The man lifted his head as if he wanted to be seen.

The man was Mal.

Lord Syler and his Elder, Edwin, arrived first at Tatiana’s. Lord Grigor and Svetla were the last. “The last to arrive,” Tatiana spat out. “Can you believe that? They did it deliberately to show their contempt for me.” She growled from her spot on the raised dressing platform as the servants under Kosmina’s watch scurried around with the finishing touches.

Octavian gently nodded. “They are petty fools, but don’t let them upset you. At least they’re all here now and in record time. I’d say word of Lilith has spread. And wait until you tell them what we’ve discovered about our angel.”

Resplendent in the same unrelieved black they’d all chosen, Daci nodded. “Octavian’s right. There’s so much more to concentrate on than their pettiness. Idiots. They have no idea how passé they are about to become.”

Only a few weeks ago, their words would have made Tatiana snap, but now she had to admit they were right. She lifted her chin. “I suppose watching their faces when I tell them about Lilith’s special ability will make it all worthwhile.” The nobility would be rocked to its core with jealousy. “For that, I cannot wait.”

“Nor I.” Octavian gave her a wink and went back to his valet for his dinner jacket. “But we must welcome them all, Svetla and Grigor included, with the same good grace. Or at least appear to.”

Stepping off the platform, she frowned as a servant brushed a bit of lint off the side of her gown. “I know what needs to be done. We can’t let them think anything else is afoot.” In the gold-backed cheval mirror, she glanced at him and Daci, catching his gaze upon her as it almost always was.

She turned her head to admire herself. “What do you think? I don’t normally wear my hair up.”

“Beautiful, Tatiana.” Daci nodded. “You look every inch the Dominus.”

“She’s right, you do. The most stunning Dominus.” Octavian took her hand, then extended his arm to Daci. “Shall we? I think our guests have waited long enough.”

Tatiana held back a little. “You’ve taken the potion against Grigor’s and Svetla’s probing?”

He squeezed her hand. “Done.”

“Excellent.” Not that she was convinced it would work. She walked with him to Lilith’s crib, where he let her hand slide from his. The baby had been dressed in a white lace gown with a matching cap on her head. Tatiana picked her up, cradling her against her own sleek black silk. She kissed Lilith’s tiny nose, then nodded at Octavian. “You and Daci go first. I’ll follow with Lilith.”

“As you wish.” He snapped his fingers, Daci still on his arm. “Kosmina, we’re ready.”

Kosmina went ahead of them down the hall to the dining room. “The staff has prepared a full tasting of twelve different bloods for this evening, animal and kine. I hope my lady finds it to her liking.”

Tatiana couldn’t take her eyes off Lilith’s sleepy face. “I’m sure it will be fine.”

They slowed as they approached the dining room. Kosmina swung wide the doors into the space and announced them. “Your hosts, Dominus Tatiana; her consort Lord Octavian; and Elder of the House of Tepes, Lady Daciana.” After a short bow, she quickly walked to the side of the grand buffet and stood at attention with the other servants in attendance.

Octavian and Daciana entered and stood behind their chairs, one on either side of the head of the table, where Tatiana would sit.

She strolled in and watched, delighted, as the gathered nobility craned to get a glimpse of the child in her arms. Only Syler and Edwin stood. Did the others think she wouldn’t notice the slight? She bit back the words souring her tongue and tried to maintain the grace Octavian had stressed. “Lords and ladies, may I present my daughter, the vampire princess, Lilith.”

“Get up, you fools,” Octavian snapped, warming her dead heart. Grace, it appeared, had its time and place.

Chairs scraped the floor as they were shoved back. All stood. All but Grigor. He lounged in his chair, eyes heavy lidded in certain boredom. “This child is a vampire princess?” His nostrils flared. “Who says?”

Svetla sank back into her chair and made a show of studying one of the crystal tasting goblets laid out before her.

Tatiana’s body trembled with rage. “I say it. And the ancient ones say it.” She held Lilith up, her hands firmly on the child’s torso. As if sensing her mother’s emotion, Lilith whimpered. “Look at her. She is the first of her kind. Born vampire.”

Murmured words of disbelief and doubtful noises echoed off the wood-paneled walls. “There’s no such thing. Poppycock. Well, I never…”

“You fools,” Daci shouted.

Lilith began to cry in earnest. Tatiana cradled her child in her arms. “There, there, my darling.” With her first wail, her tiny fangs were visible.

Lord Zephrim fell back into his seat, his mouth gaping at the irrefutable proof. “The child has fangs.”

“As do we all. I don’t see how this proves anything,” Grigor said. “Any of us could sire an infant. There’s no proof this child was born vampire any more than one of us.”

Lord Syler shook his head. “Would you challenge the ancient ones? Their word on this is enough for me and my house.”

Lord Zephrim nodded. “I agree. Their word is enough.”