Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
An older man watches me intently before jerking his chin at the man standing next to him. With dark brown hair and matching eyes, he cuts a shiver straight through me at the very first meeting of our eyes.
My chest yanks, and immediately, without the directive of my own brain, I’m moving toward him. It’s fucking terrifying, and my eyes skitter through the room in a panicked sweep, trying to find Cal.
“It’s okay,” I hear his voice say on a whisper. “I’m watching. Just remember…keep it surface-level. Don’t mention me.”
I dip my chin in acquiescence and extend a hand to the waiting one in front of me. However, the man standing beside him—the one who was watching me and whose green eyes are borderline neon—smacks it away before we make contact.
“No touching,” he chastises him. “Remember, Nathanial?”
I startle, but as Nathanial smiles at me, I force my stomach to settle.
“Sorry, Lucian. You know I lose my wits around a beautiful woman sometimes.”
I clear my throat around the knot that’s formed there.
“I’m Lucian Wrath, dear,” the older man with the green eyes introduces himself. “And this is my brother Nathanial. What can we call you?”
“R-romy,” I stutter, my nerves getting the best of me. Immediately, Nathanial’s eyes flutter down to my throat and linger there, but Lucian’s focus never leaves my face.
“And what’s your last name?”
“Spencer,” I say, swallowing hard against the sudden dryness in my throat. “Romy Spencer.”
“Ah, Spencer,” Lucian says warmly. “That’s why you look familiar. I knew your great-aunt Lucille.”
My stomach tenses at the casual remark. To him, it’s supposed to be comforting, I suppose. But all it does is remind me of a relationship I never had. My father’s aunt was the last generation of Spencers to be selected before me, and because of that, she wasn’t around to get to know me.
I try to soften the edges of the sting, but the words still come out brittle. “That’s nice. I never got the chance.”
“I sense a little bit of an attitude in this one, Lucian,” Nathanial teases. “Would probably be quite fun to work out of her.”
As if the comment isn’t off-putting enough, the fact that he’s talking about me instead of to me serves as a clincher. Nathanial is not the ideal vampire to end up with, that’s for damn sure.
Not that there is an ideal option, but this is the kind of breakdown I’m being forced into.
If Hillary or Abigail mentions him in passing, I don’t think I’ll be able to be chill.
“Please, dear, don’t mind my brother,” Lucian says, his voice filled with apology and frustration. “He’s apparently misplaced his manners tonight. Why don’t you ask us something about ourselves if you’d like? No question is off-limits. Give yourself a bit of ground back, perhaps?”
“Okay,” I say, my whole body taking on a tremble. The invitation to ask any question in the universe is too good to pass up, even if it scares the living shit right out of me.
Oh, well. Here goes nothing…
“I guess…the thing I’d really like to know. The question that nags at me the very most is this. What, exactly, is so appealing about buying a woman rather than wooing one yourself? Is it an ineptitude issue? A tiny dick thing? Or are you really just that self-important?”
Cal
“So, what are your hobbies, Calloway?” a woman with a blue dress and friendly eyes asks kindly. “What do you like to do for fun?”
“Calloway is new to money,” one of the vampires named David interrupts with a sneer before I can answer back. “He probably doesn’t do much you’d be interested in.”
After seeing Romy enter the ballroom with a woman named Hillary sporting a smile, I knew she’d be a safe bet for easy small talk. And I was right. We picked up conversation easily, and for the last two minutes, she’s been doing a good job of keeping me busy.
It wasn’t until one of David’s friends started calling to her too that things got messy. Some prick named Miller joined, and then dickwad David, along with a woman named Whitney and three other vampires from whom I’ve yet to catch a name.
It’s becoming obvious by their smiles that they aren’t here to make friends with me.
“Good grief, these fucks,” Kane confirms in my ear. “This is a planned humiliation ritual. Or it’s supposed to be, if they weren’t so bad at it.”
Yeah, I verify to Rook. That makes sense.
“I suppose David is right, for the most part, Hillary,” I answer without shame. “I do work a lot. But my brothers and I are fond of hockey, and I rebuilt a Camaro last year that I drive on the weekends.”
“That’s really cool.” She smiles again, happy enough with my answer to ignore David entirely. I can tell from the flare in his fiery eyes that he doesn’t like the snub one bit. “I actually grew up watching my brothers play hockey, so I certainly understand the sport.”