DeLeina, Maya - Veil of Seduction [Ambrose Heights Vampires 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (49 page)

“That’s it! You can’t make my body move like the inanimate objects. On living tissue, you can only inhibit movement.”

“I wonder if I can control objects already in motion?” Anya’s thought wandered.

“We’ll test that. What other energy do you feel, my love?”

“There is this one,” Anya said as she concentrated to Steffan. “Sit still. I’m not entirely sure what this is exactly going to do.”

“Holy shit!” Steffan gasped. He shot up from the bed and ran to the mirror to examine himself. His expression was locked in pure disbelief.

Anya walked up behind, gazing at Steffan’s reflection in the mirror.

“So, I’m guessing this is not a normal ability for a vampire?”

Chapter Twenty-One

“Rise and shine,” Anya whispered.

She sat at the edge of the bed next to Michelle, rubbing her arm gently.

“What? What time is it?” Michelle mumbled as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, trying to focus on Anya.

“It’s six in the evening. I let you sleep. You needed it.”

“Six in the evening? How long did I sleep?”

“A little over ten hours.” Anya cringed. It was actually more like twenty-one hours, but what was the harm in a little white lie?

“Anya, how drunk was I?”

“You remember that home improvement show we were watching where they made a chandelier using empty wine bottles? Let’s just say I could’ve started the project with the amount of wine you downed last night.”

Michelle sat up in bed, resting her back against the headboard. “But, I feel good. No headache. No…” Michelle stopped midsentence and looked intently at Anya.

“Michelle?”

“Anya? Are you? Did he do it?”

Anya nodded.

Tears started to well in Michelle’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“If you are here talking to me and you are what you are, then that means you remembered me!”

“Of course I did! Steffan didn’t have to help me remember anything. You popped right up, clear as a bell. I love you, Michelle. You’ve always been in my heart.”

“I love you too, Anya,” Michelle said quietly. A flood of tears started to roll down Michelle’s cheeks as she fought to control her emotional display.

“Michelle, I thought you were all right with this?”

“I am,” Michelle said, sniffling, “I just realized I’m going to be an old hag one day and you’ll still look beautiful as ever! I mean, we’ve always gone through things together. How can you even relate when I start talking about my aches and pains, my teeth falling out or how my boobs are hitting my knees when I walk? You can’t. You will forever be thirty-five years old! How am I going to explain to Chloe that Aunt Anya will look like mommy’s daughter one day?”

Anya leaned in and hugged Michelle.
“I know. We’ll work through this. I keep thinking about the day I will have to say good-bye to you.” Anya released her hold on Michelle and looked her in the eye. “You won’t change your mind?”

“I can’t,” Michelle said quietly.

The women sat quietly, not knowing what quite to say.

“Adam called about ten minutes ago. He and Chloe just got home,” Anya said, breaking the gut-wrenching silence between them. She got off the bed and walked over to the dresser to retrieve the cell phone. “She’s dying to tell you about her day. I said you were in the shower. They’re going to call back in a half hour.” Anya handed the cell phone to Michelle.

Michelle chuckled as she looked at the phone. “I have no doubt that Adam gave his daughter everything she asked for. That man spoils her rotten.”

Michelle’s gaze fell on Anya and she caught a full glimpse of Anya’s evening gown.

“Oh my god! You look absolutely beautiful!”

The gown had an understated elegance.

It was a simple, strapless, satin gown, no embellishments to the material, allowing the striking-red color to take center stage. The dress wrapped to a pleat, and a shirred bodice sat above the A-line cut. Anya’s hair was done in a half-up-and-down style, curled at the ends. Little crystal accents shined in her black strands.

“Thank you. I’m being introduced to the entire family tonight.”

“How many are we talking?”

“Counting me? Seventy-five.”

“That many vamps reside in Manitou? I was thinking it was more like twenty-five or something. My god, you’ll have to tell me if there are people we know.”

“Evening, Michelle, how are you feeling?” Steffan said as he made his way through the room. He stood there in a sleek, black tuxedo. His crisp, white shirt and the gray, satin euro tie and vest set off his sparkling eyes.

Michelle stood with dreamy eyes locked on Steffan.

“I–I’m feeling great. Boy, you both are incredibly breathtaking. What time is Anya’s presentation to the family and is it here?”

“It will be here, at midnight. I have workers downstairs preparing everything.”

“Good, I have time to slip away,” Michelle said as she got up and started making the bed.

“Michelle, you don’t have to do that, and you don’t have to rush. You have plenty of time. Come, have dinner with us. Anya and I made something special for the three of us to mark this special evening.” Steffan paused for a moment, and Anya picked right up where he left off.

“We just took Consumption so we could celebrate with food and champagne for our night. Let’s go downstairs. You can call Chloe as well.”

* * * *

Anya stood in front of the mirror doing a last-minute assessment.

As if detecting something, her body tingled. “Steffan, why are you just standing out there?”

Steffan smiled and entered the room. He walked up slowly behind her and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

“It’s time, love.”

Anya nodded.

“Nervous, huh?” Steffan stated.

“Yes.” Anya fixed her eyes on Steffan and entered his mind. “And it seems like you are as well.”

“Perfect read, Anya. You know, I am really surprised how effortlessly you employ your mate abilities. You really had no trouble with it at all.”

“I guess there’s nothing we won’t know about each other.”

Steffan chuckled. “I am also happy to report that it appears you have detection skills. You can feel the presence of vampires who shield.”

“I can?”

“Yes. I was shielding when you detected me outside in the hall.”

“What about the sensation sharing this afternoon, huh?” Anya spoke to Steffan’s reflection in the mirror. “I still feel weak in the knees. Now
that
was a little harder for me to do, but we’re definitely trying that again as soon as this shindig is over.”

“That was the greatest experience of my life—so far,” Steffan said as he winked at Anya. “We have to work on staggering each other’s climaxes, though. I nearly passed out, feeling mine and yours at the same time. But practice makes perfect, right?”

“Exactly.” Anya chuckled. “I see your hair color is back.”

Steffan nervously ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah. I was worried that you would have to figure out how employ your biokineses to change it back to black. The blonde color did not suit me very well.”

“I still thought you were handsome.”

“Thank you, my love. Anya, I have something for you,” Steffan said as he reached into his pocket and encircled his hands in front of Anya’s neck.

“It’s just like my ring! It’s beautiful,” Anya said, admiring Steffan’s gift.

The elegant choker was the finishing touch to her outfit. It had an antique quality, like her ring, that she loved. The endless knot symbol was intricately carved in silver and accented with marcasite and diamonds. It sat attached to clear nylon, appearing to float delicately in the dip of her neck.

“My love, there’s something else we haven’t discussed. Something I would like to confirm before your introduction.”

“What is it, Steffan?”

“Have you given much thought to your name? The family’s tradition is to have a name bestowed, as a rite of passage for the transformation to a vampire existence. But I would love nothing more than for you to retain your name. I can’t see you as anything but Anya.”

“I would love to keep my name. It’s me. And if you can’t see me as anything but Anya, I would never, in a million years, change it.”

“Tell me, do you know the meaning of your name?” Steffan asked.

“Not really. It just wasn’t something I ever thought about.”

Steffan smiled. “It means infinite grace and beauty. And I can’t seem to find any other name you could take that would be more fitting.”

Anya smiled.

“Well my infinitely graceful and beautiful mate, they’re waiting for us. Shall we?” Steffan held out his elbow in an old-world gesture.

Anya melted.

Steffan’s antiquated movement, accent, sophistication, stunning looks, and pure love were all hers. He was her mate. Anya slowly entwined her hand to mold into his shape and they exited their bedroom.

They made their way to the top of the grand staircase to gasps and whispers of the crowd gathered below. They stood at the top, allowing everyone to take in their fill of their newly mated leader and the new addition to the family. The room was overflowing with faces, some new and some recognizable. Anya was overcome with shock as she processed the faces she knew. Never in a million years would she have guessed they were vampires.

Michelle would be floored with her report.

Steffan gestured for the crowd to quiet. His voice carried with a marked sense of authority.

“Thank you all for coming this evening. As many of you know, I have waited almost an entire century for this very moment. I had all but given up hope of finding my mate until that fateful evening, nine months ago. The indescribable connection presented itself, and I set out on my quest to find my mate. Tonight, I have the distinct pleasure of presenting to you, the newest member of our family and my cherished mate, Anya Matthews.”

The room was immediately filled with the sound of joyous applause. Steffan turned to Anya and gave her a kiss, like a couple would share after being pronounced man and wife in a wedding ceremony.

* * * *

Madeline stood still in the crowd, examining Steffan’s kiss.

A burning, stabbing pain filled her chest as the applause and cheers grew stronger. She ripped her eyes from their embrace and searched the crowd intently.

Ryan stood there, motionless among the sea of people.

Their eyes locked.

Madeline nodded once with a recognizable acknowledgement to Ryan’s inward pain.

It was time.

* * * *

Ryan clapped with an obsessive vigor.

The vampires around him dispersed, examining the odd behavior he displayed. The pronounced movements caught Steffan’s eye, and he fixated on Ryan.