Count

11. A Dance of Lies

Inari's face was bright with excitement as we pulled up at Charles Jacquinot's mansion.

Jacquinot was an Enlightened: a human aware of the reality of vampires. There were humans like him all over the world—rich, malleable, and stupid enough to invite monsters into his home because he liked to feel important. He knew little about the vampire community except that it existed. We kept people like him around because they were useful sources of funds and political influence.

I helped Inari out of the car, and a valet drove it away. We joined the line of guests processing into the grounds.

"This place is magnificent!" Inari said to me, clutching my arm like a lifeline.

I'd grown used to impressive spaces, and I looked around with new eyes, seeing it from her point of view. A hedge, a story tall, surrounded the mansion's grounds. On it hung strands of lights, twinkling in the darkness. Through an archway, I could see paths lit with torches, servants in bowties bearing trays of delicacies and drinks, and the looming wall of the mansion itself. From somewhere unseen, violin music wafted.

"You're right," I said. "It is magnificent."

The line of guests filed through a security checkpoint in the archway of the hedge. A metal detector was set up next to a table where security guards searched purses and, I knew, scanned metal items for silver.

The lady in front of us passed her jewelry to a guard. "Be careful with that," she snapped in Italian. She stepped through the metal detector.

The guard inspecting her jewelry stopped her. "Ma'am, no silver is allowed on the premises. This will have to stay with us until you leave."

"What?" the woman yelled. "That's ridiculous! Do you know who I am?"

"I'm sorry, but the invitation was explicit. No silver of any kind, including pieces of jewelry."

The rule was in place to protect the vampiric guests, though of course, Ignorant humans like the woman throwing a fit would have trouble understanding why. I was glad the conversation was taking place in Italian; Inari was smart enough to put two and two together if she were given enough clues.

Eventually, the woman relented, and the line moved forward. Inari and I passed without incident.

A few clusters of people meandered through the gardens, but the majority were inside. A greeter welcomed us in. In the entry hall, servants tagged and took our coats, then we proceeded toward the grand ballroom.

A herald stood by the door, ready to declare us. "Conte Sergio di Genovesi and Inari Yamashita," I told him. He repeated our names in a booming voice as we entered.

A steady stream of guests still arrived, but the ballroom could hold hundreds more. Candelabras cast a golden glow on the scene. The floor was ivory tile, and a wide banister rimmed the room; under its shadow sat alcoves and tables for guests to recline. In the center of the room, couples danced to live music from a string quintet.

Inari looked everywhere, and I looked at her. If I needed to breathe, she would have stolen my breath.

"Did you call yourself 'Conte'?" Inari asked me as we strolled the room's perimeter.

"Yes. It means 'count' in Italian."

"You're a count?" she asked, her voice an octave higher than normal. "I should've known."

"Don't let it impress you," I said. "They hand out titles to anyone nowadays."

It was a strange mix in that ballroom, though one I was accustomed to. There were vampires, proud and beautiful, commanding attention when they wanted it and remaining aloof when they didn't. They stuck with others of their kind or surrounded themselves with mortal admirers.

There were a few Enlightened who were well-acquainted with specific vamps and understood the politics in the room nearly as well as the vamps themselves. Most of the Enlightened, however, were sniveling suck-ups content to whisper about us from a safe distance and fool themselves that they were dangerous or significant for brushing shoulders with us.

About a third of the crowd, I guessed, were Ignorant humans, invited because of their prestige or connections. For their sake, the whole affair was a masquerade of sorts, concealing the true nature of the monsters in their midst under niceties and closed-mouthed smiles.

Several men I knew approached from across the room.

I warned Inari. "Now, brace yourself for lots of smiling and pointless chatter. I have to interact with practically everyone here or risk offence."

"It's why I'm here," she said. Then they were upon us.

"Sergio!" exclaimed a bearded, redheaded man, clasping my hand in an iron grip.

"Tony O'Connor, this is Inari Yamashita. Inari, Tony is my contact in Ireland."

"A pleasure," he said, shaking her hand.

"Likewise," she replied.

And so it went. Introductions to mistresses whose names I quickly forgot, compliments I didn't mean, and passive aggression to those who deserved it.

Inari bore it all with ease. One would think she was raised in such an environment. Everyone we encountered was charmed by her grace and wit.

In fact, the men liked her a little too much for my comfort—humans and vampires alike. The first time a man asked her to dance, I could do nothing but watch. After that, I told her that she needn't accept every proposal, but I would squeeze her arm if there were someone she would do better not to refuse.

And there were several women I felt it my duty to dance with as well. A duchess. A vampire who owed me money and needed a reminder. The sister of one of my biggest clients.

But mostly I danced with Inari, and the tedious evening became bearable in her arms. She was resplendent in her scarlet dress. We swayed as one to the music, lost in each others' eyes.

Markus arrived, accompanied by a pretty girl I didn't recognize. After the traditional greetings, he pulled me aside and told me that several vamps were meeting in a study upstairs in ten minutes to discuss the disappearances. Such back-room gatherings were commonplace at events like this where powerful people congregated and drank and danced.

I led Inari to a secluded couch and fetched her some punch. "Will you be all right if I leave you here? There are some people I must speak with in private."

"I'll be fine," she said. "Go."

I hated leaving her alone. What if some hungry vamp decided to lure her outside for a snack? That wouldn't happen, I told myself. There were too many prying eyes here, both living and undead, for anyone to try anything risky. She was as safe as she ever was.

I kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon," I promised. "Stay put."

But when I returned half an hour later, she was gone.