Sam piped up and spoke in a game show host-like voice, “Jules over here in the smokin’ hot bikini is visiting with me and in the pretty green dress with the pretty green eyes is the lovely Kyla. She belongs to Tristan. And I know why you two are really here early; always looking to get the best room in the joint, ah?” Sam stood and he and Andre did the brief half bro hug thing with a slap on the back.
“Tristan’s, huh? Hmm,” Andre said thoughtfully, “What pretty green eyes? I can’t see her eyes.”
Kyla saw Tristan’s eyes ever so slightly narrow in Sam’s direction and then he leaned over to Kyla, “Show our guest your pretty eyes, princess.” His voice was firm, condescending, with a hint of a threat in it.
Kyla tried to hold her breathing and her fingers steady. She took the rim and pulled the glasses down past the bridge of her nose and looked at Andre. Her side swept bangs fell into her eyes a little bit. His dark eyes seemed like they pierced into hers. For a split second she felt panic rise and thought, he sees right through me.
The housekeeper came out and Andre’s attention moved to her. Esther brought Andre and his companion place settings.
“Very nice, Tristan,” Andre said without looking back at Kyla and then he reached for the carafe. Kyla straightened the sunglasses, pushing her hair out of the way, and folded her hands in her lap.
She heard an exasperated-sounding sigh come from the girl beside Andre.
“Girls, I’m Andre and this is my lady, Rebecca.”
Rebecca didn’t acknowledge Julia or Kyla.
Sam got up from the other side of the table and walked over and kissed her on the cheek, “How are ya, Becks?”
She sighed, “Jetlagged, Sammy, and parched. You?”
“Ah, you know. Busy. Places to go, people to bite.”
Tristan, Andre, Sam, Rebecca, and even Julia all laughed. Kyla caught that she was the only one who didn’t. She forced a smile on her face, thankful the glasses were hiding her eyes. She knew they were the window to her soul and that they hid absolutely nothing. How on earth would she ever get through the next few days?
What was with Rebecca? She was definitely not all doe caught in the headlights. She had to be a vampire, too. A female vamp? Wow.
Breakfast continued for the next little while and there was small talk about their flight in from Cyprus with a 2 day stopover in Chicago that Andre and Rebecca had taken. Esther came out with a glass pitcher filled with red liquid and poured some for Rebecca and Andre.
Blood?
She was thankful for her dark glasses. It was like her heartbeat was in her ears. Tristan reached under the table and caressed her leg briefly. She felt reassured at his touch and her heart settled down a little. She couldn’t wait to get out of this situation.
“Ah, not a bad vintage, Tristan, but have we got anything a little fresher?” Andre said after a sip. Kyla could feel his eyes land on her.
Sam piped up instantly, “Tristan isn’t a sharer but I don’t mind. Help yourself.”
“Pity,” Rebecca said with a pout, “Blondes aren’t my favourite…”
“Ah, it’s okay, Becks,” Sam said, “Jules is a brunette, too, much to my chagrin. If there were a rug, it wouldn’t match the drapes.”
There was a chuckle from Andre who leaned over and sank teeth into Julia’s right breast. Rebecca, who’d been seated on Andre’s other side got up and walked over, removed her sunglasses, and bit into Julia’s left shoulder.
Kyla sat, mortified, horrified, and paralyzed. It was beyond bizarre to watch anyone, let alone a woman suck blood out of someone’s body. Rebecca looked like she was barely out of her teens and had flawless porcelain white skin and long reddish eyelashes. She looked like the epitome of innocence. Now here she was with fangs sunk into Julia. Kyla’s hands nervously fidgeted in her lap. She held her hands tight, hoping to stop her fidgeting from drawing attention to herself. Andre and Rebecca finally let go of Julia and wiped their mouths on linen napkins. Julia seemed completely unaffected. Kyla wondered briefly about Julia’s huge fake boobs and whether or not Andre might’ve punctured one. They looked fine.
Kyla had been petrified they’d be looking to her for a reaction but neither even glanced in her direction. Andre started talking to Sam about something about traffic and airports or something totally inconsequential to Kyla. She tried to stare past Julia toward Esther who was shuffling around the table, clearing plates and offering everyone more coffee, more food, and it was as if all was normal. Kyla tried to focus on Esther’s movements so she had somewhere to look. The woman looked like an ordinary housekeeper, not robotic, not frightened.