Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
A consort is a special type of male or female, usually of Fae lineage, though I recently discovered humans can be consorts, as well. Something about their blood strengthens the vampires from royal lines. In return, the consort remains young and vital from sexual relations with the vampire. Torin is attempting to sway the Vampire plane to his side by cutting off our access to suitable consorts.
It’s starting to work. There’s a certain segment of my plane that believe we should turn over the royal twins to Torin. They argue if Torin is satisfied, he’ll open Tír na nÓg and trade will flow once more.
It isn’t going to happen. They’ll take my cousins over my dead body.
“A Fae consort is trained.” Amanda’s musing brings me out of my dark thoughts. “Even Colin, who wasn’t aware of his status until he came to our plane, was taught manners and proper etiquette. He was educated. Your father might have come from meager beginnings, but he has high standards. If you brought home a completely unsuitable wife, he would be horrified.”
Now there’s a thought. My mind races with the possibilities. Amanda is right. My father would die before allowing an uneducated rube into his precious family. Perhaps I can use the current state of trade to my advantage. “He might even let me get her a house somewhere far away.”
Amanda rolls her eyes. “He might let you cast her aside. You can then go back to your former playboy lifestyle, having done your best to satisfy your father.”
It could be the perfect solution, though I would never cast a partner aside. It’s a terrible thing to do in my culture and brings great shame to the person being cast aside, but if I can convince a consort to work with me, then that’s another story. It wouldn’t be a marriage as much as a partnership. I could marry the woman, and then she would prove to be completely unsuitable. Perhaps I can find a human like Megan. Humans seemed a reasonable race. I can certainly work with one. Together, we’ll ensure that she’s an embarrassment to everyone. My father will understand that we should live apart, and I’ll be free to live the way I always have. She’ll get a life free of any monetary concerns and all the freedom she wants. All in all, not a bad deal for either of us.
“You’re a genius,” I say with a smile.
“That’s what the IQ tests tell me,” Amanda quips.
I wink at her as I make for the door. I have a lot to do. I can shower later.
Chapter Two
Amanda
The minute the door slams, I make the call. I don’t bother to change into more professional clothes. It’s not like the man on the other end of the line hasn’t seen me naked. It also won’t hurt to remind him of what he’s missing while I’m on this particular job.
“What is it?” Chalen Palgrave asks, his voice rough. There’s an edge of impatience to his tone that is always present no matter what the situation is.
He picked up immediately, and that tells me he’s been waiting for the call, waiting for any kind of information I can dig up on the Dellacourts’ son. I’m slightly satisfied that his eyes go immediately to my breasts. There’s a bank of windows behind him that tells me he’s still in his office. He rarely leaves it these days. Since his brother disappeared six months before, Chalen spends all his time at work. He has to if he wants to keep Palgrave Industries from going under.
“He’s been ordered to get married or face disinheritance.” I sit forward, waiting for his approval.
It’s not forthcoming. “And this is news? What could you expect after the disgraceful way he behaved this evening? His father should have disowned him right then and there. It proves Donald Dellacourt’s poor morality that he did not. The Dellacourts have no honor. What should we expect? They’re one generation off the surface. Dirtwalkers, every one of them.”
I barely manage to not roll my eyes. When I started moving in this expensive, lofty world, I rapidly discovered royals think along different lines than commoners. They only see the big picture and rarely think about how important small cracks can be. A peasant understands all about small cracks. My whole life has been a delicate balance.
“If he’s invested in finding a wife, I think his newfound work ethic is going to get shelved. He’s been much more serious about work in the past six months. He thinks he has something going in bio-med,” I explain. “He can’t work too hard if he’s looking for a wife. He’ll let his guard down. Better yet, if his father does kick him out, he’ll be vulnerable.”
“Why wouldn’t he marry the first consort he sees? I would,” Chalen points out.