“You said you wanted friends.” He arched his eyebrow just waiting for her to question him.
“Yeah…friends. People I meet who I have common interests with. Not a girl who also happens to be a permanent Visage employee.”
“What? Like the people from the hospital? Your life has completely changed and the sooner you realize that, the easier this will all be for you.”
Her eyes drifted to his mouth again unconsciously. “What about you?”
“What about me, Reyna?”
“Your life has changed. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be for both of us,” she whispered boldly.
He watched her eyes travel slowly back up to his and she knew he felt something underneath all that bravado. But he didn’t budge an inch. He just shook his head. “The driver will be here within the hour.”
Chapter 17
When she left her room again, Beckham was gone. She could have skipped out on this entire escapade and taken her camera into the city all on her own. But then her nightmares hit her fresh. She couldn’t do that. Not to herself and not to Beckham. He had been genuinely worried about her, and the last thing she wanted was for something to happen. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with Sophie.
She traipsed down to the lobby and was relieved to see that Everett was back to work.
“Miss Carpenter,” he said formally, not meeting her eyes.
She opened her mouth to say something, but what could she say? He might have defended Beckham for saving his life. But he knew what she was and all of his friends now knew too. Maybe Beckham was right. Maybe it was all bad and there was no way to break through it. Everett was the nicest, most genuinely kind and optimistic person she had met. If he couldn’t get past the fact that she worked for Visage, then she didn’t know if anyone really could.
“Hello,” she said softly.
“Mr. Anderson’s car today?” Everett responded.
“Yes. Thank you.”
He signaled Beckham’s driver. The minute they stood together in silence was painful. She wanted to say so much. How glad she was that he was back at work, reiterate how sorry she was about the attack, try to refute the things his friends had said about her. She knew what a blood whore looked like now…
Instead, she didn’t say anything.
She just let Everett open the door for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Their eyes met in that brief moment after she sat down and before he closed the door. It felt as if the distance was insurmountable. Things would never be the same. Maybe he would never be the same.
The drive to the boutique, where she was meeting Sophie, was short. Reyna hoisted the large hobo bag over her shoulder. The weight of her camera in the bottom of the bag gave her confidence, and she strutted forward in her high heels. She was finally getting the hang of things. Still she hoped that she would have enough time, after this trip, to get some clothes that were more comfortable and would help her blend in to take pictures.
When Reyna entered the storefront, she teetered in her heels uncertainly. She had expected a small shop with a few dresses. When she thought designer clothing, that was what she envisioned. But this place was massive. Two or three stories high and stretching at least a city block.
A woman as tall, lean, and beautiful as any vampire she had ever met clicked her tiny pointy-toe heels toward her. She was in a black dress that hugged her thin figure and had her hair pulled up into a perfect bun at the nape of her neck. As she drew closer, Reyna startled when she realized that she was human. How could any human be this beautiful?
“You must be Reyna,” she said with a smile. “I’m Blythe.”
“Hello.”
“Your friend has already arrived. Allow me to escort you.”
“Sure,” she said, trying to will confidence into her steps.
Her eyes roamed the walls filled with so many beautiful expensive clothes that she didn’t even know where to begin. How could anyone afford this? Better yet, how could they do this when there were so many starving, and working for nothing, and needy? It turned her stomach that she was even part of it.
“We’re so glad that you’ve chosen our store for your shopping pleasure. Mr. Anderson informed us that this was your first shopping expedition and to treat you with the utmost courtesy. Are you excited?”
“Um…a little overwhelmed already.”
She smiled kindly. “That’s perfectly normal. We’ve had others come through for their first time. It’s most important to outfit Visage employees. We’re known for it, in fact. Some of the designers have an entire Subject–Sponsor line.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say. What kind of clothes would come in a Subject–Sponsor line? Did she even want to know?
“You’re looking for a ball gown, correct?”
“Yes. Something extravagant, I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes.
Blythe’s eyes sparkled. “We can do extravagant.”
“I’d prefer to blend into the background, but I have a feeling that isn’t what I’m supposed to do.”
“A beauty like you?” she asked. “Absolutely not. We’ll make you and your friend Sophie sparkle beyond measure. When in a room of vampires, you have to go out of your way.”
They entered a section of the store filled with ball gowns. Every shape, size, color was available. She had no idea where to begin. All she could do was stand there dumbfounded and stare at the extreme luxury.
“Reyna! There you are,” Sophie called, walking out of a dressing room in the most revealing yellow gown. The neckline dropped almost to her navel. The sides were cut out, making her waist look teeny tiny. When she turned to stand on a box and stare at her reflection in the glass, Reyna saw that the back crisscrossed and then dipped unbelievably low before ruffling down to her feet.
“Wow,” she murmured.
“Isn’t it divine?”
“It’s…something.”
Sophie pinched the sides. “I think I can go a size down, Blythe. This one is a bit baggy. Don’t you think?”
Baggy where? She looked stunning. Her blond hair cascaded over one shoulder as she looked at the salesclerk seemingly innocently.
“We could have it taken in. Better to have a little bit of room so it’s easier to get on and off than to go a size lower.”
Clever answer.
“No,” Sophie said, looking at herself in the mirror. “It’s all wrong. I want to be irresistible to every man in the room.”
Without another thought for modesty, she wrenched the zipper down to the bottom of the dress and let the material slide off of her body and pool in a heap on the floor. She wore nothing but a white strapless bra, matching thong, and high heels. She kicked the dress away from her and sighed.
“Find me something else. Something that would eclipse the sun.” Then she turned and stalked dramatically back into the dressing room. “Come on, Reyna. Find something you like. Are you even a sample size?”
Reyna ignored her snide remark. It didn’t matter what size she was.
Blythe looked over at Reyna with a perfectly neutral expression on her face. She looked Reyna up and down, taking her measurements with her eyes. “I have just the thing.”
Reyna bit her lip. “Sorry about her.”
“Miss Sophie is a great customer. We like to keep her happy. Why don’t we get you a few choices and I’ll bring them to you in the dressing room?”
“Yeah…friends. People I meet who I have common interests with. Not a girl who also happens to be a permanent Visage employee.”
“What? Like the people from the hospital? Your life has completely changed and the sooner you realize that, the easier this will all be for you.”
Her eyes drifted to his mouth again unconsciously. “What about you?”
“What about me, Reyna?”
“Your life has changed. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be for both of us,” she whispered boldly.
He watched her eyes travel slowly back up to his and she knew he felt something underneath all that bravado. But he didn’t budge an inch. He just shook his head. “The driver will be here within the hour.”
Chapter 17
When she left her room again, Beckham was gone. She could have skipped out on this entire escapade and taken her camera into the city all on her own. But then her nightmares hit her fresh. She couldn’t do that. Not to herself and not to Beckham. He had been genuinely worried about her, and the last thing she wanted was for something to happen. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with Sophie.
She traipsed down to the lobby and was relieved to see that Everett was back to work.
“Miss Carpenter,” he said formally, not meeting her eyes.
She opened her mouth to say something, but what could she say? He might have defended Beckham for saving his life. But he knew what she was and all of his friends now knew too. Maybe Beckham was right. Maybe it was all bad and there was no way to break through it. Everett was the nicest, most genuinely kind and optimistic person she had met. If he couldn’t get past the fact that she worked for Visage, then she didn’t know if anyone really could.
“Hello,” she said softly.
“Mr. Anderson’s car today?” Everett responded.
“Yes. Thank you.”
He signaled Beckham’s driver. The minute they stood together in silence was painful. She wanted to say so much. How glad she was that he was back at work, reiterate how sorry she was about the attack, try to refute the things his friends had said about her. She knew what a blood whore looked like now…
Instead, she didn’t say anything.
She just let Everett open the door for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Their eyes met in that brief moment after she sat down and before he closed the door. It felt as if the distance was insurmountable. Things would never be the same. Maybe he would never be the same.
The drive to the boutique, where she was meeting Sophie, was short. Reyna hoisted the large hobo bag over her shoulder. The weight of her camera in the bottom of the bag gave her confidence, and she strutted forward in her high heels. She was finally getting the hang of things. Still she hoped that she would have enough time, after this trip, to get some clothes that were more comfortable and would help her blend in to take pictures.
When Reyna entered the storefront, she teetered in her heels uncertainly. She had expected a small shop with a few dresses. When she thought designer clothing, that was what she envisioned. But this place was massive. Two or three stories high and stretching at least a city block.
A woman as tall, lean, and beautiful as any vampire she had ever met clicked her tiny pointy-toe heels toward her. She was in a black dress that hugged her thin figure and had her hair pulled up into a perfect bun at the nape of her neck. As she drew closer, Reyna startled when she realized that she was human. How could any human be this beautiful?
“You must be Reyna,” she said with a smile. “I’m Blythe.”
“Hello.”
“Your friend has already arrived. Allow me to escort you.”
“Sure,” she said, trying to will confidence into her steps.
Her eyes roamed the walls filled with so many beautiful expensive clothes that she didn’t even know where to begin. How could anyone afford this? Better yet, how could they do this when there were so many starving, and working for nothing, and needy? It turned her stomach that she was even part of it.
“We’re so glad that you’ve chosen our store for your shopping pleasure. Mr. Anderson informed us that this was your first shopping expedition and to treat you with the utmost courtesy. Are you excited?”
“Um…a little overwhelmed already.”
She smiled kindly. “That’s perfectly normal. We’ve had others come through for their first time. It’s most important to outfit Visage employees. We’re known for it, in fact. Some of the designers have an entire Subject–Sponsor line.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say. What kind of clothes would come in a Subject–Sponsor line? Did she even want to know?
“You’re looking for a ball gown, correct?”
“Yes. Something extravagant, I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes.
Blythe’s eyes sparkled. “We can do extravagant.”
“I’d prefer to blend into the background, but I have a feeling that isn’t what I’m supposed to do.”
“A beauty like you?” she asked. “Absolutely not. We’ll make you and your friend Sophie sparkle beyond measure. When in a room of vampires, you have to go out of your way.”
They entered a section of the store filled with ball gowns. Every shape, size, color was available. She had no idea where to begin. All she could do was stand there dumbfounded and stare at the extreme luxury.
“Reyna! There you are,” Sophie called, walking out of a dressing room in the most revealing yellow gown. The neckline dropped almost to her navel. The sides were cut out, making her waist look teeny tiny. When she turned to stand on a box and stare at her reflection in the glass, Reyna saw that the back crisscrossed and then dipped unbelievably low before ruffling down to her feet.
“Wow,” she murmured.
“Isn’t it divine?”
“It’s…something.”
Sophie pinched the sides. “I think I can go a size down, Blythe. This one is a bit baggy. Don’t you think?”
Baggy where? She looked stunning. Her blond hair cascaded over one shoulder as she looked at the salesclerk seemingly innocently.
“We could have it taken in. Better to have a little bit of room so it’s easier to get on and off than to go a size lower.”
Clever answer.
“No,” Sophie said, looking at herself in the mirror. “It’s all wrong. I want to be irresistible to every man in the room.”
Without another thought for modesty, she wrenched the zipper down to the bottom of the dress and let the material slide off of her body and pool in a heap on the floor. She wore nothing but a white strapless bra, matching thong, and high heels. She kicked the dress away from her and sighed.
“Find me something else. Something that would eclipse the sun.” Then she turned and stalked dramatically back into the dressing room. “Come on, Reyna. Find something you like. Are you even a sample size?”
Reyna ignored her snide remark. It didn’t matter what size she was.
Blythe looked over at Reyna with a perfectly neutral expression on her face. She looked Reyna up and down, taking her measurements with her eyes. “I have just the thing.”
Reyna bit her lip. “Sorry about her.”
“Miss Sophie is a great customer. We like to keep her happy. Why don’t we get you a few choices and I’ll bring them to you in the dressing room?”
