“Well, this isn’t ominous,” I muttered.
“Weirdest assignment ever,” Noel said. She craned her head and stood on the tips of her golden heels.
“View’s not any better up here, Harper,” I teased, tilting my chin to look down at her.
She smacked me against my chest and laughed. “Shut up.”
Noel led the way forward. After dragging my eyes off her golden ass, I noticed we were moving slightly downward between black iron rails. I could just see the wooden planks at my feet and heard the lapping of water below them.
Noel barreled forward, coming to a stop at an elaborately carved red door with a porthole window. I thought I heard distant voices behind us and whirled around to watch our backs. The sound of Noel’s flirty chuckle had me turning only to do a double-take at the twin bouncers who had appeared in front of the door. They were equally muscular and wore their black hair in dreadlocks and goatees over strong jawlines. They were finely attired in slim-cut slacks and suit jackets that were red yet entirely unique from the other.
Could this be our first set of identical twin vampires?
Noel handed over our invitations. The dude in the white button-up and red velvet suit jacket grinned down at the two silver invites as he extracted them from Noel.
“We don’t get many couples arriving together,” he said with a thick New York accent.
The other twin wore a black shirt unbuttoned several holes to reveal a muscular chest that looked as though it had been carved out of black onyx.
“Most guests don’t end up with someone until the early hours of the ball.” He waggled his eyebrows from above black eyes.
“Oh, we’re not together,” Noel said. “Dante’s my wingman.” She winked at the bouncer with the open collar.
I would have felt annoyed at the man’s smug grin if I hadn’t seen Noel’s focus on his neck, not his pecs.
“Darling, you don’t need a wingman,” the bouncer drawled. He gave Noel an appreciative once-over.
“You on duty all night?” she asked in a flirty voice.
“After all the guests arrive, we get to join the party,” Red Velvet said.
“She was asking me,” his brother groused.
“I can share, boys.”
Boys and blood—that was Noel’s motto.
I supposed mine was babes and pie—same concept.
The Smolder Twins’ eyes appeared to darken. It was difficult to tell when their gazes were already coal black and it was nighttime. I leaned against the rail and watched Noel in action. It was easy to see why she’d made an exceptional informant in her early years and a badass agent thereafter. I wondered what else Noel Harper was good at. If she had an appetite for sucking blood, was she as skilled at sucking—
“Ahem.” A woman cleared her throat from several feet behind. I’d been so caught up in Noel’s antics, I hadn’t heard the redhead sneak up behind me. The woman was a vision of beauty in her floor-length dress with red lace roses and wavy unbound locks.
“Is this The Monster Ball?” she inquired.
“That’s what we’re waiting to find out once my beguiling friend here stops flirting shamelessly with the bouncers.”
“We like shameless,” Red Velvet said with a thick smile.
“Then, come find me later,” Noel purred.
The twins wet their lips and shared a hooded look as Noel took a step toward the red door, stopping suddenly. She patted her thighs and whirled around, her eyes narrowed.
“Wait one hot second. What happened to my protection?”
I immediately reached under my pant leg to check for my dagger, only to find the holster empty.
The bouncer with the open collar grinned. “No weapons allowed at the ball. Your arsenal will be waiting for you when you return home.”
“Aw, you took away my toys.” Noel’s lips formed a playful pout.
“Sorry, sweetie. House rules. No one dies at The Monster Ball.”
“What is this? TSA?” I grumbled. “Are we about to board a plane?”
“Nope, a boat. This party is classy.” Red Velvet looked me over with a disapproving frown.
“Are you saying Alaskans have no class?” I challenged.
I guess a standard tuxedo wasn’t enough to impress Mr. Stylish New Yorker with his embossed red suit jacket.
“You two are clear to head in. All aboard.” The bouncer beside Noel opened the red door. Noel dove inside. With the bouncer smirking at me, I swaggered by with my own secretive smile. They could take away my gun, but I still had enough toxins running through my blood to incapacitate rogue vampires all night long. Not to mention I had experience turning furniture into impromptu weapons. On a mission in Kodiak, I’d even used the broken shard of an antique vase to stab a rabid vamp in the heart.
“Come on, stud,” Noel said, grasping my hand with a squeeze.
My ears perked up at her change of tone. She had a false flirty tone I had become familiar with over the years. She’d used it on the bouncers, but with me, her teasing held its own unique brand of warmth and fond regard. Or so I liked to think.
“I’ll enter first.” I took a wide step in front of her.
Noel looked at me askance. “Since when are you the gallant gentleman?”
I straightened my back and lifted my head. “We’re on a date.”
Noel rolled her eyes. “This isn’t a date; it’s a mission.”
“A mission in which we’re undercover as a couple.”
“Nope. No. Nuh-uh.” Noel put her hands on her hips. “You do that setup with all the pretty female recruits. It’s not our thing.”
“We have a thing?” I blinked innocently, and Noel grinned.
“Stop joking around, Casanova, and follow my lead.”
With that, Noel tossed a saucy wink my way before entering. I hurried after her.
We stood at the top of a grand staircase, no longer kidding around as we took in the scene. A sultry singer immediately gained the attention of my ears . . . and body parts below the belt. I craned my head but struggled to locate the owner of the luscious voice through the haze of ghosts dressed in old-fashioned garb. One of them even spoke to welcome us aboard the Ship of Dreams.
“The special effects in this place are incredible,” I noted.
Noel nudged me with her elbow. “And the décor is to die for.” I did a quick scan, keeping my eyes open for vampy-looking party guests. All I saw was ominous gothic seating in red velvet.
Noel lifted her chest, which drew my attention back to her.
“Are you wearing a push-up bra?” When I leaned forward for a peek down her valley, Noel held her ground.
“Yeah. Adds up to two cup sizes. Is it working?” She threw her shoulders back, levitating those delectable mounds farther.
Oh, it was working, all right. She must have taken my lingering stare as confirmation.
Noel smirked. “Excellent. Wouldn’t want to waste an opportunity to hook up when there are so many fine young gentlemen on this boat.” Her eyes traveled to a Native American dude with straight, long, dark hair and a smoldering look in his eyes that made everyone he passed stop and admire.
I nodded. “I like the way you think.”
“Thinking about switching teams?” Noel chuckled.