Chapter 17

A week had passed, and the training continued, though it was less intense. Nicholas had been more distant ever since the kiss we shared. Since he clearly didn't attach any importance to it, I tried to do the same.

After training ended that morning, I went up to my room and slept almost until dusk; my routine was beginning to resemble that of a pure-blood vampire.

Exhaling deeply as I felt more tired than relaxed, I took a shower and put on a deep red, sleeveless, low-cut top and black jeans. I slipped on my favorite medium-heeled boots and raked my fingers through my wavy hair, smoothing it with a hairdryer.

My stomach growled, having skipped lunch, so my next stop had to be the kitchen.

As I descended the stairs, I looked into the living room, where several vampires were gathered—an unusual amount of activity for that house, but one I enjoyed seeing.

Among them were my friends, and of course... Nicholas.

"Good evening!" I looked at Nicholas more intensely than I should have, and he held my gaze. I looked away when Beatriz came running over to confront me about something.

"Girl, we have plans tonight! The grand opening of a new bar in the city, and someone asked me to introduce you to them." Beatriz was euphoric.

"Me? You must be mistaken," I said, astonished.

"Why mistaken? You caught someone's attention the other night when we went to karaoke."

"I bet it was because of my singing voice; I must have punctured his eardrums. Now he wants me to pay his medical bill," I huffed.

"Oh! Don't exaggerate. Even though you had been drinking that night, you actually sang well," Olonso laughed while hugging me.

"I drank... you mean you dragged me into drinking," I accused them with an innocent look.

"Well, well," Alleandro said, approaching. "Nobody shoved the beers down your throat. Besides, by the second beer, you were already singing even when you weren't on stage."

Laughter filled the air around me, and my face turned as red as a tomato.

"That’s why I’m not much of a drinker; I’ve never held my liquor well," I said, embarrassed.

"It’s settled, we head out at ten tonight," Beatriz announced.

"Okay, okay! Now I’m going to have dinner. I’m starving. Are you guys joining me?" I asked jokingly.

"No, since we’re going out tonight, we’re having dinner elsewhere," they exchanged a look with playful smiles.

"Right, you’re definitely not talking about food," I murmured while walking away.

"Who said? Food and much more, with a little luck," Olonso looked at me with a sensual glint in his eyes.

"I don't need to know that; too much information for my taste," I grimaced.

I must have been blind—that vampire completely ignored me. There had been plenty of exchanged glances, I had noticed, but they were always either angry or frustrated. That wasn't what it meant to like someone, was it? No... it wasn't. I huffed and shook my head, only for Beatriz to enter with a beautiful black dress, looking at me curiously as I stood there grumbling to myself.

"Christine! You look... simply spectacular," Beatriz said proudly.

When I saw myself in the mirror, I was startled. The dress tied around my neck with an open back. The front had a neckline that plunged to my navel, with thin, crafted metal wires joining the two sides of the fabric. The valley of my breasts was visible, but in a way that felt purely sensual, sparking the imagination of anyone who appreciated pale skin. It was tight down to the hips, and the fabric flowed loosely from the thighs to just above the knees.

I put on my heels—they weren't too high. I was prone to embarrassing moments without having to provoke them. Tripping all night wouldn't be pleasant for anyone, especially me.

I applied soft makeup and straightened my wavy hair, making it look longer and shinier. It almost covered my bare back, which I liked; I didn't feel quite so exposed, but I could admit I had never felt so attractive.

When I went downstairs, I heard Olonso and Alleandro whistling.

"Wow! Who are you? Where have you been hiding, girl?" Alleandro’s comment left me flustered; he had never seen me as someone worth seducing.

"She’s always been here. You just never noticed," Olonso said tenderly, taking my hand and kissing it. "Today, we won't be able to leave your side, or you’ll end up as some vampire’s dinner."

Without letting go, he spun me around without warning, drawing a small gasp of surprise from me. They were making me feel like a

femme fatale

. I started laughing as I twirled, only stopping when I saw Nicholas leaning against the stair railing.

He was appraising me from head to toe, without a shred of subtlety. It left me feeling unsettled. His gaze looked like that of a starving predator.

At least it was a new emotion he was showing toward me. Beatriz arrived looking stunning, drawing all the attention to herself as usual, and grabbed me by the arm.

"Let’s go, boys. If we’re late, we’ll never get in."

I was simply dragged along. Looking back for a second, I noticed Nicholas was following us intently, though his eyes were completely black at that moment, and his target was only me. Swallowing hard, I simply tried to forget what that attitude could mean. He confused me at times, and honestly, it made me furious.