“All right, Charlotte, where are—”
Suddenly Valerie is in front of me. She’s wearing even more paint than she was when I left, and her voice shines through the fog in my mind. “There you are!” she says. “Thank god. Listen, I have to go. Alexei is here to drive me back to the mansion. Remember, be here in two weeks. Same time, okay?”
She takes her phone, drops it into her purse, and wraps her arms around me. I manage a nod before she pulls away. My sister raises her slender arm, hailing a cab, and then she’s gone. I move so I’m standing in line again. The wait is shorter this time, being so close to sunrise, and Markus winks at me as I pass. Once I’m inside, I briefly consider returning to the dance floor, but being drunk in a nightclub isn’t nearly as much fun when you’re alone.
The world is blurry as I sidle up to the bar again, but I still see Mia shake her head at me. I pout again. “Seriously? I can pay extra. Whatever you want, just make me another drink. A double, and don’t bother spiking it this time.”
It’ll just dilute the alcohol.
She gives me a stern glare. “Ask again, and I’ll have Markus put you out on your ass. You’re cut off for the night, Charlotte. End of story.”
I narrow my eyes at her. The vein in her neck looks extra mouth-watering now. “You’re fucking lucky I don’t—”
My voice is cut off when a strong arm wraps around my waist and hauls me backward. I snarl and try to break free, but his grip is too strong and he’s got me pinned against his solid chest. Since when is Markus stronger than me? I think in a drunken daze.
“Easy, baby vampire.” Noah’s voice is low in my ear. “You don’t want to cause a scene.”
It’s too late for that—there are already a dozen creatures looking our way. I’m about to tell him that I couldn’t care less about a scene when Noah swings me into his arms. I’m still sputtering as he carries me out of Crimson, and he doesn’t let go until we’re almost a block away. The moment I’m free, I whirl on him and growl, “What the hell was that?”
“You’re welcome,” Noah snaps.
“For what?”
The bounty hunter cocks his head. Licking his lips, he takes a step closer. “Would you have killed that bartender, or just had a taste? No, something tells me you would’ve torn her to pieces. Hungry little thing, aren’t you?”
The monster presses against her cage. I can feel her interest in this vampire, sense the allure she feels at his words. But she’s not in control—I am. “Fuck you,” I spit at Noah.
“Would that make you feel better? I’m happy to do my part for the less fortunate.”
I stare at him, thinking about how much I hate those impossibly emerald eyes… and then I burst out laughing. I don’t know why, exactly, but Noah’s lips twitch, as well. “All right. Come on. You need some coffee, because I’m not in the mood to babysit a lushy vampire.”
“No, Mr. Badass Bounty Hunter, what I need is another club. One that doesn’t have a bitchy bartender. You don’t tell me what I need—you have no idea. No one does.” Now I’m giggling again. There’s a short retaining wall to our right, and I climb onto it, wobbling precariously in my shoes. Following a sudden impulse, I tip my head back and shriek at the stars. They stare at me, disapproving things. “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again!”
Noah tilts his head back and glares up at me. “Tell me where you’re staying. I’m taking you home.”
“Home,” I echo with a sad laugh. “I guess that would be Alexander’s.”
Noah’s eyebrows rise. “How the hell are you affording that?”
Oh, right. That’s why I’d called him. “My not-so-loving not-so-father paid me a visit tonight.”
Noah’s gaze flits over my face. Then, moving more quickly than my inebriated eyes can follow, he grabs hold of my hips and lowers me back to the ground. Once he’s certain I won’t topple over, Noah drops his hands and glances at my footwear. “I’ll order a ride. I don’t trust you to walk a block, let alone back to your hotel. Those shoes are ridiculous, by the way. You’re going to break your fucking neck.”
“I like them,” I shoot back. A complete lie—they’re killing my feet. I would love nothing more than to take them off and set them on fire, but now that Noah’s gone and commented on them, I can’t do that. I refuse to let him be right.
“Right,” he drags out the word, clearly not buying it. Whatever. Noah pulls his phone out and taps the screen. “Car will be here in a couple of minutes.”
“How does it feel to be the fun police? Is that part of your official job description as a bounty hunter?” I demand. It doesn’t make sense, but I can’t stop my mouth from making noise.
His eyes flash with impatience. “You know, we really don’t need to talk. We can just wait quietly.”
“You know,” I say mockingly, “I really don’t need you here.”
“You called me,” Noah points out.
“A lapse of judgment on my part,” I volley back. “Clearly.”
The vampire leans against the brick exterior of a long-closed florist shop. “I’m not about to leave you alone on the street.”
“I’m not in danger, Noah. I can protect myself.”
A muscle ticks along his jaw. “You’re a Lavender, you little fool. You’re always in danger now.”
“Are you threatening me?” I try to snap, but suddenly the world is tilting and it takes all my concentration to remain upright. Before Noah can answer, a black SUV pulls up to the curb. He opens the back door and nods at me to get in. Without a word, I slide into the backseat, and the nausea starts to ebb. I can’t stop a sigh of relief. Stupid heels. Never again.
Once Noah’s in the car, the driver pulls back onto the street. I stare out the window, grimacing at the way my stomach churns. Okay, I may have indulged in one too many cocktails. But I can’t focus on that now. No, right now, I need to concentrate on not vomiting all over the backseat.
I spend the car ride chanting don’t puke in my head. The second the driver stops at Alexander’s, I bolt from the car and lose half the contents of my stomach to the shrubbery.
Noah is there a second later, holding my hair back so I don’t get vomit in my curls. Bile still burns in my throat as I groan, “Thanks.”
His hand is at the small of my back. “Are you going to make it to your room?”
“Yeah.” My head is swimming, but I straighten anyway. Less than three seconds later, my knees buckle. Noah catches me around my waist and holds me upright. My voice is breathy as I say, “Okay, maybe not.”
“I’ve got you,” he says.
“I think I’m fine now. You can let me go.”
His chuckle fills my ear. “If I let go, baby vampire, you’ll end up on your ass and you know it.”
I narrow my eyes at him, but there’s no sense in arguing—the bastard is right. With a heavy sigh, I lean into Noah and allow him to guide me inside, then toward the bank of elevators attached to the lobby. Once we’re climbing toward the sky, I have to close my eyes. Nausea rolls through me again and I clench my jaw.