Page 124 of Red Masquerade

Only I hadn’t realized it. Never had I changed the course. Not until I ran away from it all, deciding I needed Vince more than anything else.

“Think about it,” I said, placing the novel onto the tea table.

“I am thinking about it,” he nearly growled. “No.”

“Is it not better to knowwhenhe’s coming? That way we can prepare.”

Vince’s eyes bore into me as he tapped the pen to his lips. Thinking, wheels churning. Outside, the sun was close to setting, sending ribbons of pink and orange across the sky. With every nightfall, we were one day closer to Brancato doingsomething. None of us knew what. But that mischievous smile had said it all, that he would return and wreak havoc in doing so.

“And when do you suggest we do this?”

“As soon as possible,” I said. “Tomorrow. We throw the biggest party this house has ever seen. Invite everyone. And Brancato will come.”

“We don’t need invitations,” Vince said, cocking his head. “It’s never been done.”

“Yes, but what if?” I stood, stepping closer to him, meeting his stare across his desk. “What if we invite the whole city? If they seeinvitationsto the great house of Vince Thornton, they’ll come in droves.”

A pause. His jaw ticked. “Is that what we want? Human collateral?” His pen stopped its tapping. “There will be blood.”

I leaned closer. “A distraction.”

Brancato had been starving. His lust for blood was obvious. I had an inkling he wouldn’t be able to resist if he heard there was a party to end all parties, especially so close to his arrival. If he brought others with him, whoever he had helping him, they’d either be fighting their instincts the whole time, surrounded by humans and their fresh blood, or expose themselves for monsters.

And if it did turn into a bloodbath, Brancato would have to go into hiding. No vampire who was the cause of an attack in public would risk recognition, right?

He’d be relegated to the shadows, and I had a feeling he wouldn’t like it.

“Besides that,” I added, “we know the house. He doesn’t.”

It was a veritable labyrinth, easy enough to get turned around down these halls, with its hundreds of rooms, some locked, some not. Many rooms had two doors, I found—each one leading to a different corridor, some leading to other suites. It was a testament to the servants’ abilities to clear the entire house, to find all guests after these shindigs, as I’m sure many a partygoer got lost after the heavy drinking, passing out on one of the many guest beds in the house.

The past few days, I had scoured each hall, twisting every door handle I could find.

I had made a map in my mind. Knew which doors only opened one-way, locking behind you once you entered. I had even found a few secret corridors behind bookshelves or hanging tapestries. I wondered if even Vince knew of them all.

And I couldn’t get cornered.

I couldn’t tell him the entirety of my plan; it wouldn’t work if he knew. He’d never allow it.

He sat silently, eyes flicking over my face, considering as I spoke. I saw the hesitancy in him, but the anger too. A dangerous sort of glint to his eyes, much like how he stared Sinclair down on my first morning here. The fire to protect what was his.

“I will not risk such violence.” He shook his head.

“There will be violence either way,” I said, palms against the surface of his desk. “Better it is here, where we have the advantage. Ask the others if you need a second opinion.”

I knew what he wanted to do—he wanted to handle this himself, wanted to fight Brancato one-on-one. But Sinclair, Séra, Veronica—they all would help. It was their lives at stake, too.

Brancato represented everything Vince had left behind. Sending his head back to the Sire would be a clear message.

“I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

“I will be with you the whole evening,” I said, reaching for his fingers.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Tugging on my fingers, he brought me over to his side of the desk. He uncrossed his legs, pulling me into his lap.

We were face-to-face. Equal.

In his arms, I felt invincible. Like nothing could reach me.