Tegan's Return (The Ultimate Power Series #2) by L.H. Cosway Read Free Book Online Page B

notice, because he holds me tighter against him then. I can almost hear him humming the tune to himself. The song ends too soon, and we part still looking at each other.
     Someone appears beside Ethan, a tall, slim woman. She's got long, silky honey blond hair, and her eyes are almost the same colour. Her skin is bronze and flawless. A vampire, definitely a vampire. She puts her hand delicately on Ethan's arm, all the while her eyes remain focused on me, like I'm some sort of intriguing mystery.
     “Ethan darling, who is this precious girl you've been dancing with?” she asks, her voice sweet and delicate, but I can sense a strength behind it.
     Ethan turns to the woman, and it appears that he hadn't realised she was there until she'd started speaking.
     “Eliza,” he says, “this is Tegan, she's an old friend.” I smile at how he introduces me, since it's exactly the same thing Finn said about me to his neighbour Maria.
     “Tegan,” says Eliza, trying out the sound of my name. “Is she a witch? She doesn't smell quite like a human.”
     Uh oh. Ethan's eyes meet mine for the barest fraction of a second. “No, not a witch, a human, but a very distant descendant of the magic users.” Okay, I'll take that excuse. At least Ethan's keeping my secret and not telling this Eliza lady about me. Surely that's a good sign. For my own survival if nothing else.
     “Ah, so that explains why she smells different ,” says Eliza, her gaze wandering over me curiously. “Why don't you come and join us upstairs, Tegan?” She's smiling now, but there's no warmth in it whatsoever.
     I look to Ethan, but his face is indecipherable. I guess going up to the VIP section will allow me a better chance to listen in to the vampires' conversations.
     “Alright then,” I answer. Ethan holds out his arm to me, and I link mine through it. I think I catch Eliza scowl briefly before a smile replaces it milliseconds later. I squeeze Ethan's arm and look up at him as we leave the dance floor. I try to ask a question with my eyes, is it safe for me to go up here? His nod is almost imperceptible, but it puts my mind at ease somewhat.
     Once we get up the stairs I peer about, taking in my new surroundings. I don't think I've ever been among this many vampires before. It causes my temperature to run a little cold. They glance at me as I walk by with Ethan, Eliza leading the way ahead of us. I hadn't realised how large this section was when I'd viewed it from downstairs. There's a main area and a bar where most of the vampires are partying, I even notice a few humans among them. Blood donors perhaps. Then there's a long hallway that leads to various secluded areas for private groups. We enter one of them.
     I recognise Lucas and Delilah instantly. Lucas is sitting on a chair with a human girl on his lap. I don't realise it's Amanda until she turns around and I can see her face. Her hair is no longer blue, now it's bright pink. Delilah is sitting beside them, chatting with an older woman with short dark hair. There's a table in the centre of the room with lots of vampires sitting around it, and at the head of it sits a vampire who seems to demand attention simply from his very presence. He looks around forty, with hair and eyes the same colour as Eliza's. They must be related in some way.
     Lucas sees me then, and his eyes gleam in amusement. He whispers something in Amanda's ear and then she looks at me too.
     “Tegan!” she exclaims, jumping up from Lucas' lap. I let go of Ethan's arm and go to her, giving her a big hug. But when I look at her eyes it seems like there's something missing, something not quite right. Then I see the bite marks on her neck and arms, some of the scars are older than others. Oh God, he really has turned her into his blood whore. The problem is, she seems so unbelievably happy about it. I look over Amanda's shoulder to see Delilah watching our exchange, her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.
     “You