Page 91 of Red Masquerade

And normally, he was right.

But he had to be mistaken this time.

“Helena.” He said my name with such gravity that my ears tuned only to him. His voice lowered. “I don’t know how much you’ve been told, what you’ve seen, but you’re not safe here. The people here… they’re not like you—”

“What, like vampires?” The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them. Damn whoever was overhearing our conversation.

Dixon’s eyes widened, then hardened, all in a second.

“Wait—” I nearly laughed again at the ridiculousness of it all. “Areyoua vampire?”

His silence was damning.

“Youare.” The effects of the liquor left me. Suddenly, I was totally sober, the room righting itself, my mind clear.

I should have known. Everyone around me was apparently a supernatural creature now.

“Lower your voice,” he hissed. “This is not something you can just say in front of people—”

“Does Flora know?”

“No.” His eyes flashed. “And if you breathe a word of it toher—”

“Don’t you dare, Lloyd Dixon, threaten to keep me from Flora.” I scoffed, wrenching his hands from my shoulders. “You don’t seem so concerned about your own criminal enterprise and how it affects her. Why don’t you mind your own business?”

“Becausethisismy business.”

A shrill scream from two feet away interrupted our conversation, and suddenly a feminine pair of arms were around me, the sweet scent of rosy perfume pervading the air around us.

Her hug was like coming home.

She wept immediately, crooning my name. A happy sob wrenched itself free from my own throat, and I threw my arms around her slim waist.

“Oh my God, Helena, where have you been?” Flora blubbered.

Something in my chest broke. My vision grew blurry.

She cried tipsy tears, drops landing on my skin, right where Dixon’s hand had been. “I thought you were gone!” she cried, holding me to her so tightly I almost couldn’t breathe. “I thought we’d hear that you were being held for ransom!”

“I’m okay,” I repeated for the third time that evening, breathing in the scent of my friend.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” she breathed, pulling away to get a look at me. She wiped under her red eyes, careful not to smear her makeup. “I’m such a baby,” she said.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” I told her, holding her hands. “I should’ve reached out. Honestly, the last few days have been a blur.”

Flora sniffled. “I understand. And I understand why you did it. We came here tonight because I thought—I thought if anyone knew what had happened, it must be Vince. But I see we didn’t even need to get that far and hunt him down.”

I nodded, squeezing her fingers. “I’m okay.”

She huffed out a laugh and pulled me into her chest again, her blonde hair tickling my cheek as she hugged me.

“I’ll come every night, if I can,” she murmured. “And you must call me if you need me.”

I promised I would, holding her tight.

Dixon caught my eye over her shoulder, sober and solemn, his arms crossed. He didn’t have to say it, didn’t have to remind me never to let Flora know of this world of night we’d found ourselves in. I realized then he was right, as he always was—these creatures would drain her before their lips even touched a vein.

I hugged her tighter before pulling away and smiling. “I have someone to introduce you to.”