Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
The vampire knows Beck? I hate that my heart does a weird flip flop when I hear his name.
I am not this girl. I am not this girl. I am not this girl.
“Reeve of the Gentle Hills is forever loyal, Dante,” a soft voice says and my whole body reacts.
When I turn, Beck stands mere feet away. He’s removed his vest and changed into dark pants and a different shirt. He holds that long, ornate sword in one fist as he moves toward the arena.
“Excellent.” Sarcasm pours out of the vampire. “I just spent the better part of the day running around a freaking forest searching for you, and here you are, looking fresh as a daisy. Cian said you had gone hunting. I went to your brugh when I heard about the tournament.”
“I told Cian I was hunting because I didn’t want to get his hopes up.” Beck speaks to the vampire, but his eyes don’t leave mine.
He’s gazing at me like a predator preparing to pounce. His gray eyes blaze through me, and I know exactly what he wants. He wants to take me away from here. He wants to go somewhere private where he can lay me down and spread my thighs.
And I might let him. Might. Probably.
“Are you going to make big puppy eyes at the woman for the rest of the day, or are you going to go kick some ass?” Dante asks.
Beck shakes his head and walks straight up to me. “You’ll have to forgive my cousin. He’s a bit of a pain. You’ll get used to him. He can’t help it. He’s a vampire.” He leans over and brushes his lips against mine. He sets his forehead on mine and seems to breathe me in for a long moment. I can’t help but feel drugged simply by being this close to him. I wonder what magic he works because I don’t push him away. My hands move to his waist, and I’m not sure why, but it feels right to be with him. “I know you’re scared but remember my promise. We’re in this together now. I won’t let you down. And, love, please remember anything I do, I do to protect you.”
This is when I should pull away from him, demand he never touch me again. I simply stand there, letting the moment lengthen between us until he sighs, kisses my forehead like I’m something precious, and steps back.
And I watch him.
As he walks toward the gates of the arena, he shouts back to Reeve. “What did he promise you to try to get you to put off the tournament?”
“Half a million in gold, Your Highness.”
Beck stops in his tracks and turns to look at his cousin, an expression of shocked awe on his face. “You broke bastard. You didn’t have half a million even before your sister cut you off.”
Dante Dellacourt shrugs elegantly. “If I’m going to lie, I’m going big. There’s no use in doing something halfway.”
Beck shakes his head and turns back. “Take care of her, cos.”
The vampire smiles down at me and gallantly offers his arm. “Well, we have our orders, my lady. Come along. Let’s find a good seat and pray Beck doesn’t get himself killed.”
I allow the vampire—the flipping, freaking vampire—to escort me into the arena. My heart pounds, but I put one foot in front of the other. Whatever happens in here will change my life forever.
Chapter Four
Meg
As we enter the arena I feel like every eye is on me. Of course I’m staring right back because…it’s a lot. During my “viewing” I’d only seen Fae like Beck and vampires like Dante and the gnomes, but now all manner of creatures watch me as I force myself to climb the stone steps to the chaise Reeve and Cara are motioning me toward. I try my hardest not to stare, but I’m pretty sure the dude to the left of me is an enormous troll. It’s at least six feet tall, and that’s its sitting height. I don’t want to think about it standing up. It’s also extremely hairy. Behind the troll looks to be a group of what I can only term goblins. They’re small and muscular, with leathery skin and wild tufts of hair sticking out in odd places.
Somewhere in the back of my head, I can hear the cantina music from Star Wars playing.
“Never been off the Earth plane, huh?” Dante has a dumbass smile on his face.
“Do those fangs ever go away?”
The vampire seems to take it all in stride. “Certainly not when I am in the company of a half-naked female with a heart-shaped ass. Sorry, they pop out when I’m hungry or horny. Can’t help it. And as I recently dined on a first-grade meal pill, courtesy of Dellacorp, I think we have to assume it’s your fault. What do you say we ditch His Highness, go somewhere private, and make some baby fangs?”