A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(16)

“Don’t worry, Fiona.” Blaze winked. “Heron’s just trying to stay focused and isn’t really paying attention to what comes out of his mouth. The dude can’t multitask…”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, before Avril realized that they were poking fun at Heron’s inability to take his eyes off her. The Mara, on the other hand, pursed his lips and gave Blaze a challenging stare.

“Look who’s talking.” Heron smirked. “Can’t wait to see you eat your words later tonight, Mr. I’m Too Cool And Composed.”

“Yeah, right, Mr. I Took Longer Than Avril To Put My Suit On,” the fire dragon shot back.

Blaze looked cool by all possible standards. He’d opted for a deep blue three-piece suit, which he’d paired with a white shirt and a pale gray bowtie, combing his dark hair back to add more light to his rugged complexion.

“Blaze is right, Heron,” Scarlett interjected with a smirk. “Avril was out before you.”

Scarlett was like a real-life fairytale princess, dressed in a sleeveless, champagne-pink ballgown with a bejeweled bodice.

“Take it down a notch, boys,” Jax replied, “you both took ages to get ready. Not as long as Hansa and Caia, but still, up there in the top five.”

He topped his comments off with a smirk, which quickly faded when Hansa emerged from above, followed closely by Caia. I could almost hear Blaze’s pulse stop for a couple of seconds, and I pressed my lips tight to stop myself from laughing. As full of jokes and ridicule as they were, one look at Hansa and Caia and both Jax and Blaze were upright blobs.

They had every reason, though. Hansa was a vision in a sleeveless, golden-yellow silk ballgown, her rich black hair pulled tight in an elegant bun with gold pins, an abundance of diamonds around her slender neck.

Caia, on the other hand, had opted for a slightly simple but exquisite dress, with a skin-color sleeveless chiffon top covered in blue gems, a slim golden belt, and a rich, royal-blue chiffon skirt. It brought out the bluish tint in her eyes, as she’d styled her blond hair in a tight, luscious bun.

My gaze kept darting between Jax and Hansa, then Blaze and Caia, wondering how long it would take for both the Mara and the fire dragon to find their words.

“Sorry we’re late,” Hansa said, seemingly unaware of the effect she had on Jax. “It took longer than I thought to get this dress on by myself. I ended up asking Caia for help.”

“That’s fine, we haven’t been waiting for long,” Jax replied, his voice raw and his eyes glued to her face.

Heron’s head turned, and he glared at his brother. Up until a minute ago, Jax had been the most impatient of us all. Heron wasn’t going to forgive him for this. I sensed there would be some hilarious banter later in the evening.

The music poured from the inside, a pleasant mélange of strings and keys, accompanied by laughter and fragments of casual conversation. The Spring Ball was well underway in the Kifo mansion, and it was our turn to join the party.

“Blaze!” Rewa’s voice made us all turn our heads toward the main entrance.

The Exiled Mara looked beautiful as well, expertly fitted into an ivory silk ballgown, which was covered in faux flowers and multicolored gemstones. She rushed down the main stairs and hooked her arm through Blaze’s with a radiant smile.

“Glad to see you’ve all made it,” she said, beaming at us. “And you all look wonderful. I’m glad to see Vincent’s tailors took such good care of you!”

“Thank you, Rewa.” Hansa nodded politely.

I noticed Caia’s discomfort before she tucked it away beneath a polite smile aimed at Rewa, who then motioned toward the main entrance.

“Shall we go in, then?” she asked.

“Lead the way,” Jax replied.

We followed her inside. Caia moved closer to me.

“You look sizzling hot,” she whispered, and gave me an appreciative sideways glance.

“Thanks. You’ll be turning some heads in there for sure.” I winked. “I just hope they don’t break their necks in the process.”

We both chuckled. Avril, Fiona, and Scarlett walked behind us.

“Remember, ladies,” Avril murmured. “Keep the Five Lords busy while Heron and I find our way out and get to Arrah.”

“Sure thing,” I replied. “Just give it about half an hour before you rush out, so you don’t draw attention to yourselves. It’ll take a while to get the Lords busy without making ourselves look awkward.”

“Right. Yeah. No worries.”

We walked into the mansion, and I found myself dazzled and slightly overwhelmed by the sumptuous interiors. The main reception hall stretched into two huge ballrooms, one on either side, with two sets of arching stairs leading to the upper floor, where a banquet hall awaited.

The walls were a pristine white with gold-brushed molding, elaborate paintings covering the ceilings, and superb crystal chandeliers hanging overhead. The French windows were clad in elegant, metallic-gray chiffon curtains, and the flooring was made entirely from glossy parquet. Dozens of waiters moved around the ballrooms with trays of blood in champagne flutes, while a band played in the space between the staircases. The acoustics were exquisite, I realized, as I could hear the music traveling throughout the reception hall with pristine clarity and high volume.

Hundreds of Exiled Maras were attending, some gazing at the sophisticated artwork on the walls and luxurious furniture pieces, while some were dancing, and others were engaged in various clusters of conversation.