Testimony of Children (Alice Gray Book 2)

32

I was still trying to sort the names of the paranormal members of the DPA from the human intelligence officers when we drew up to the house.

Actually, calling it a house was doing a huge disservice to the massive pristine white building that glowed with a million fairy lights. The gleam was visible from East Road, making it look like the very building was possessed of a supernatural life-force to rival all others.

The brilliance increased in intensity as we approached the exclusive St George's Hill estate in Surrey, home to popstars and footballers. To say that I was out of my comfort zone in this locale would be a serious understatement. The gulf between the wealth and social standing of the residents in this area and my own was a wide one.

But money couldn't buy class, right?

The mansions were mostly new build structures intended to replicate classical designs. Like most imitations in art, they lacked some quality whether it was in the passion or the originality of their design. If I had that much money, I'd go for the real thing, complete with the defects and inconveniences that come with age.

Personal taste aside, these houses screamed of the wealth of their owners. Roger's house was on a slight incline, and as we approached the glow, it felt like we were driving into the sun. A lot of care and money had been taken to create the impressive spectacle.

We pulled over before we reached the mansion's private access road. I immediately realised the wisdom of bringing Stephen's unremarkable car. The dark blue Prius was practically invisible parked in the gateway of the empty field.

It was plain that I would not be traipsing through a field to reach the mansion in my princess dress. I cursed my flamboyant choice in ball gown. After all this, it better be admired once I got in that party.

Emily's jumpsuit was perfect for covert snooping, and, of course, she had a pair of walking boots to replace her expensive suede booties. Stephen removed his jacket and pulled on a black hoodie over his white shirt, securing the hood over his nicely styled hair. He'd also brought outdoors footwear.

I took some comfort in that. They were my team, and they were going to keep me safe.

Left by myself in the car I was running through the names and descriptions of all the VIPs that I was supposed to approach with caution, when my skin started to prickle uncomfortably. Heat pooled low in my belly as the seconds ticked away.

Only one person provoked that particular reaction.

Thomas. And he was close.

Before I could turn to survey my surroundings, a large convoy of vehicles sped past. Five sleek black limos, one after the other, zipped by the Prius. I ducked down, not wanting Thomas to see me sat in Stephen's car.

It was a ridiculous notion. If I could feel him, he could certainly feel me. My guilt over Stephen was affecting my judgement. I'd have to put a stop to that if I was going to survive tonight. There would be plenty of complex relationships to negotiate, and my love triangle was the least important.

But my traitorous imagination didn't agree, and silver pulsed around me as it twisted the permutations of our relationships until my uncomfortably split affections became a full on ménage à trois. As inappropriate images of Thomas and Stephen and I together flooded my mind, guilt turned to something else entirely.

Unbearable need filled me and I struggled to contain the energy that was multiplying frantically from my heated emotions. The inside of the car glowed silver, and even though they couldn't see it, the strength of my magic would serve as a beacon to the vampires. Right on cue, the last limo in the convoy slowed.

My Thomas radar buzzed painfully beneath my skin. This was it. I'd been discovered. Bracing myself for a confrontation, I was surprised when the vehicle increased in speed and caught up to its fellows.

The sensations decreased to a tingle as I watched the cars turn into the access road. The excess energy hung heavy in the air, refusing to dissipate, leaving me feeling feverish but impotent. My confidence faltered as I realised that all it took to utterly defeat me was sex.

Geez, I had to get a grip, I wasn't even into threesomes.

I wouldn't be able to avoid Thomas this evening. I could only hope that he would be too distracted to pay me much attention. Stephen would be my shadow out of necessity, so there was no escaping him. Even with the most luck in the world, I knew I was doomed to at least one excruciating confrontation this evening. And that was before I'd factored in Roger and his nasty perversions.

By the time Stephen and Emily re-joined me, half an hour later, I was sick to my stomach with worry about what Thomas would do when he realised my affections had wandered.

Stephen pulled his hoody over his head, displacing a curl that fell over his forehead. Prickles of lust ran all over my skin. Images of us together flashed in my mind. The heat of desire curdled with anxiety making me clammy and nauseous.

"It's ok, Alice, we'll help you through this," he said, misinterpreting the cause of my sickly demeanour.

"It's fine. I'll be fine. I mean, carry on."

Emily's eyebrows drew together at my garbled answer. She caught me in a gaze full of suspicion. "What's happened?"

"What? Nothing. I've been right here. Come on, we've got to get over there."

"Right," she said, scepticism dripping from the drawn out word. "So the garden is one and a half acres, and there's guards patrolling the perimeter."

"Guards? Is that normal?"

"Yes, there's supposed to be a truce in place for this gala, but there are feuds running between groups here that span centuries. Vampires have long memories and bad tempers."

I swallowed my trepidation at that little bit of information.

"Plus, there are always a few undesirables who try to gate-crash. The outside guards patrol for them. They're using a simple formation and don't appear to be switching it up, so if we need to leave undetected, we can do so on foot through the field. It's the personal security teams that we need to watch."

"But I have you guys, right? You're my team."

"We'll keep you safe, but you need to stick with us. You can't go all silver-eyes in there, Alice. Using your power will be seen as a provocation. We're here to repay your favour to the Binghams and get out without attracting any more attention, ok?" Emily said.

I nodded my understanding. I was out of my depth and it was time that I accepted that and started working as part of the team. Emily and Stephen's wages were still being paid by someone in the Agency, and where better to look for them than the Winter Solstice Gala?

Phew, Alice is getting a bit hot under the collar! How's she going to cope at the ball?