Jonah leads me up the impressive front walk to the marble porch of the lavish, plantation-style manor. Iris looks shoddy where she sits parked between the black Mercedes and the red Ferrari in the parking-lot-size gravel driveway, one mirror still missing and sitting crooked on her kickstand.

Jonah, on the other hand, looks quite a bit more suave than he normally does, done up in simple black slacks, a black button-up, and suspenders. A skinny, mint green tie makes the rainforest green of his eyes stand out and, with his sleeves rolled up and his new haircut, he looks rather like he might have just stepped out of the 60s to take me to the drive-in.

Jonah had mentioned to me last night that his brother is a bit old fashioned, and still considers dinner an “event.” Which would explain why Jonah looks like he’s just come from the set of a movie.

Well, not exactly, but it at least explains why Jonah put on a tie.

After work I stopped by Goodwill and managed to find a simple, peach dress which seemed nice enough without being overly formal.

“You didn’t tell me your brother was rich. If he has so much money why do you live so… modestly?” I gingerly pick a piece of fuzz from the front of my dress as Jonah leans forward to ring the doorbell.

“I’m going through a period of growth and self-discovery. Are those new shoes?”

I glance down at the delicate pair of bright pink, bedazzled, red-bottom, zebra print stilettos I wear. “Oh, yeah. I got them the other night at the mall.”

He bends slightly to get a better look at the pumps and I angle one foot to let the sparkling heels glitter under the light of the porch. “I don’t remember you picking those out.”

“I pulled them off the wicked bitch.”

He glances up at me, one eyebrow raised in consideration. “…You mean from the remains of the revenant I staked in the parking lot?”

“Don’t judge!” I gasp. “These shoes are super expensive and in nearly new condition. It seemed a waste to just leave them there.” I flip a blonde lock over my shoulder.

“I suppose…”

“I figured tonight would be a good chance to try them out. I mean, when else would I wear them? It’s not like these are conducive to fighting—Barbie demonstrated that firsthand.”

In fact, it was only because of the absolute inappropriateness of the shoes that I was able to overcome her.

“I did, however, make some slight modifications to rectify that a bit.”

Bending, I lift a leg to reach the bedazzled heel on my right pump. Pulling hard, I yank the heel from the sole, revealing a slim blade that slips into the seam at the back of the shoe when the heel is in place.

“At least this way I’m not quite so vulnerable should we get into another fight.”

Jonah raises his other eyebrow as he observes the delicate blade in my hand. “...Lilly—”

“Please,” I interrupt, pushing the heel back into place and righting myself. “Call me Dorothy.”

Just then the door to the massive manor swings open revealing a beautiful, elegant woman. Lightly tanned skin, long brunette waves done up with braids and jewels, big, expressive eyes lined with a dark liner, full lips, and a sinful, formfitting gown that accents her perfect curves.

She smiles as she takes us in. “Welcome.”

Jonah nods to the woman. “It’s good to see you again, Sadhvi.”

“Jonah, you look well. Is this your friend?” She turns her gaze to me expectantly.

I put out a hand immediately. “Lillian. Nice to meet you.”

“Sadhvi. Come, let me get a better look at you.” Taking my hand she pulls me forward and I stumble across the threshold of the door and into the entryway which is almost entirely occupied by a sparkling chandelier. She stands back to look me over as I teeter toward the center of the room to stand under the glistening lights, looking up at the fixture with open-mouthed awe.

“My, aren’t you a pretty little thing. I’m not surprised Jonah couldn’t keep his hands off you. Though,” she glides forward, taking my chin in her hand and tipping my head down and to the side, exposing the line of my neck. “There was certainly no need to give you such brutal scars. I’m sure that Dair taught him better than that. Jonah—”

She releases me and turns to face him as he steps in and closes the door behind him.

“I thought those hickey-things were all the rage these days. Wouldn’t that have made your point just as well?”

Jonah looks up when the beautiful woman addresses him. “I suppose. But it also wouldn’t have been as permanent.”

My mouth falls open. “Jonah!”

Sadhvi tsks. “Oh, my.”

“Is Mondo in the kitchen?” Jonah asks, completely ignoring me.

“Ah, yes. Dinner is almost ready. This way.”

We follow Sadhvi from the entryway and through the various rooms of the large home, all beautifully decorated with such care that I feel as though I’m walking through a museum.

Finally, we reach what can only be the dining room.

A long, rectangular mahogany table, that could easily seat thirty, stretches from one end of the room to the other. In the center of the table is a huge, exploding display of bright flowers which stretch some three feet high and drape out across the table in a captivating arrangement. At one end of the table place settings for five are laid out. One of the chairs, I notice, has been replaced with a highchair.

Sadhvi seats us in the two chairs to the left side of the head of the table—Jonah closer to the end, and myself closer to the flower display. Which is more than fine by me.

“Let me just go get Dair out of the kitchen. You two get comfortable. Jonah,” she says, pausing to look back at him. “Behave yourself.”

“Of course.”

Sadhvi sashays from the dining room and out a door at the back of the room which, I assume, leads to the kitchen.

When I’m sure she’s out of earshot, I round on Jonah. “Why would you let her think you’d given these to me?” I point an offending finger to the fang marks in question.

He shrugs. “It could just as easily been me that you got those from.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“When I… tasted you. It—something came over me.” He stares down at his plate, his hands clenched into fists in his lap. “It was like nothing I’d ever felt before. I… didn’t want to stop.”

He looks up at me, the self-disgust he feels plain on his face.

“I lost myself, and because of that I almost took too much.” His gaze finds the scars on my neck. “Really, it could just as easily have been me—ow! What was that for?”

“That stupid face you’re making!” I cross my arms over my chest and huff at him. “Obviously something’s not working right in that head of yours if you actually think you’re anything like a revenant. I can smack you harder if that first one wasn’t enough to get things firing properly.”

Just then, Sadhvi pushes back through the door from the kitchen, a small, bright-eyed little boy on her hip. “Jonah, I thought I told you to behave yourself.”

“I did!”

“Obviously not or Lillian wouldn’t be offering her hand in correction.”

Coming around the table, the busty brunette sets to strapping the young boy into his high chair as he coos happily at her, pulling gently on her perfectly curled waves.

A bang from the back of the room signals the slamming of the kitchen door again, and a hulking figure makes his way across the room and straight for Jonah.

“Little brother! It’s been too long!