Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 185811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 929(@200wpm)___ 743(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 185811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 929(@200wpm)___ 743(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
“It’s not too soon,” I said, eyes getting misty. “Though you still haven’t said that you love me. Like, ever.”
The twin slashes of his dark brows drew together. “Haven’t I?”
“No. Not once.” I lightly poked him in the shoulder. “I’ve told you, Ziggy, but you have yet to say it back.”
“I could have sworn I had.”
“Nope. To be honest, it’s been bugging me more than a little. But I decided to give it another week before I kicked your ass over it.”
“You’ve been cranky about that and you still made my favorite chocolate cake for me anyway?”
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for you.”
“The feeling’s entirely mutual.”
The ties on my apron loosened, the chocolate-smudged material falling to the ground at our feet. His hands cupped my face, mine sitting on his broad shoulders. “Here’s the thing…I love you, Mae, and I have no fucking clue what I did without you all those years. You’re my home, my whole damn world. You give me peace and happiness and I promise to always love and respect you and treat you like the queen that you are. I’m telling you now, you can trust me. Always.”
“You’re going to make me cry.”
“Don’t cry, sweetness,” he murmured. “I’m not finished yet. Now I know you’re already wearing the ring, but I’ll ask anyway so there’s no confusion. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Ziggy. As a matter of fact, I will.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” I sniffed. “That was quite poetic, you know? Very romantic.”
“Glad you approve. Enough talking now.” Then he smiled and kissed me. A soul deep, world falling away, perfection in and of itself kind of kiss that could never be forgotten. My toes curled and my heart happy-sighed. And we did no more talking for a good long while.
VENGEANCE
By Rebecca Zanetti
CHAPTER 1
Noah Siosal knew not to answer the door. In his gut, he felt the mistake coming. But the pounding was going to alert his neighbors in the quaint condominium complex, and since he didn’t even know their names, he fought his instincts and yanked the damn thing open. Ah, hell. He was already shaking his head at his distant cousin, when Benny dragged in a half-starved immortal with burning blue eyes. “No. Just, no.”
Benny, all six-foot-eight of him, shrugged the guy into the nearest chair. “Family first.”
Family first? “Absolutely not.” Noah shut the door as quietly as he could, when all he wanted to do was tear the heavy oak free and slam it over Ben’s head. “I don’t want anything to do with you, and I sure as shit don’t want anything to do with this beyond damaged hybrid.” He had just moved to the tiny industrial town in Indiana, and taking in a vampire-demon was the last thing he had time to deal with, especially since he needed to get back to the hunt.
Benny sighed, his dark eyes going into puppy dog pleading. If the puppy was a thousand-year-old hybrid with teeth sharp enough to tear apart a Buick. His brown hair hung unruly around his broad shoulders, and a three-day scruff covered his angled face. His dark eyes were bloodshot, and shadows cast marks above his rugged cheekbones. For the visit, he wore ripped jeans and a lime-green T-shirt with Snoopy dancing a jig on it. “I need help.”
No. Just no. Betrayal heated along with anger down Noah’s throat. “You’re working with the Realm.” A fact the entire extended family, if they could be called such, had not known. The Realm was a coalition of immortal species, ruled nicely by the Kayrs family, and Noah’s cohorts had always quite happily stayed out of organized anything. Benny was supposed to be the wildest outlaw of them all. “I heard the rumors about your working with the Realm and lying to us all of these years.”
Benny sighed and ran hands bigger than platters through his thick hair. “I never lied. I just didn’t tell you I was one of the Seven.”
One of the Seven. Of the elite, dangerous, deadly immortals tasked with either destroying or saving the world at some point. The jury was out on which eventuality, and Noah didn’t even know any other details. Nobody did. Right now, it just didn’t matter. “Get out, Benny.”
“Agreed.” The male on the chintz chair some decorator had chosen pushed to his feet, his expression haggard. He had long blondish hair streaked with an unnatural dark brown, striking blue eyes, and a voice so hoarse he must’ve spent centuries screaming. “I don’t want to be here, and he doesn’t want me here, so let’s take our leave, Benjamin.” The male straightened and hitched toward the door.
“No.” With one hand, Benny shoved the guy back down. “Noah? This is Ivar. We call him Viking or Vike because he used to be one. He’s been through a multiple of hell dimensions, real ones way away from this world, and we’re getting him help, but I have a mission at the moment.”