” she asked. “Well, just act the same way tonight. Vampires are nothing, if not repositories of past experiences and timelines. Just look at it like a historical research project, of sorts.”

“I’ll try that,” he replied as he peered around the corner into the bathroom. What he saw made him nearly lose his breath.

Katrina looked ravishing in a full-length black silk dress that fit her curves in all the right places. A silver necklace adorned her neck, with a large emerald pendant tastefully suspended above her cleavage. Her beautiful red hair was like a mantle across her shoulders, and emerald earrings sparkled at her earlobes. A pair of black strappy high-heels complemented the ensemble. She was simply gorgeous, and he felt the pull of her amorous nature drawing on him like gravity.

“Oh, Kat,” he muttered once he caught his breath. “You’re stunning.”

“Thank you. And may I say, you look quite the handsome gentleman yourself,” she said of his selection of dark Ralph Lauren slacks and blazer.

“Nice tie,” she added as she strode up to him and cast a penetrating stare into his pale blue eyes.

The increased height from her heels required him to crane his neck up to meet her gaze fully, revealing his tasty-looking neckline to her. She felt a dual desire rise in her as his body and his blood both called to her at once. Realizing that she had not partaken in blood since their flight, she ran her tongue across her teeth as her mouth watered.

Oh, how I want him right now
.

His eyes widened at the predatory expression in her penetrating stare. If he didn’t already trust her so implicitly, he might have been concerned for his well-being at that moment.

“Um, Kat. Are you okay?”

With a practiced sense of self-control she reined in her thirst, vowing to partake in a glass of blood at the reception.

Maybe two or three glasses
, she amended.

“Fine, my love,” she softly replied while deliberately placing a single, soft kiss upon his lips.

He felt entranced as he started to kiss her again, but she abruptly pulled away and led him out of the suite. Though they passed a number of vampires and humans in the hallways leading to the reception room, he failed to focus fully on them as his eyes kept drifting to the beautiful woman beside him who held his hand. A sense of intense pride flowed through him that she had selected him out of all the men in the world.

The reception room in the main portion of the hotel was just off the atrium, a two-story area with a UV-coated glass ceiling. All manner of lush plants, small trees, and flowerbeds presented a relaxing park-like atmosphere amidst the small couches, reading chairs, and various other lobby furniture and fixtures.

The wide hallway leading to the reception room was guarded by three tuxedo-wearing vampires, two men and a woman. Each held an electronic tablet and greeted guests to ensure that their names were listed before allowing their entrance to the room beyond. As Katrina and Caleb approached, each of the vampires looked up and politely acknowledged him. Caleb thought that he recognized one of the vampires from Alton’s office building during his and Katrina’s trip to London in March.

“Are they Alton’s?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she answered simply and strode over to one of the vampires.

He politely gestured with one hand for them to proceed.

The eclectic symphonic music of Philip Glass emitted from the room as they approached, casting a stately, yet subdued, mood over the atmosphere. Everyone in attendance appeared to be dressed in either formal or elegant evening attire, and for once, Caleb felt comfortable in his wardrobe selection.

He noticed that a number of eyes, vampire and human alike, turned to acknowledge Katrina as she passed. A vampire waiter bearing a tray of crystal champagne glasses filled with blood approached Katrina, who gratefully accepted one. She savored a swallow of the red liquid as it flowed down her throat, tempering the thirst that had built in her during the past few hours.

Caleb visually swept the large room. It appeared that he and Katrina were some of the first guests to arrive.

The décor was stately, adorned with fresh arrangements of flowers in crystal vases. Along one wall was a lengthy oak countertop sporting a buffet of finger foods and appetizers that appeared to be a focal point for the few humans in the room. An elegant bar was positioned near the food serving area, and a small punch fountain twinkled from the middle of the room.

Small bistro tables were arrayed on the side of the room where the buffet was located, and a number of small tables and chairs were positioned along the wall.

The opposite wall sported what could only be described as a blood bar for the vampires. Caleb noticed that the room was served solely by vampires; no human staff members were within sight. He wondered if that were because of the potentially delicate nature of the conversations that may be conducted.

But wouldn’t the human companions be considered a possible security risk, as well
?

Katrina watched the intrigue play across her mate’s features with some amusement.

He’s simply adorable
.

She held his hand and gently led him towards a small group of vampires standing close to the blood bar. They stopped chatting as soon as Katrina approached, and each turned to greet her.

“Katrina?” asked a tall, thirty-something-looking brunette. Her red evening gown looked captivating on her shapely frame, and her brown eyes glistened as the light caught them.

Releasing Caleb’s hand, Katrina embraced the woman with one arm and warmly greeted her, “Innessa, it’s so good to see you again. How is my favorite Greek goddess doing?”

The woman demurred, “Oh, hush. There are no statues of me in the whole of Greece, my dear. They stopped that by the time I was turned, you know.”

Then the woman’s eyes settled on Caleb. “But I see you’ve been doing well for yourself.”

Katrina stepped back and cast a smile at her mate as he blushed.

I certainly think so
, she silently affirmed.

Then she turned to greet the three others in a more formal fashion with simple handshakes.

“My beloved mate, Caleb,” Katrina introduced in a possessive tone.

Caleb shook each of their hands and politely greeted them in turn. He immediately liked Innessa, but that might have been because Katrina seemed close to her. Heru was a young Egyptian male with medium-length, straight black hair and a tall, lanky build. Yat-Sen was a short, muscular Chinese vampire with dyed blonde hair and vivid green eyes.

Pekka had long brown hair, gray eyes, and a medium height and build. He claimed to be from Finland, although, in retrospect, Caleb was uncertain if any of the vampires’ claimed heritages were indicative of their actual countries of residence. Somehow he doubted it. Katrina once said that vampires had to be itinerant by nature, at least every so often, or people would notice their lack of aging.

He remained silent and politely listened to the vampires’ conversations ranging from recent travels to how quickly places and people had changed over the years. Soon additional guests arrived in larger numbers, and he cast a longing look at the inviting appearance of the buffet table across the room. He felt Katrina gently squeeze his hand in hers, and his attention returned to her. He then noticed the other vampires observing him with interest.

“Why don’t you go get something to eat, my love?” she suggested.

I’m sure he’s as hungry as I was earlier
, she noted with a degree of guilt. She was already sipping on her second glass of blood and felt much better for it.

“Thanks. I’d like that,” he replied to the vampires before departing.

“Such a polite young human,” Yat-Sen noted as Caleb walked away.

Caleb loaded a glass dinner plate with various items from the buffet and glimpsed Dr. Reynolds to his right adding some small chunks of cheese to a small plate of fruit. The youthful-looking doctor was attired in slacks, dinner jacket, and a white silk shirt, but no tie. Much like Alton, the man wore his clothes with the charm of a playboy on the prowl. Caleb also found it amusing that Reynolds was the only vampire on that side of the room at the time.