The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason Page A

Truscott spun her around, not nearly as elegantly as had Rockley, but with some efficiency, Victoria scanned those present in the vast ballroom. She would not make the same mistake as before, assuming the predator was the one who looked most like she’d expected a vampire to look: tall, dark, and arrogant.
    After a moment she was fairly certain a man with brown hair and a hooked nose standing with a young woman she didn’t recognize was the vampire whose presence she’d felt. She kept one eye focused on the couple as Truscott managed their way between the other dancers. As long as they remained in the room, the young woman was safe. It would give Victoria time to extricate herself from Truscott and create a way to get the vampire alone.
    She couldn’t exactly stake him in the middle of the ball.
    It was a curious thing: Vampires were not allowed to enter the home of someone unless they were invited by the home owner or someone acting for them—such as a servant. Gatherings such as this ball at the Dunstead home were by invitation, and only to the members of the ton, of course. So it was curious—but not impossible—that a vampire had managed to get himself or herself into the ball.
    She supposed it was due to the comings and goings of servants and staff, and the masses of people invited to events such as this. There were many ways to be “invited” into a home…for something as simple as delivering a bouquet of flowers or the side of beef to be served for dinner. And once the invitation was extended, it was permanent as long as the homeowner did not change.
    Victoria was thankful when the dance ended, but dismayed when Truscott manipulated their exit from the dance floor to be near the tables filled with drinks and cakes…completely across the room from where the vampire stood. Watching.
    Watching her.
    Victoria realized with a start his cold eyes were focused on her. Unblinking. His gaze tugged at her from across the room.
    He curled one side of his mouth in a half smile, still staring at her. A little nod. And then he slipped his arm around the woman next to him and began to lead her away.
    A challenge.
    If the chill on the back of her neck had merely raised her nape hair, it was now standing straight up. And ice was forming.
    â€œLord Truscott, I must excuse myself,” Victoria said quickly, pulling her arm from his grasp and ignoring the glass of lemonade he was offering her. “I…I believe my gown has a loose ribbon, and I must see to it.”
    â€œBut Miss Grantworth—”
    â€œPlease excuse me.” She slipped away, hurrying as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself as she pushed through people edging the dance floor. It would be faster to move through the dancing couples, but that would only cause a stir. Pray God her mother or her two cronies didn’t see her!
    She kept her eye on the vampire’s dark head, which was more difficult than when she’d been stalking Maximilian. This man was only average height, and got lost among some of the other partygoers. The couple walked through an alcove, strolling at a comfortable pace, and turned down what appeared to be a hallway.
    Victoria’s skirts wrapped around her ankles, and would have been flapping if they’d been made of something heavier than light chiffon. Bending quickly, she slipped a hand under the hem of her skirt and pulled the narrow wooden pike from the garter just below her knee.
    The stake felt solid and comfortable in her hand. This one was more slender than the one she’d used to stake the vampire at her own coming-out party, but according to Aunt Eustacia, was just as potent as the thicker one. The trick was, she had told her, to find a stake that was light enough to carry and hide easily, but strong enough that it wouldn’t break when being stabbed into the vampire’s breastbone.
    Victoria hurried along the hallway, listening with her ears