Aaron brought me to the core of the vampires’ empire. The brick trail curled through Imperial Park, the capital city’s largest garden. Green areas gave way to the stone buildings and brick roads of Orion’s Old District. Every so often, a car or a motorcycle hummed down the street. The glossy blue glass and steel skyscrapers of the nearby Business District stood tall on either side of the road, like a wall of ice. Or crystal. There was something beautiful about those buildings. Something almost magical.

There was, however, nothing magical about the smell in Orion. It wasn’t dirty. It was actually the opposite problem: the city was too clean. The vampires were clearly very serious about keeping their capital spotless. Extreme measures had been taken to accomplish this—namely, a plethora of harsh chemicals that stung my nose and made me want to sneeze.

Aaron and I walked down the stone path toward Lord Vencent’s house. The guards posted outside the front gate waved us right inside, never even asking to see an invitation. Aaron’s face had been more than good enough for them. That was one of the perks of working for the leader of the Diamond Edges. My association with Aaron hadn’t spared me the blatant stares, however. It was as though the guards had never seen a mage before.

“Most of them haven’t,” Aaron told me when I voiced the comment. “You’re all a big mystery. There are few places in the Empire where vampires and mages mix. There’s one club I know of called Catacomb. They’re very choosy about their clientele, though.”

“Oh?”

“The bouncer’s a big Phantom fellow.”

“Like Silas Thorn?” I asked. I really missed Silas. I hoped that wherever he was, he and the princes were safe.

“Ok, so maybe not that big,” Aaron said. “But the bouncer manages to scare off the sort who would spoil the atmosphere. People who hate mages. And people who love them a bit too much.”

I knew the type. Mage groupies. They were more common in the outer reaches of the galaxy. They dyed their hair supernatural shades, dusted their skin with shimmery powders, and wore specialized contact lenses to make their eyes glow. They’d also given themselves silly names like Sunburst and Moonshade, believing they sounded very magical.

“Here we are,” Aaron said.

He led me inside Lord Vencent’s entrance hall. A crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, twinkling with pale blue lights. The little lights reflected off the white marble floors that covered the coat area—and the wide curving staircase that led up to the next floor.

Aaron moved behind me in a single fluid motion, as though it were a rehearsed step in a dance. “You look beautiful,” he said for at least the twentieth time tonight.

“This isn’t a real date, Aaron,” I reminded him. “It’s business.”

“Who says it can’t be both?” He offered me his arm.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I linked my arm in his, and together we ascended the marble staircase. As soon as we stepped inside the ballroom, at least a hundred eyes turned our way. The effect was overwhelming, so instead of meeting those curious eyes, I looked at the enormous fountain in the middle of the ballroom. Framed on all sides by golden platters of pretentious bite-sized food, interspersed with arrangements of orchids, the tiered fountain was as large as a bathtub—but instead of water, red wine rolled in streaming cascades from one pool to another. Apparently, Lord Vencent loved wine enough to make it the centerpiece of his entire party. The multi-tier chocolate fountain in the corner looked miniature by comparison—but far more tempting.

The lords and ladies of the Selpe Empire were dressed in tuxedos and gowns—and enough sparkling trinkets to rival Orion’s city lights. I looked around, trying to match names with faces from my research. As we cross the ballroom, whispers trailed us.

“We must greet our host,” Aaron said, leading me toward the wine fountain.

That’s where we found Lord Vencent.

“Lord Vencent of Lapis. This is Terra Cross of Sylvan, the Elite Prophet and former Princess of Laelia,” Aaron declared, his voice practiced and polished, as smooth as honey. If I hadn’t known better, I would have pegged him as a prince, not a soldier.

Lord Vencent took my hand and kissed it, his movement smooth and silky, if not a little tipsy. He was already drunk. “A pleasure to meet you, Terra Cross,” he said to me, looking intrigued. “Elite Prophet, you say? Can you read my future?”

Before I could tell him that I wasn’t a fortune teller, Aaron said, “I’m afraid not, my lord. I have booked her services for the foreseeable future.”

Disappointment flashed in Lord Vencent’s eyes, but he smiled just the same. “Of course, Major. I understand. I wish you both a pleasant time at the party.”

Aaron bowed his head. It was only as he led me away that I realized I hadn’t spoken a word to the Lord of Lapis.

“My magic does not belong to you,” I whispered to Aaron as we walked.

“It’s best if they all think that it does.”

“Best for you or for me?”

He smiled pleasantly. “For us both. I assume you don’t want them all to ask you to read their futures?”

“No,” I admitted. “And now they think I will read the future for you—and only you.”

He gave me an easy shrug. “A mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Having a debate with Aaron was like walking in a labyrinth. Every time you thought you were getting somewhere, you hit a dead-end.

Whatever. It didn’t matter, I decided as I scanned the room of nobles. I was here to solve a mystery, not to show I could win arguments against the leader of the Diamond Edges.

I needed to question anyone who might be involved in the conspiracy. I noticed a young vampire lord by the door, caressing the polished gold knob as he stared at me. It was an eerie gesture.

The young lord was short—and waifish too. He wore a suit of blue crushed velvet, which made him look utterly ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as the black leather shoes tied with periwinkle ribbons that he wore on his feet, or the bunching of matching periwinkle lace pinned at his collar. His straight black hair, highlighted with purple streaks and stiff with hardened gel, lay flat against his forehead. His bangs were so long that his hazel-speckled brown eyes peeked out from behind them. He was some odd mishmash of club hopper and professor wrapped over the body of an unkempt teenager.

“Who is that?” I asked Aaron.

“That’s Lord Rylan Timberland,” he told me. “He arranged to have his father killed so he could take his place.”

“He killed his father, and you didn’t arrest him?”

“The Advisory Council supported Rylan’s actions. His father was standing against them in several key matters.”

How touching.

“And her?” I asked, glancing at a vampire noble I did recognize. “Lady Isla Westfield got her place because her husband and his best friend killed each other. I’ve always found that suspicious.”

“You’re right to be suspicious,” Aaron told me. “Lady Isla and her friend Lady Helena hired an assassin to kill their husbands and make it look like they’d both died while dueling each other.”

“And your Council approved that too?”

“They didn’t support it, but they didn’t do anything about it either,” he said. “But don’t waste your time with these petty cases. Their behavior, much as you detest it, is perfectly normal here.” His face was neutral, but I thought I caught a spark of annoyance in his eyes. He didn’t enjoy the political games the vampire nobility played.

I recalled the words he’d spoken to me two years ago when I’d asked why he hadn’t married a vampire lady.

They were the kind that would slip me lethal poison and then make off with my money, he’d said.

Standing here now, having read most of their files, I realized he hadn’t been exaggerating at all.

“There’s Melody Current,” Aaron whispered to me.

I followed his gaze to a redheaded woman in her mid-twenties. She wore a tiny black dress that looked like it had been painted onto her body. I could see every bone, curve, and dip in her body—in perfect detail. The sight of her hard nipples popping against the skintight fabric was distracting most of the men in the room, which seemed to amuse Melody. Her brown eyes danced with mischief.

Aaron and I stopped in front of her.

Her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip as her gaze slid across my body. “Oh, hello. Don’t take this the wrong way, peaches. You’re lovely, but I’m on a man diet this month.” Melody’s voice was a smooth blend of sultry essence and cutesy girlishness.

“Any luck with that?” Aaron asked her.

Her smile widened. “Aaron Pall. What a pleasure to see you again.”

Her hungry eyes drank in Aaron’s body-fitting tuxedo, which accentuated his muscular physique. She looked at him with even more rapture than she’d undressed me with her eyes.

“Oh, plenty. There’s lots of good fun to be had in Orion.” A sublime smile slid across her lips, but it was quickly replaced by a pout. “But some people don’t care much for fun. Some people can think of nothing but finding me an insufferable old coot for a husband.”

“Your parents?”

“No, my big sister. She’s the responsible one. She’s the shooting star. The whole world pauses in awed silence every time she farts.”

“How taxing it must be to try to live up to Lady Isla’s reputation.”

“No, because I don’t try.” She shrugged. “What’s taxing is listening to Isla’s perpetual prattle on how embarrassed she is every time her colleagues bombard her with complaints about my ‘indiscretions with men too far below your station’.” Melody’s eyebrows scrunched in suspicion. “Did Isla send you over to arrest me? She swore she’d have me arrested, then send the suitors to my jail cell. So I can’t avoid them.”

“I have not spoken to Lady Isla recently.”

Melody exhaled. “Good. You should have seen what toads she wants to set me up with. The first was nearly eighty years of age, but apparently his estate is big. The second had two left feet and, despite his hovering entourage of helpers, had managed to strap his sword on backwards. He also suffered from pothole acne. He’s even richer than suitor number one, but I am not marrying a thirteen-year-old. I need a man to warm my sheets, not a brat to babysit.”

Aaron arched an eyebrow. “So now you’re hiding in full view of Orion’s elite?”

“The view is marvelous.” Melody winked at a passing group of men. They lifted their glasses to her. “Besides, they’re not all bad. There’s lots of good fun to be had here.” She adjusted her dress to show off more cleavage. I was surprised the top hadn’t slipped off yet. She must have been holding it up with magic tape.

“It’s all good fun as long as there are no strings attached.” Melody shot him a coy look. “Surely, you understand, Major.” Her fingers closed around his arm. “How about you dump your date and we go have some fun?”

He peeled her hand from his bicep. “No.”

“Why not?” she asked, her red lips puckering out into a cute pout.

“I might be a cold-blooded killer, my lady, but I am always a gentleman,” he said. “And a gentleman does not abandon his date.”

Melody chuckled. “Fair enough.” She gave me a calculating look. “She is delightful, I must admit. You can bring her along. We could all have some fun together.”

“That would be unfair to both of you,” replied Aaron. “A lady deserves a man’s undivided attention.”

Melody sighed. “Major, you are, without a doubt, the sexiest man here.” She glanced across the room at a woman who looked just like her. A frown furrowed her brow. “Isla wants me to marry for power and money. How positively dull.” Her gaze returned to Aaron. “Although, I might consent to marry you. You have money, power, and a nice package. But I fear it wouldn’t work out between us.”

“Oh?” Aaron’s voice was neutral.

“I’m not sure I want a man so like myself. We both enjoy sampling the buffet way too much,” she added with a wink.

I fought the urge to gag.

“But Silas Thorn,” she cooed. “Now that is a man.”

Once again, my heart ached when I thought about how Silas was gone. He was a good man. He didn’t deserve to be stuck on an unknown world, surrounded by demons.

“It’s a shame he’s not around,” said Melody.

“Silas would not be willing anyway,” I told her. “He knew you were responsible for taking him off his post the night Ambrose was killed.”

Melody didn’t even try to deny it. Bubbly giggles erupted from her coral-red lips. “He found out, did he? Well, I expected he would. I always knew he was intelligent behind those white eyes, scorching with power and intelligence. Snap!” She shivered with giddy pleasure. “They sent sparks to the tips of my toes.”

For not the first time since the start of this bizarre conversation, I wondered whether Melody was even a real person.

“Actually, I didn’t think it would take him nearly so long to figure it out,” Melody continued. “I kept hoping he’d figure it out immediately that night and come to confront me in my house.”

“You wanted Silas to confront you?” I asked with utter disbelief.

“Of course. It was only a practical joke, dear. I saw him that morning when I was out taking a walk in the imperial gardens with Isla. He passed by us during his jog. Topless. Showing off that magnificent muscular chest of his. Most men never look like that, no matter how much they work out.” Melody licked her glossy lips. “Isla saw the way I was looking at him and told me to forget it. Apparently, I’d been making a fool of myself trailing after him for weeks. Her colleagues had mentioned him by name. Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Isla told me that Silas’s job is to guard the emperor and that there’s no room in that for him to entertain me. I didn’t care. Had I known the Emperor would die that night…”

Her voice betrayed the first hint of regret I’d heard from her. She felt guilty. In that moment, I almost felt sorry for her.

“I was hoping to finally get his attention. I figured I’d play this joke on him, then he’d storm over to confront me. But I suppose he got busy with all that was going on that night, alarms going off and people screaming. It’s really a shame, it is.” She sighed. “Because I wore a gown with a quick release ribbon that night, just in case he came to find me. I’d planned on us making love on top of my piano. A shame. A real, real shame. Of all the nights to plan this seduction, I had to pick the one he was the least susceptible to my charms.”

Five seconds. That’s how long my pity had lasted. “Is sex all you think about?” I asked Melody.

“No. Not all.” She grinned. “Just mostly.”

“And I take it that had the opportunity presented itself, you would have had sex with Silas on top of Ambrose Selpe’s corpse?”

“No, that would have been uncomfortable,” she replied slowly, as though instructing a child. “The Emperor’s bed perhaps. It must be heavenly there.”

I was stunned to silence, but Melody just kept prattling on, oblivious. “Ambrose Selpe was a nice old man, but emperors come and go, honey. Particularly in this nest of vipers. I’m not going to waste my youth mourning for every vampire aristocrat or royal who dies. I would be forever in black. I want to live.” She bit her lip and batted her ridiculously long eyelashes at me and Aaron. “And you two are sure you wouldn’t be up to joining me after the gala?”

“Sorry,” I told her.

“Perhaps next time?”

“Perhaps,” said Aaron.

I couldn’t tell if he was just being polite or if he was genuinely interested.

Just as we were about to leave Melody, she caught my arm and whispered into my ear, “Careful. These are dangerous questions you’re asking. Most of all in Orion. Watch your back and watch out for spies. They are everywhere.” Then she turned and walked away, throwing flirtatious waves at every man who passed by.

I just watched her in shock. Apparently, not everyone was as dense as they seemed.