Free For Whom the Spell Tolls by H. P. Mallory Page B

not yet a safe destination for you. I shall arrive to pick you up at eight o’clock.”
    “I don’t even know where we’re going so how will you?”
    “I can always track my mobile phone, in case you forgot,” Bram responded.
    There was a sudden feeling of concern that welled up within me at his words. Bram could track us anywhere as long as I carried his phone …
    If Bram or Melchior wanted you dead, you would already be dead , I reminded myself. Bram’s partnership with your father is history, and he’s trying to help you now. You have to trust him.
    “Eight tonight,” I repeated, suffering pangs of angst in my gut.
     
    ###
     
    I met Bram at exactly eight p.m. in the lobby of the hotel Knight booked for us. After traveling through two more portals, we arrived in Lucerne, Switzerland. We checked into the Hotel Des Balances which looked like something out of a period French movie. The hotel was beautifully located right on the river, Reuss. Knight reserved one of the suites, which was an enormous room, with a living room area off to one side. The other half of the room was dominated by a king-sized bed in the center, surrounded on three sides with a chiffon curtain. Adjacent to the bed stood a lone bathtub, along with a bottle of champagne chilling in a stand beside it. The room boasted views of the ancient city from one window, and the river from the balcony.
    It was by far the most romantic hotel I’d ever seen, and I couldn’t dislodge the sorrow in my stomach over the fact that Knight and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy our stay here like the other couples would. Instead, I had to go on a date with a vampire, and when I could reunite with my Loki, I knew we’d both be occupied by daunting thoughts of the impending battle.
    “Sweet, how lovely you look this evening,” Bram said as he turned from where he’d been pretending to warm himself by the lobby’s fireplace.
    Glancing down at my jeans, sneakers and sweatshirt, I was far from looking lovely, but I figured that was a conversation for another day.
    “Where are we going?” I asked as soon as he offered his arm. He proudly escorted me to a white Rolls-Royce that awaited us beyond the double entry doors.
    “For a nice drive, if it pleases you,” Bram quickly responded.
    I didn’t say anything as I allowed him to open my door and took a seat in the ridiculously expensive vehicle. Neither of the valet attendants came anywhere near us or the car which didn’t surprise me too much since I figured Bram had probably just warded them away either with a few snippy words or his vampiric powers of persuasion.
    As he sat down in the driver’s seat, he glanced over at me and smiled, reaching behind my seat. He produced a white box about three feet long and two feet wide that was tied with a wide, red satin ribbon. He placed the box in my lap as he pulled out of the hotel driveway.
    “What’s this?” I asked, already dreading what lay beneath the lavish wrapping.
    “A gift for you, my dear. I would like you to wear it for me this evening.”
    I grumbled something unintelligible, but figured I had to play by his rules, so I might as well comply. I pulled the ribbon off the box and opened it. After wrestling with the tissue paper, I reached inside and felt the silky material rubbing across my fingertips. It was a floor-length, electric blue, satin gown with a cleavage-exposing halter top bodice. I was surprised to find it floor-length since Bram was so explicit that I wear only short dresses. Well, my surprise diminished when I further inspected the gown and found a slit straight up on one side, so high as to bare most of my upper thigh.
    “Thanks,” I muttered.
    “You are most welcome, my dear, most welcome,” Bram answered. Then the car began to shudder and the air popped, signifying that we’d just crossed through a portal.
    “Where are we going?” I asked, unable to conceal my anxiety.
    “We shall dine in the French Alps, Sweet,” he answered