An Acquired Taste (The Valentine Society)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A t first I’m chasing Sebastian, but of course, that’s in vain. He’s gone before I’m even out the door. After that, I’m just running.

I don’t even know where I’m going. Just away . Away from Sebastian, from Maisy, from all of it. I run until there’s a stitch in my side. I sink down to a crouch with my head in my hands. No matter how far I go, I know I’ll never escape the memory of that conversation. I already know it’s a situation that will replay in my mind for years. The diner encounter that ruined my most important relationships and then my entire life .

I want to disappear. I can’t stop thinking about the betrayed look on Maisy’s face, and then on Sebastian’s. Remembering everything I wrote in that blog. I’m certain he’s going to read it now, and the thought makes me sick to my stomach. I’d delete it, but I know it’s already too late for that; screenshots exist all over the internet.

And… Etta. Sebastian admitted that he killed her.

I can’t see a way back from this. Even though I can’t face her right now, my sister will probably forgive me for lying eventually because she’s, well, my sister. And I’ll forgive her for possibly ruining my job for the same reason.

But Sebastian… I doubt he will ever get over the fact that I blasted him online like that. Or that I’ll ever overcome the fact that he killed his previous valentine. If you asked me yesterday, I’d say I wasn’t invested in my relationship with him. There have already been so many ups and downs, and he’s constantly keeping me at arm’s length, so how can this work?

But today… today he came looking for me. He finally broke down those barriers and tried to reach out… only to find betrayal and lies. When I think of being ripped away from him, it hurts.

And now I’m here, utterly alone, in LA. I lean back against a graffiti-strewn building, cars blaring past, and try to think. I have enough money in my account right now that I could easily grab a cab to a hotel room, or wherever I want. I’m not as trapped as I used to be, but it feels like it.

I can’t stand to be alone right now, while I’m still reeling from all of this. But who can I reach out to? I’m not ready to face Sebastian. Maisy hates me. Benjamin… I once thought I could trust him, but I’ve barely spoken to him in months now, and after he lied to me about Alexander…

Alexander.

I think about cold lips pressing to the back of my hand. Call me if you’re ever in LA. Contacting him feels like another betrayal to Sebastian, but… I need someone. Someone who hasn’t lied to me, who I haven’t lied to. That list is shockingly short right now. I take a deep breath, wipe my eyes, and pull my phone out of my purse.

* * *

Alexander arrives faster than I would’ve thought possible in LA. traffic. He pulls up to the curb in a flashy black sports car. I’m sure I look like a mess as I get into the passenger seat, mascara streaked down my face and my nose still stuffed up, but he doesn’t say anything about it, other than, “I’m glad you called.” He doesn’t ask me anything either, other than, “Are you hurt?”

When I shake my head, he drives. Soon, we arrive at a gated apartment building, and he leads me through the fanciest lobby I’ve ever seen, up an elevator, and to an utterly gorgeous high-rise. But as I look at the all-white, modern design and the stunning windows with a view of the city around us, all I can think is that it feels nothing like home.

A fresh lump rises in my throat as I realize that’s how I’ve come to think of the manor. Home . Sebastian’s estate may be quiet and isolated and a little bit spooky sometimes, but to tell the truth, I love even its eeriness.

Or… loved . I doubt I’ll ever see the place again.

I get choked up all over again at that, and Alexander leads me to one of his stark white leather couches. Soon, I have a cup of tea in my hands and a blanket over my shoulders, and he sits on the couch beside me and waits patiently for me to speak.

“Thank you for picking me up,” I say, trying to wipe snot off my face before he notices.

“Of course,” he says. “I’ll always come when you call.” He studies me with his pale eyes. “Though it hurts to see you like this. Is there anything I can do? Do you want to talk about it?”

I hesitate. Part of me wants to vent, but it feels inappropriate, talking about Sebastian to another man. Another vampire . A Solomon vampire, nonetheless. For a moment, fresh uncertainty churns my stomach… but I’m already here, and Alexander is being kind.

Still, I won’t stoop to sharing private details about Sebastian. I shake my head. “Not right now. But being here is helpful. Really, I appreciate it.”

He nods. “I’ll give you some time alone, then. Please make yourself comfortable. The kitchen is stocked for guests, and you’re welcome to the bathroom down the hall. I’ll be in my office.”

* * *

Alone in Alexander’s living room, I brace myself to face my blog. I didn’t bring my laptop on the trip, so I log in on my phone. My stomach drops as I see the sheer number of notifications waiting for me. Likes and comments and messages, news outlets asking for interviews, and more. It’s overwhelming just to think about, so I drop my phone again, shuddering, and decide to deal with that later.

A shower leaves me feeling better, though I spend the whole time trying not to miss the claw-footed tub from my room in Sebastian’s estate. By the time I’m done, I’m feeling guilty. I’m not sure what I was thinking, coming here. Alexander has been sweet to me, but this is the last thing I need right now.

As I fix my hair and makeup, I resolve to thank Alexander and excuse myself. But when I look for my phone to start making travel arrangements, I’m surprised to find it’s not on the couch where I left it.

Just then, Alexander comes out of the kitchen with two cocktails—one of them stained red. He holds the other out to me.

“Oh… thank you,” I say, taking it and having a sip. It’s delicious, fizzy and sweet.

“You’re welcome.” He sits on the other end of the couch I’m still occupying and has a swig of his own drink. “Oh, by the way—you left this on the counter.” He pulls my phone out of his pocket and hands it to me.

I frown as I take it. The counter? When was I in the kitchen? God, I can be forgetful sometimes. “Thanks.” I sip my drink as I open an app to search for flights.

“We should go out tonight,” Alexander says.

I nearly choke on my drink. “Huh?”

“I’ve been dying for a chance to show you what you’re missing.” Before I can dig too deeply into that statement, he gestures towards the lit-up skyline outside of the window. “The LA vampire scene is incredible, and you’ve been locked up in that mountain manse for far too long.”

“That’s… generous of you,” I say, my mind whirring as I try to think of a way to let him down gently. I sip my drink to stall. “It’s a sweet thought. But I don’t think I’ll make good company tonight. Another time?”

Alexander leans forward, reaching out to take my hand. I awkwardly sip my drink some more, refusing the urge to snatch my fingers away from him. This drink must be stronger than I thought… I already feel the beginnings of a buzz. It’s a relief to have my brain go fuzzy around the edges and my anxious thoughts slow down, so I keep sipping.

“Please,” Alexander says, his pale eyes intense as they lock onto mine. “All I ask is one hour of your time. If you’re not having a good time after that, I’ll take you to wherever you wish to spend the night. I promise.”

I have no desire to go anywhere with him or do anything other than curl up in bed. Preferably my bed at Sebastian’s place. But… with the beginnings of tipsiness blurring my mind, I can’t seem to think of a polite way to turn him down. He did save me today, and grant me the use of his apartment. What could be the harm in one hour?

The more I turn it over in my head, the more it seems like a reasonable idea.

“Okay,” I say.

When he smiles, I catch a glimpse of fangs.

* * *

As we approach the nightclub, I feel the music just as much as I hear it—a steady throb of bass vibrating me down to my bones. I stumble over the curb and lean on Alexander for support. Shit . I only had one drink, and already I’m making a fool of myself. This is bad.

But Alexander holds me upright, his eyes bright with amusement. “This may not be the kind of party you’re used to,” he murmurs into my ear, the chill of his breath making me shiver. “But I do believe you’ll enjoy it.” He pulls back and grins at me. “A Solomon party is hard to forget.”

There’s a line around the block. Mostly humans, from what I can see. And rather than the finery I’ve seen at the Celeste gala and Valentine’s Day ball, it’s all ripped fishnets, messy hair, and black eyeliner.

“I think I’m overdressed,” I murmur. I assumed this would be more in line with the other vampire events I’ve attended, and Alexander loaned me a nice pink dress for the occasion, so I assumed everyone would be dressed this way.

“No, you’re dressed like a valentine,” Alexander says. He’s dressed closer to how I am, in a button-up shirt and tailored slacks, so at least I don’t feel totally out of place. “They wish they could be you, darling. Don’t mind them.” Then he turns his head and mutters something that sounds like desperate and bloodbags , but I can’t be sure I hear him correctly.

Maybe he’s right about the jealousy. Everyone glowers at us as Alexander walks to the front of the line, and I bite back the urge to apologize to them. Alexander doesn’t even need to say anything to the gigantic bouncer—the man steps aside to let us pass.

We descend a flight of stairs, toward a neon sign that announces Rouge in scarlet letters. I’ve heard about this place. Once, I dreamed about coming here and meeting a handsome vampire who would sweep me away from everything.

Sebastian’s face flashes through my mind, but it’s difficult to hold on to the thought of him.

With each step lower, the bass sinks deeper under my skin, until I swear my heartbeat is throbbing in time to it. I grip Alexander’s arm more tightly, suddenly afraid of what I’ve gotten myself into.

At the bottom of the staircase, we step into another world. A windowless underground one, with black walls and pulsing red lights, fog machines and dancers in cages. The floor is crowded with bodies gyrating and grinding together, no more than silhouettes in the dim lighting. On the couches pushed against the wall beyond them, more silhouettes are entwined. Vampires are feeding openly—maybe more than just feeding, judging from the way their bodies move…

I’m gawking without meaning to. Alexander tugs me along, navigating the chaotic scene with the ease of familiarity. “Stay close to me,” he says, practically shouting to be heard above the music. He doesn’t have to tell me twice; I cling to him, terrified about being lost in the crowd. I am dizzy from that drink, and the smell of sweet smoke heavy in the air, and the overwhelming crush of bodies around us as Alexander heads toward the bar.

Alcohol seems like the last thing I need, but my mouth is dry and my hands are shaky, so I take the drink he hands me anyway, and drink when he encourages me to. It’s so sweet. Deceptively sweet, probably, like the one he made for me in his apartment. I sip it as I look around. Every time I do, I catch more details under the red lights. In the middle of the dance floor, I spot a man with his teeth buried in a woman’s neck and his hand up her dress. On one of the couches, a man is bound at the wrists and ankles while two vampires take turns biting him.

The vibe here is intense—all black clothing and blood, sex and barely restrained violence. Everything seems consensual, but something about it feels off. Or maybe it’s just not for me.

It’s astonishing to remember that I once would’ve been into things like this, craving that rush and attention. If I had been Alexander’s valentine, I’m sure I would’ve been down. But now… now I think of the quiet estate on the mountain, the crackle of the fireplace, the leather-and-ink smell of the library. I miss it. I miss home. I miss Sebastian.

And as my chest aches at the thought of him, I finally admit to myself that I’m not ready to give up on what we have yet. I need to try to make things right. Which means I really shouldn’t be here.

I’m just going to finish my drink and tell Alexander I’d like to leave. But as I’m about to take my final sip, his cold fingers close around my wrist and he tugs me toward the dance floor. My protests are lost in the thumping music, and once we’re in the crowd, I’m boxed in on all sides. I fight back panic as Alexander yanks me against him, his hands on my hips. My head is spinning.

I pull away, and thankfully, Alexander finally gets the picture and helps me off the dance floor. I only realize when I’m out of the crowd that we’ve made it over to the couches the vampires are using to feed. It stinks of blood and sex. I sink onto the first available couch anyway, trying to catch my breath, and Alexander is at my side in an instant.

“Are you having a good time yet?” he asks, his hand on my knee. “Or am I going to have to try harder?”

His hand slides higher. I reach to push it away as politely as I can, but he suddenly pulls me onto his lap with all of the ease of lifting a rag doll. I feel queasy with the knowledge of how strong and fast he is. My heart is thumping. I hope he’s just misreading my signals, but if he doesn’t… if he wants to hurt me…

“I can’t believe I still haven’t had a taste of you,” he murmurs as I freeze. One hand cradles my spinning head and tilts it to the side, exposing my neck to him. “But I know it’s going to be worth all of the restraint I’ve shown…”

“Stop,” I say weakly as I feel his mouth graze my neck. “I don’t want—”

“Alexander?”

Alexander freezes, the tips of his fangs against my skin, as a figure approaches from the crowd. And then another. I slip from his arms while he’s distracted, pushing myself to the other side of the couch.

I recognize the two vampires approaching us from the night of the Valentine’s Day Ball. Dante and Dominic, with their piercings and tattoos. The ones who almost fed on me before Sebastian scared them off.

Alexander doesn’t look particularly happy to see them. “Hello, little fledglings.”

“Sire,” says Dominic, the one with dark hair and piercings. He dips into an over-the-top bow.

Alexander’s lip curls over his fangs. “What do you want?”

“A word.” Dominic steps closer, leaning over and lowering his voice till I can’t hear it above the music.

Sire. Fledglings. Those are coven terms, I remember with a queasy flip of my stomach. Alexander is the one who turned these two into vampires. Which means I doubt I’ll find allies in them.

But Alexander is distracted, so I take the chance to push myself from the couch on wobbly legs, teetering on my heels. I glance from Alexander to the staircase on the other side of the room, and my heart sinks. I’ll never make it through the crowd on my own. Still, I have to try.

I take a step forward, and a body is suddenly in front of me. Looking up, I see the silent, tattooed Dante staring down at me, and my despair grows. But then he shifts so he’s blocking me from Alexander and inclines his head. I follow his gesture to see a small neon sign behind the couches: Exit .

It must be a fire escape. Another way out. I glance at Dante again, and he jerks his head more insistently.

I don’t know why he’s helping me, but I’m not going to ignore the chance… or the clear warning. This whole time, I had still been telling myself that maybe Alexander misunderstood what I wanted, but now I’m not so sure. I swallow and creep toward the exit sign, step by slow step, until I’m out of Alexander’s line of sight. Then I open the door and—

“Leaving already?”

I freeze at Alexander’s smooth voice and then slowly turn to face him. Of course he’s right behind me. It was stupid to think I could sneak away from someone with his senses.

“The night is still young, Amelia,” he says, his eyes boring into mine. “Stay a while longer.”

I hesitate. It sounds so reasonable when he says it like that, but… no. No. What the hell am I thinking? I shouldn’t be here in the first place.

“No, I don’t think so,” I say. “It’s time to go.”

Alexander’s face hardens. As I turn to leave, his hand darts out and catches my wrist.

“I insist you stay,” he says with a fanged smile.

I freeze. I’m all too aware of the sharpness in those fangs, the strength in his grip. There’s no way I can get away from him by fighting or running. And while other vampires are starting to look our way—including Alexander’s two fledglings—none of them seem eager to step in to help me.

I’m on my own… and I’m not even wearing my silver, since I didn’t expect to encounter any vampires in LA. I remember Benjamin’s lessons. He once insisted that manners would keep me safe, but I have something more than that to protect me now.

“Let go of me,” I say. “You are well aware that I am under contract with Sebastian de Celeste.”

More heads turn our way at the name. Alexander’s smile falters. Even in the chaos of the club, people are watching us with interest. I know the Celeste name won’t gain me any friends here, but I hope that it will instill some wary respect.

I may not know much about vampire history, but I know that Celeste won the war.

“I am Amelia Burton, a valentine under the protection of the Celeste Court,” I say, “and I will be leaving now.”

I pull my wrist away—and after a glance at the other vampires watching, Alexander lets go of me.

Then I make a break for it.

There’s a staircase on the other side of the door, and a blessed taste of fresh air. As fresh as LA gets, anyway. I suck in a greedy gulp of it before I stumble up and onto the street. I run until I can’t feel the bass in my skin anymore, and duck into a twenty-four-seven coffee shop.

Once I stop shaking, I fumble to get my phone out of my purse. The screen blurs in my vision; it takes me two attempts to call the contact I’m looking for. “Hey,” I say when it finally goes through, my voice coming out slurred and shaky. “I know you hate me right now, but…”