Victor rushed as quickly as he could, changing using his enhanced speed, and was back in the hallway leading to the Great Hall in no time at all. Flint was just ahead of him, and his friend slowed to wait on him, dressed in a dark charcoal suit, white shirt, and black tie.

“I’m afraid I didn’t pack a second tux.” Flint looked at his pristine back-up with a scowl.

“Always be prepared for the unexpected.” He tapped his nose with a finger. “You never know when you’ll need to change.”

They entered the hall and as soon as they did a huge cheer went up with hands clapping and the group came toward them with Kenzie and Kimber leading them.

Kenzie leapt up into Flint’s open arms, kissing his face as she asked him over and over if he was all right while Kimber wrapped her arm in his.

“I’m fine, darling. Honest,” Flint said.

“Why have you changed?” Kenzie asked.

“I got a little dirty, that’s all.” Flint lied easily as he placed Kenzie back down onto her feet, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Quinn came over, whispering, “I’ve not told them the full story yet. I thought you should do that. But I had another reason for holding back the information. It was Ace’s idea. In case there are any of Dawson’s cohorts still hidden within the outside help here. Ace has his men ready and waiting, and we’re going to keep a lookout for any reaction to the news that Dawson’s been killed.”

Victor didn’t respond to Quinn, just smiled and nodded while he looked around, seeing Ace and several of his men dotted around the room. “Good idea, but we should gather everyone into a smaller area so we can gauge their reactions better. Include the bartenders, too. I don’t want us to miss anyone, Quinn.”

Quinn smiled, patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture, and wandered away as if he’d just been welcoming him back. In truth, he went over to Ace to relay the change in plans, and it was then that Victor saw Thorne hovering behind Ace. Good. They might need all the help they could get depending on what happened next.

He hoped not. He hoped to hell not. But if there was a chance there were others hidden here, they were in for a shock when they learned that the powerful Vampire they’d been following was now a broken and bloody mess.

Quinn sauntered back, raising his voice and clapping his hands to gain everyone’s attention as he stood right in the center of the room. “Victor and Flint, can you come over? Can everyone please join us? That means all of you, please. My guests have something to tell you all.”

He watched as the staff looked at each other, some looked uncomfortable, some confused, but they left their stations to join their group, albeit leaving a little space between them. They looked around again before concentrating on where the three of them were standing up front before Quinn clapped his hands again, rather theatrically in Victor’s opinion.

“I give you Victor and Flint!”

Flint gave a bow as Victor hissed, “Stop it.”

Another round of applause followed. Victor had to wait a few moments before he could start, his eyes roaming around to see Ace, Thorne and his men had circled the assembled group.

“We all know what’s been going on, and I know you’re wondering what happened earlier. I won’t go into too much detail, but I do have one piece of information that I think will please you. We knew the identity of the man behind the threat to us. Arthur Dawson. Well, this man abducted Kimber earlier with the intention of doing her harm.”

He had to pause when there were shocked gasps and outbursts from their invited guests and also from several of the wait staff. The bartender who had made the cocktails turned to look at Kimber, his eyes roaming over her as if to check she was all right. Victor didn’t detect any malice in the look so carried on.

“Indeed. This man got in here with the use of magic, and he would’ve gotten away with his plan if Flint and I had not managed to track him down. Just in time I might add. And, with the help of one of our guests…Mila, who I have to thank from the bottom of my heart, we managed to stop him.”

Another few shouts rose from the group and there were several gasps from the wait staff…two stood stiffly. Too stiffly? Perhaps.

Flint chuckled at his side, pumping his fist. “Yeah we stopped his ass all right.”

“Indeed we did,” Victor continued. “Arthur Dawson was under the illusion he could come here and hurt the people we love. He instigated an attack on Quinn and Amaya…those people died in that attack. He attempted to hurt Markus and Rachel, and that failed too. He attempted attacks on other guests, but those were also unsuccessful. He instigated an attack on Flint and Kenzie…those people were obliterated in that attack. He attempted to take my Bloodmate from me…Arthur Dawson found out the hard way what happens to anyone who tries to hurt Kimber.”

There were clapping hands, but he’d heard distinctly more than one heart rate picking up speed. Those two standing upright so stiff they looked like boards…yeah…they were still the same. Faces white and eyes darting around all over the place.

“Arthur Dawson was ancient. He was powerful. But he was not strong enough against me. Against my fury. Against my wrath…nobody will win if they come for me or my Bloodmate. They will be torn apart. They will be dealt a cold hard death…they will have their heart ripped from their chest. And that’s what happened to Dawson…his body now lies cold and rotting in a room down the hallway where I left him not half an hour ago. Because he dared to lay hands on my love, my wife, my Bloodmate…Dawson is gone.”

Ace and Thorne closed in.

The two men dressed as waiters could hide it no longer. One of them gasped aloud with out and out fear. The other couldn’t stop his hand from shooting to cover his mouth as a moan escaped. Both of their hearts raced out of control as their bodies betrayed them as easily as if they were shouting from the rafters that they were guilty.

Victor pointed to them, his eyes pinning them in place. “You are with him and we will deal with you shortly. Ace, Thorne, take them and lock them up. Find out who else is with them.”

Immediately, the smaller of the two started to babble. “I’m sorry! I wanted to leave but he threatened my family. I’ll tell you all I know.”

Thorne nabbed the man by the back of his neck, hauling him roughly forward. “How many more are there here?”

“None. I promise. We were the last group that I know of. We were to help him take out Victor and his Bloodmate.”

“If you’re lying I’ll hand you over to Victor and Flint,” Thorne hissed into his face. “Hell, I’ll just lock you in a room with Flint…you don’t want to know what he does with his silver knives.”

“No, no, please don’t. I’ll tell you all I know.”

“You fucking better or I will give you to him.” Thorne hauled him away, and all the time the man prattled he was telling the truth.

There was silence for long moments that seemed to drag on and on until finally a voice broke it.

“Well what a night, and it’s still early. Get the music on and the drinks flowing. We’ve a party to finish,” Mila said.

And with that the tension broke and Mila, once again, saved the day.

“Want a drink?” she sidled up to Victor with a wink and a grin.

“Indeed I do.” He looked around for Kimber who was already chatting to Lavinia and heading toward the bar. “You’re quite an enigma, Mila.”

“Yes, I am.” She waggled her brows at him but gave him no further information as they reached the bar and the music started once more.

He managed to get one drink before Kimber arrived holding her hand out. “Dance with me?”

The song playing wasn’t quite as awful as the earlier music and her eyes were sparkling. With everything that had happened…how could he refuse her?

“For you? Anything.”

Victor stepped forward and swept his Bloodmate off her feet and onto the floor. “One dance and then can we leave?”

“Aww, I’m enjoying myself,” Kimber pouted, her plump lips enticing and just ripe for kissing.

“I know you are, but I think you’d enjoy yourself more if we left and went to our room.”

His hand slid lower on her back, dipping along her ass and cupping it playfully while his other held the side of her face. His fingers splayed on her cheek, allowing one to play across her lips suggestively.

“Just what are you proposing?” She allowed her tongue to dart out to lick his finger, causing him to moan deep down in his throat.

“I’m not suggesting anything, baby. I’m telling you I want to go to our room, so I can fuck you senseless. I want to see you flushed with ecstasy as I make you come all over me…multiple times.”

Her eyes widened, the emerald darkening and her pupils dilating, her hips jutting forward to meet his until he was sure he’d have a rock-hard erection right there on the dance-floor…and she damn well knew it. The little minx.

“Hmm…stay or go? I think…”

Victor couldn’t stand it. She was teasing him, and it was driving him crazy.

“Kimber.”

“Go.”

Victor swept her up into his arms so fast that she yelped. “What are you doing? People are watching.”

“I don’t care. I want you, Kimber. Right now. You walk too slow, especially in those fuck-me heels you’re wearing…I think you should keep them on when we get back to the room.”

He sped away, and the last thing they heard were more cheers and a few lewd comments…from Flint of course.

A perfect end to a most definitely not-so-perfect Ball.