"What, you mean they'd come here to collect?"

"No. She is in our realm, so we can do what we want with her here."

"We are not doing shit with her, Ember. Leave her alone," Ashen says. His eyes are pits of malice as he looks over his glass at Ember.

"I did not say we would, dear brother. I said we could. Don't worry, I have no intention of harming your beloved vampire," she replies with staged affection as she reaches across the table to lay a hand on his.

"I'm sure you don't." Ashen pulls his hand away and Ember purses her lips in a pout that I want to punch off her face.

"What is your interest in Lu anyway, brother? Is it really only to keep her from being used to make another hybrid? Is it because she saved your life? Or is it something more?"

"My interests and motivations are none of your fucking business."

"You are my little brother. Everything you do is my business."

"I haven't been your little brother in millennia, Ember."

Ember heaves a sad, wistful sigh and twists the stem of her wine glass, spinning the base against the silver cloth. "Forgive me, Ashen. I just find it odd. After sleeping your way through most of the female population of Reapers you can't seem to find one suitable to fulfill your desires. And now here you are escorting a bright soul on your arm. The brightest soul, in fact. But I suppose it makes sense that you want that which you cannot have, a man of the darkness seeking the light."

Ashen smacks his palm to the surface of the table and the glasses jitter as though startled. Smoke cascades from beneath his hand. "Enough, Ember," he says, his voice loud and stern. Cole and I glance at one another with identical expressions of surprise.

"Now now, both of you. I realize that sibling rivalries run deep, but no fighting in my establishment," a smooth voice purrs in warning. A woman materializes from the direction of the bar, her dark skin glowing and vibrant in the dim and flickering light. Dark curls cascade from her head and flow over her bare shoulders. Her neck drips with gold chains that pour into her cleavage. A low cut, black silk dress shimmers across her curves as she saunters toward us. She radiates power and authority.

"Apologies, Imani. We didn't mean to disturb your other guests," Ashen says as the woman stops next to him and lays a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know if you disturbed them or thoroughly entertained them," Imani replies with a benevolent smile. She turns her gaze to me. "Who is this fetching creature you've brought to shine among us this evening?"

"Imani, this is Lu. She is my guest in our Shadow Realm. Lu, may I present Imani, the proprietor of Bit Akalum."

Imani extends her hand and gives me a smile like she knows all my secrets. It should be unnerving, but instead it feels welcoming. "Pleasure to meet you, Lu. I'm happy to host you this evening, despite the ill manners of the cantankerous siblings of House Urbigu."

"Apologies again, Imani," Ember says, and she sounds legit contrite. I kind of love it. I have trouble hiding my shit-eating grin and Ember knows it.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you won't let it happen again. Correct?"

Ember gives a nod and flashes a glance at me that straddles the thin line of apology and rage. "Yes, of course."

"Excellent." Imani turns her eyes to Ashen, her pupils consumed with rippling black flame. "Ashen, why don't you take your guest to the dance floor. Tessa is about to sing, and it would be nice to cultivate a more jovial atmosphere. I hear that vampires are graceful dancers and I would very much love to see if that rumour is true. I will ensure your food is ready for your return to the table."

I get the sense this is not a suggestion. I take a long sip of my drink to hide my smirk at the idea of doing something stupid like The Sprinkler. I wonder if this 'Tessa' would take a request for WAP.

"Of course," Ashen says, pushing his chair away from the table. He holds out his hand for me to take. "Lu, would you please join me for a dance?"

I smile like I'm the sweetest, most innocent little vampire that ever set foot in the Shadow Realm as I place my hand in his. I avoid Ember's eyes, but I glance over at Cole as I rise from my seat. He watches us with an unreadable expression as he swirls the ice in his crystal glass.

"Enjoy your evening," Imani says as we pass by, and again I feel like this is a command to be obeyed. I give her a single nod and follow the pull of Ashen's hand as he leads us past the tables of guests who watch us like ravens waiting to steal a catch of fish from the bow of a boat.

We arrive at the expanse of black polished stone. The strings of lights overhead reflect on its surface like stars beneath our feet. Tessa is already there as the cellist tunes his instrument, a vintage silver microphone waiting for her voice to take flight. I give her a smile and she gives me an honest one in return, one singer to the next.

"The whole place will be watching, so if you start twerking I might kill you myself," Ashen says as I turn to face him. His eyes glimmer with suppressed amusement and I give him a broad smile. I have so many things I wish I could say that the words nearly spark from my eyes like fireworks.

The cello starts, then the piano. Ashen's hand slides across my ribs and lays across my spine. My exposed skin heats beneath his touch. I run my left hand up his arm, my other hand encased in his grip.

It's a song that I recognize. My breath catches in my lungs and I look up at Tessa. She smiles, and it seems laced with sadness. It's Let It All Go. How this is supposed to create a more jovial atmosphere, I don't know, but I love this song and I want to hear Tessa sing it. I want to be right where I am. Tessa closes her eyes and her voice finds the melody of the piano. The music swallows us in its rich tone and sweeps us away across the sparkling floor.

     I've been sleepless at night

    ‘Cause I don't know how I feel

    I've been waiting on you

   Just to say something real

"I would like to ask you something. Some things. Will you answer me honestly? If only while the music plays?" Ashen asks as we float across the polished stone.

I meet Ashen's eyes and watch for just a moment, trying to find everything he keeps buried beneath the layers of time that are as hard and impenetrable as granite. I nod.

     I don't know why, I don't know why

     We need to break so hard 

"Did you know you would have to take a great risk to reverse the poison?" he asks as the pianist's voice adds to the chorus of the duet.

     But if we're strong enough to let it in, in, in 

I nod. We flow across the floor like we have spent an eternity here, dancing with one another our entire lives. There's no misstep, no moment where I feel unsure. It's as natural as the breath in my lungs.

     If I look back to the start now I know

     I see everything true

"Did you cast the spell to protect yourself from me?"

It wasn't the only reason why, of course. I spoke the spell because it was the great risk that I took. I wish I could explain that, but I can't. All I can do is nod.

I look up at Ashen and his gaze drifts away from mine as we turn. A fleeting darkness settles over his face as he casts his eyes to the floor with a furrowed brow.

Ashen lets go of my back to spin me from his extended hand. When he brings me in again, we're closer than before. My chest touches his and I feel every breath, every heartbeat. His arm folds around me, his hand pressing its warmth between the bones of my shoulders.