Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
The whole werewolves vs vampires thing is more popular in fiction than in real life. Vampires don’t really have a reason to not like werewolves. They don’t compete for the same food supply and vampires are typically independent and not territorial. They’re possessive as fuck, but I’ve never heard of vampires staking claim to a city like this until I met the Malus vampires. Werewolves don’t want to be outed to the public and have always tended to keep their packs hidden, which probably has more to do with systems like the Order hunting them than anything else.
“Leave the area,” Xavier starts. “Before the summit is over.”
“You can’t tell us what to do,” James snaps.
Xavier’s lips curve into a smirk. “But I can.” He looks at Larkin. “Unless you don’t want—”
“We’re going,” Larkin interrupts, clearly stopping Xavier from saying whatever he was going to say out loud. “I would like to formally request you to join me for a drink the night of the new moon.” She lifts her eyebrows. “BYOB for you, of course.”
“I will have arrangements made,” Xavier replies. He waves the waitress over. “Put this on my tab,” he tells her, motioning to the food and drinks on the table.
“Yes, Mr. Malus,” she says with a small nod, gaze darting from the floor to his eyes several times. She knows he’s a vampire and knows he’s old enough to hold her spellbound.
“I would say it’s nice to see you outside of work,” Larkin says as she takes a step away from the table. “But I don’t want to lie.” She turns to me. “However, it was nice to meet you, Florence. You may be exactly what we need.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, but she only smiles in response and motions for the other wolves to follow.
“Come with me,” Xavier says as soon as they walk away.
“But I want food,” I reply.
“I’ll get you more.”
“It’ll take a while and the fries are still hot.”
Looking as if he’s trying not to roll his eyes, Xavier picks up the plate of fries and grabs my hand. I hook my purse over my shoulder and follow him through the restaurant and into the hotel lobby. I take the plate from him and stuff a couple fries in my mouth as we get into the elevator. Instead of going to the floor where the summit is being held, we go all the way to the top.
I keep eating instead of questioning Xavier, knowing I’ll figure it out soon enough. Silently, we walk down the hall and he pulls a keycard from his jacket pocket and unlocks a hotel room.
“What the hell?” I ask, mouth full. “You have a hotel room already reserved?”
Xavier turns around, confusion on his face. “Yes.”
“Who were you planning on taking here?”
His brows furrow as he looks at me incredulously. “You.” He motions for me to step in, turning on the light so I can see. There’s a pink bag sitting on the chair near the bed and I recognize it. It was in my closet back at the house, one that was already there when I moved in.
“Mabel packed a bag for you,” Xavier explains. “I’m not sure what’s in it.”
My mouth falls open as I move inside, setting the plate of fries and my purse on the dresser. There’s a beautiful bouquet of red roses on the nightstand along with a large box from the jeweler who made my engagement ring.
Stunned, I turn to Xavier. “Why?” I ask simply.
The door shuts behind him. “The last few days have been a lot and I know you need time to process as well as rest. You don’t have to worry about Devon here.”
I hate the surge of emotion that comes over me, swelling in my chest and making my damn eyes water. This was thoughtful, kind, and thought out. That’s the reason Mabel and Zeke didn’t arrive with us; she needed time with me out of the house to get a few of my things put together.
“Thank you.”
In the blink of an eye, Xavier is against me, arms pulling me to his firm body. I hook my arms over his neck and stand on my toes to kiss him.
“I probably taste like French fries,” I say, wrinkling my nose.
“You do.” He replies back and rests his forehead against mine.
“You have to go back, don’t you?”
“Yes, the summit isn’t over.”
I let my eyes fall shut, drinking in this short moment of peace that I’m feeling from being in Xavier’s embrace. “How did you know to come down?”
“Your heartbeat,” he says softly. “I could hear it get faster.”
“You could hear it from all the way on the third floor?”
“Not the whole time.” He pulls his head back and looks into my eyes with a mixture of longing and curiosity. “I thought you were in danger.”