Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Xavier turns his head ever so slightly, listening to something. “They’re watching us now,” he tells me. “Taking photos.”
“Of course.” I roll my eyes.
“This event tonight is being put on by the VC and most of the attendees are young vampires, turned within the last decade.”
“Young vampires have a harder time controlling themselves.”
“Exactly what I was thinking. They are up to no good.” He takes my hands in his again and makes a move to continue walking. “Whatever they have planned, let them do it.”
“Wait, what?” I hurry to take a step so I can keep up the pace.
“They’re not the only ones waiting for someone to mess up.”
“What do you mean?”
“This contract we have with the Order? I’m done with it.”
“But what about being given a perfect specimen or whatever?” I ask.
He turns his head, looking at me. “I don’t need some demon hunting organization to find a good woman.”
“Right. You can hold any Instagram model spellbound,” I say.
“No,” he says shortly. “I have never had to coerce a woman into coming home with me.”
“Okay, I agree with you there,” I murmur because I’m sure he has no problem getting women at all. He’s attractive, rich, and a vampire. Especially lately, there are people lining up to at least “try out” being what is so endearingly called a vamp tramp. “But you just do it to make them want to pop out babies.”
He slows and eyes me curiously. “That’s what you think?”
“Yeah,” I say, eyes wide. “You have some sort of weird breeding kink.”
The corners of his lips twitch up with amusement. “Continuing our line biologically is unorthodox, I suppose, but is it really?”
“Look, I get wanting to keep it in the family, but the way you go about it is wrong.”
“What do you think we should do instead?”
I hate that he keeps throwing things back at me, making me answer. “I don’t know. Let Devon find someone he actually cares about and who cares about him.”
“He can. Later.”
“You’re never going to ever turn him, are you?” I ask, coming to a sudden halt.
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
“Seriously?” I scoff. “That’s my future baby daddy you’re talking about.”
Xavier tips his head, reminding me of a dog who just heard the word ball. “I-I don’t know if you’re joking or not.”
“I don’t either,” I confess. “The last few days have really pushed me toward a mental breakdown. But if you’re not going to turn him, stop telling him that. There’s nothing more cruel than promising someone they’ll be part of the family when you have no intention of making that happen. Trust me, I know how bad it hurts. And if family is really that important to you, you wouldn’t do that to your brother, no matter how distantly related he actually is.”
Xavier considers my words and then nods. “We need to get inside. The event has already begun, but I do like to make an entrance. You’re the guest of honor tonight.”
Resisting the urge to turn around, I just grit my teeth, thinking about the hunters. Part of me wants to just let them do whatever as well, so I can catch them and then…well, I don’t know. Yell at them? Beat them up? Curse them to become sexually attracted to an inanimate object of my choosing?
“Theo will be here soon,” Xavier reminds me. “I will not let anything happen to you, Wren.”
“I know,” I tell him. But it’s not me I’m worried about.
Xavier wasn’t kidding when he said I was the guest of honor. We’ve been here for only twenty minutes so far and I haven’t had a chance to breathe without someone coming up to me. I don’t know much about politics in general, so I just smile and fake my way through being introduced to various politicians, human and vampire alike.
There’s a divide between the two, reminding me of a middle school dance when the boys and girls stand on separate sides of the room. And in this case, the humans are on the side with the buffet and open bar. The energy in this room is a little chaotic, and it’s a good mix of sheer terror, regret, excitement, and boredom from the humans.
My cheeks hurt from smiling, and I’ve thanked countless people for congratulating me on my marriage. Over a dozen women have gushed over my ridiculously large diamond ring, and I’ve said the same line over and over about how lucky I am to have met Xavier and had such a whirlwind romance that led to our marriage so soon.
I duck away to use the bathroom and return to find Xavier talking to one of the local VC reps. I go to the buffet table. Though I’m not hungry, I can’t resist a table of high-end, free food.
“I used to love those,” a woman says as I pick up a mini cheesecake topped with fresh berries.