The Key (Sanguinem Emere) by Carmen Taxer Read Free Book Online Page B

outfits of my own?
    And don’t get me started on the make-up, the creams, the bath salts and other enticing beauty items. No, I’m not really a girly girl, but it is a lovely thought that I may be able to pamper myself.
    Delilah’s face swims to me through the haze of smoke. The drinks she’s been feeding me have started to take effect, evidently. A comforting buzz settles in under my skin and the brush of her fingers on my arm, so heightened by the weed and vodka, makes me shiver a little. Good thing too. If I were too sober, my patience may have run out by now.
    Killer game he’s playing. But it’s really not for me. I don’t need the story that badly. Even if the bulging cabinets are meant to be incentive.
    Nor do I need him for that matter.
    “Hey Plum, having fun?”
    I shrug at my friend’s question  and cringe a little as Cecily, next to me and still half draped over my lap, emits a kittenish moan. I clench the muscles in my face to stop my eyes from roaming over there. I do not want to know.
    “Ease up,” Delilah lays her arm across my shoulders as she hands me the toxic-looking beverage.
    “I am,” I mutter, “I just wasn’t really expecting this.”
    “You’re wondering where he is?”
    “No.”
    “Uh huh,” She smiles in a patronising manner and pats my leg, taking the joint from my fingers. “He’ll be around.”
    I glance around the room, ignoring the heat in my face at her not-so-subtle teasing.
    “In the meantime, have a bit of fun. Loosen up.”
    I turn to her, studying her expression, trying to see through to what would have made her let Dimitri pull her into this. He has a point. If I’m going to start understanding him, I need to understand them first, don’t I? She’s been here the longest. She’s closest to him.
    That hurts.
    She doesn’t notice my pointed glance. Or she pretends not to.
    “Xavier, over there, has been watching you the whole morning.”
    I look to the man she indicates. Young and attractive in a metro-boy kind of way, clean-shaven blonde with green eyes and a kid’s smile. No Dimitri. “So?”
    She waits for his glance to catch hers and then curls her fingers salaciously at him.
    He smiles not-too-shyly and I see that I have misread ‘Xavier’. No sweet, young man, this one. My match-making Delilah stands, ignoring my hissed, slightly inebriated protestations, and kisses him once on the cheek by way of greeting.
    “Sweetheart, this is Eva, a dear friend of mine. Be gentle.”
    Xavier seats himself on the sofa with a quiet laugh and turns his brilliant green eyes on me. I take a sip of the emerald thing Delilah brought over.
    Bitter but familiar. And herby.
    And immediately the effect starts to take hold of my brain, my mind. The edges of everything soften just enough. Maybe too much, as even Xavier’s smile is not so threatening now.
    His fingers graze my cheek and I smile provocatively at him. If there is a game afoot here, I may as well play it to the best of my abilities.
    Try to understand what it is he wants.
    What Xavier wants, incidentally, is becoming all too clear. He fingers come to rest on my collar, his thumb dropped down to casually toy with the low neck of my blouse.
    “Eva. That’s a pretty name.”
    I don’t even bother to staunch the giggle as the drink, combined with everything else I’ve imbibed and the third joint of the day amplifies the hilarity of his come-on, “Really? Does that line usually work for you?”
    He smiles in a head-ducking manner which seems almost shy and, I have to admit, he is kind of cute. It seems Dimitri only chooses the pretty ones. Except maybe for me. But then again, I’m supposed to be here to observe, not to take part.
    Whatever.
    “She underestimates you, doesn’t she?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Delilah. She should have been telling you to be gentle.” He whispers good-naturedly as he leans in closer to me.
    I pull back just enough to smile up at him, “And you’re assuming she