B Positive by Jewel Killian

Twenty-Seven

The dress tookmy breath away.

It lay across the bed in my white room just like I’d laid out the red dress in my studio for the diamond job that started all this. But this dress, with its full sky-blue skirt and tapered indigo bodice, looked as if it had been specially dyed to match the exact shades in my eyes.

Did Julian have this made for me? Had he actually taken note of my eyes’ specific shade of blue and had a dress made to match?

Butterflies didn’t come close to covering the flip-flopping in my stomach as I stared at the magnificent feat of color and design.

I wanted very much to touch it, to try it on, but I wouldn’t dare set more than my gaze on the dress until I’d scrubbed myself clean of every speck of gear grease and safe grime.

“I’ll be back for you.” I promised and rushed off to the bathroom, only stepping out once I’d lathered and rinsed every square inch of my skin at least three times.

I ran a pruned fingertip along the hem, amazed to find that even the thread had a silky, luxurious quality.

On closer inspection, the bodice wasn’t just indigo. Tiny crystals—no way those were real diamonds—were sewn into the fabric. I stepped into the gown, relishing the feel of the expensive fabric against my skin, zipped the side, and spun around to look at myself in the full-length mirror.

The skirt trailed in a swirl of color around me, the shades of blue a perfect complement for my skin tone. Then I laid eyes on the back.

Or rather, the lack of a back. The dress dipped well below my waist, almost exposing my butt dimples.

I let out a low whistle at myself. I was definitely feeling the look. “Damn, I might have to wear backless more often.”

I had zero shoes to wear with the dress, unless I wanted to pair it with my Docs or Air Forces. Jaxson brought me plenty of necessities, but he hadn’t exactly packed shoes for every event.

He could have.

He just didn’t.

I didn’t expect to need them, and neither did he.

But tucked away on one of the white chairs at the end of the bed was a shoe box, on top of which sat an unmistakable jewelry box.

Long and thin.

A necklace.

I chewed at my cheek as I rushed to see what he’d given me, nerves and excitement vying for the top spot in my middle.

The velvet box snapped open and lying within the black felt was a long silver necklace. A very confusing necklace with three chains connected to a large diamond in the center.

How the hell was I supposed to wear this?

I fastened the clasp at the back of my neck and frowned at my reflection.

The long chain at the end of the large diamond, though beautifully dotted with even more sparkly rocks, hung awkwardly between my boobs and against the fabric of the dress.

I shrugged. I didn’t pick it out.

I slipped into the nude Dior shoes, taking a few steps to make sure I felt secure before heading downstairs.

I held tight to the railing as I descended the three floors to the main level. I might be a vampire, but I could still lose my footing or break a heel and fall down the steps.

It might not kill me, but I would definitely want to die of embarrassment.

When I made it to the last flight, I caught sight of Julian waiting for me in the great room.

His gaze devoured me as I descended the stairs, traveling from the top of my head to the bottom of the dress and back again. I suppressed a shudder as his eyes finally locked on mine. He didn’t bother hiding the blatant desire in his gaze, or the lascivious smile on his lips.

I didn’t mind.

I was looking at him the same way.

How was it legal to look that fucking good in a tux?

Jesus, my lady reactor was gonna have a meltdown!

But instead of babbling nonsense or maybe even drooling a little, I played it cool. “Why so formal for just a dinner?” I asked as I reached the great room.

In a blur, Julian covered the remaining distance between us. He stared down at me, cocky smile on his beautiful face. “Any meal with you is worth an elevated appearance, love.” He stroked a finger down my cheek before dragging his hand through my hair.

I braced for the delicious tension, the tug at my roots that he knew drove me absolutely insane, but it never came.

Instead, Julian swept my hair up, using both hands to pile it on top of my head. “Yes. An updo will work better,” he murmured.

“What?” I asked, breathless and disappointed.

He stepped back, letting my hair fall around my shoulders. “And that necklace is worn so it drapes down the back.”

Oh, that made more sense. I adjusted it and tried not to look as embarrassed as I felt.

He gave me another appraising glance and nodded. “Yes, I think this dress will do nicely.”

“Do nicely for what?”

“For your meeting with Titus.”

My hands balled into fists at my sides as his words rattled me. “Are you kidding me? All this is to please Titus?”

Julian nodded, confusion on his face. “Why are you upset, Eden?”

“I don’t know, Julian. Maybe it’s because every time I think you’ve done something nice, it’s actually for some ulterior motive that has nothing to do with me,” I said in a deceptively calm voice.

His brows pulled together as the green in his eyes flashed brighter. “What are you talking about, Eden?”

“And that! The shitty dismissive tone you use when you don’t like what I’m saying is rude!”

Julian let out a long breath and leveled a more neutral gaze on me. “I apologize. Eden, I have never tried to hurt your feelings. Please tell me what you mean, because I’m honestly at a loss.”

I couldn’t very well do that.

I couldn’t say that I thought he was giving me his priceless family heirloom and not just hiding it in my building. And I couldn’t admit that I thought he’d had the dress specially made for me because he’d discovered my favorite color was blue. Not without sounding like a boy-crazy middle school girl.

I huffed out a sigh and glided toward the dining room. “Never mind.”

Julian took me at my word and moved on. “I intended tonight to be a dress rehearsal for the incursion.”

I nodded my thanks as he pulled out my chair for me.

“There won’t be a formal dinner, but there will be food and dancing, and everyone invited will be dressed in formal attire.”

“Good to know.”

He settled into his seat, and the moment he did a secret panel in the wall I’d left nail marks in creaked open and two vampires came out, each with a plate of food in their hands.

They set the plates before us and retreated into the panel once again.

I scoffed at the food. “And when do they get to eat?” I snapped.

Julian stopped mid-bite. “Whenever they like, Eden. Antony and Sharon volunteered to serve tonight. I thought we could pretend this was a formal event. A date, if you will.”

Okay, that was a really good answer.

But I wasn’t done being mad. Because I wasn’t really mad at him. Not truly. But, I figured maybe if I convinced myself I was, I’d stay clear-headed enough to ask him all the questions that kept falling out of my head when we were close and he got rumbly.

“Uh-huh. And how do you feel about corporate entities lobbying for laws that reduce the scrutiny on the tax loopholes they exploit?”

Julian was unfazed by my out-of-pocket question.

“As a corporate entity myself, I only employ lawyers and accountants who don’t skirt laws. I believe it is my duty as someone of considerable means to give back to my community.”

Fine. That was a good answer too.

“And what about paying people a livable wage? My mother wouldn’t have had to struggle so hard if she’d been able to afford to work less.”

Julian put his fork and knife down. “What is going on, Eden?”

“And while I’m at it—” I pulled the list from between my boobs because as pretty as this dress was, I still didn’t have pockets. “Why did the healer say my bloodlust didn’t matter because of the mating bond? In case I didn’t make it clear, when I turned, I was a bloodthirsty fiend. I can’t keep drinking so much blood just because some healer says the mating process makes it okay.

“And did you really only let me keep that stupid diamond because you wanted a good hiding place for it? Who made this dress? And why does it match my eyes exactly? What happens if the mating bond doesn’t take? Then what? And why in God’s name won’t you let me touch you? Reciprocity is a really nice thing, Julian.”

There.

I did it.

I asked all my list questions. I even covered the embarrassing questions without giving myself away too much.

Julian’s gaze narrowed, his lips thinning into a line the dominant vampire in him fought to control this situation.

“Answer me. You’ve kept things from me for far too long. You’ve told Sunny and B not to share too much, and I can’t help but think it’s because you either think I’m too stupid or too weak to handle the truth. But let me assure you, oh mate of mine, I’m perfectly capable of handling the whole truth. Now, answer my questions or I’m walking. You can find yourself another safecracker and another mate.”