“Angelica, I don’t know what to say.”
“You’ve already said it.” She reached down and picked up the leather box, opening it once more so that it faced him.
He released the small clasps that held the second chain in place, then lifted it carefully with both hands. “The vibration is already so strong.”
“And you’ve never done this before?”
He shook his head.
“Having reservations?”
He met her gaze. “I promised myself that I’d never be bound in chains again, of any kind, yet here I am.”
She felt his distress, which caused her to reach out and settle her hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be all right. It’s just me.”
At that he smiled ruefully. “You’re right, but now I feel bad.”
“Why?”
“Because I should be the one comforting you.”
Her turn to smile. “As to that, I have a feeling you’ll be doing a lot of that before we’re through.”
He held her gaze. “And it will be the least I can do.”
She glanced at the chain he held in his hands. “So, what do you say? Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m dying to find out what it’s really like.”
He nodded and, using both hands, slid the chain over his head. It looked good on him, especially the dark metal against his blue sweater. She realized then that her vision had sharpened.
“I can see better.”
“That would follow, but I can also sense your fear. I can almost feel your heart racing.”
She nodded. “All that’s true. I’m frightened half out of my mind right now.”
“By me?”
“Oh, God, no, Reyes, not even a little. I trust you implicitly; otherwise I could never have done this. I fear what’s likely to happen as we move forward with your mission. If the Festival events are anything like the after-auction party …” She let the rest of the thought hang.
At that he drew her into his arms, holding her tight, exactly what she needed. She slid her arms around his back, the sweater soft beneath her fingers. “See, you’re comforting me already.”
He held her like that for a few minutes, maybe waiting for her heart to settle down. He couldn’t have known how much his big body and the latent strength of his arms eased her.
Finally, he drew back. “I want to test the proximity limitation. I think it’ll be a bit of a challenge to get used to.”
“Good idea.”
He started backing away from her, one step at a time, and when he’d reached the ten-foot mark she felt the pull on her chain, a very strong warning tug.
“Do you feel that?”
He nodded but continued to inch backward. With each movement the tension increased. It was the strangest sensation, as though it would pull her forward soon and she’d fall flat on her face.
Instead of letting that happen, he took a couple of steps in her direction. “What did that feel like for you?”
“As though we had a taut rope between us and you were tugging. Hard.”
“Same here.”
What she didn’t say was just how much of him she could feel, as though whatever thoughts he had or reactions he experienced automatically communicated themselves through the chains. It was both unsettling yet in a way thrilling. She felt strangely close to him right now. “So, what’s on the agenda?”
At that he smiled as he returned to stand close to her once more. “The first part shouldn’t be too bad. It’s a boat parade.”
She laughed. “A what?”
He explained about the underground river community where many of the wealthier members had homes and which was hidden behind a heavy, layered disguise.
“So these creeps can keep doing their thing without threat of jail time.”
“Exactly. Although in our courts there isn’t much risk of meaningful prosecution. Most of the judges are corrupt. Of course, if the entire vampire population knew what was going on there would be an uprising.”
She considered all that he’d said. “No wonder you had to develop a cover over a period of years. With so much security in place, you couldn’t have gotten this far otherwise. So tell me more about the festival.”
“The parade lasts for several hours, with the boats coming and going and parties held at riverside. Most of these homes have landscaped front yards, patios, barbecues, and viewing decks.”
“If I wasn’t so horrified by what these people did, I’d be excited about seeing this place.” She shook off the uneasy feeling about what would be ahead of her. “So you’ll show me off, like you did at the after-auction party, which doesn’t sound too bad.” She felt the chain at her neck vibrate. “But you’re worried.”
“The situation won’t be much different; that’s true. The new slaves will be on display, forced to perform certain acts.”
“And you’re worried that we’ll end up in a similar situation to the theater.”
“I’ll do my absolute best to avoid it; just be prepared.”
“I understand.”
He took her arm in his hand and squeezed gently. “I’ll try to get us through without incident. The main thing is to make a show of being there. All we’ll really need to do is appear at a number of the parties, talk to a few of the Starlin board members, then we can leave.”
“I don’t suppose we could avoid Engles.” Angelica could only hope.
“He’ll have to see you at least once, but we’ll make it quick; then I’ll bring you back here.”
“So, how much time do I have?”
“We can go whenever you want. The parade has already started but lasts for hours, as do all the parties. Later is always better; that way we can make an entrance.”
“I’m thrilled. Okay, I’ll shower now.” When she turned to go he moved with her, which brought her up short. “I think I can do this alone.”
At that he smiled, but she didn’t understand why. “Of course.” He stayed put.
She moved on a quick tread, and the next moment the blood-chain bond not only gave a strong tug on her neck but also jerked her backward so that she fell on her tush.
Still sitting on the floor, she looked back at him and scowled. “You did that on purpose.”
He chuckled. “I’m sorry. If I thought it would have done that to you, I would have said something. But I also thought that it wouldn’t be a bad thing for either of us to experience the proximity problem of the bond.” He slid a hand beneath her arm, lifting her to her feet.