Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“I know you,” I said, trailing my gaze upward until I met his eyes. “How do I know you?”
“No fucking clue,” the man replied, his voice deep and raspy. “You planning on using that?”
I glanced down at the bottle still gripped in my fist. “If I need to.”
“How far do you think you’d get?” he asked casually.
Not far enough.
“You’d be surprised,” I replied, staring. He was more beautiful up close. His lips formed a cupid’s bow, nearly hidden by his mustache, and his jaw was so strong that even his beard couldn’t disguise it. High cheekbones that were flushed with color. And those eyes.
“You remember where we met yet?” He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Yes. I did.
“No one here is going to hurt you,” the man said, flipping his pistol around so he could hand it to me. “Take it.”
I reached out and wrapped my hand around the grip. It was larger than I was used to, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. I felt the muscles in my neck relax a little.
“Bullseye,” I told him, searching his face for any recognition.
He shook his head slowly, like he didn’t understand.
“The gun shop. That’s where I saw you.”
“I haven’t been there in almost a year,” he countered, tilting his head.
“I know.” I licked my lips and winced as my tongue found the cut. “You came in with another guy. He looked like you, but his hair was shorter.”
My cousin had whispered that he wouldn’t have minded being the meat in that particular sandwich, and I’d nearly choked on my tongue.
“My brother Zeke.”
His brother? I looked around the room again. The other men resembled this one, but none of them was the one from before. I may not have remembered where I’d seen him at first, but now that I’d been given some context, I would’ve recognized the missing brother.
“He’s not here,” the man said, his eyes roaming all over my face like a caress. It was like he was cataloging my features. “These are the rest of my brothers. Ambrose, Chance, Beau, and Charlie.”
I looked away as I felt my cheeks heat. Their stances had relaxed fractionally, but every single one of them was staring at me like I’d grown two heads. Even the little one, whose lips had pulled up in a small smile. He didn’t fit in with the others.
“Zeke’s mate,” the man across from me said.
I looked back at him. “You’re Vampires?”
“Yes,” he replied simply.
That made sense. Jesus, it made perfect sense. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t seen it the minute they’d busted through the door. The only thing I could blame it on was the lack of sleep and any kind of brain food over the past week. It wouldn’t have killed the idiot kidnappers to bring me a piece of broccoli, for god’s sake.
They’d come for their brother’s mate, that was clear enough, but every Vampire I’d ever known had been just as good at disappearing as they were at completing an objective. Half the time, no one knew they’d ever been there in the first place. So why were they still standing in that little room staring at me?
The beautiful Vampire standing across from me was calm. Patient. His gaze was soft and warm and hopeful, but it wasn’t weak. No, there was intensity there, a thrum of something I couldn’t quite pinpoint, but felt close to possession.
He’d handed me his pistol without hesitating for a second, and while I knew that Vampires lived through most injuries, it still wasn’t pleasant for them to be shot. It was as if he’d known I wouldn’t use it. Why?
Sweat dripped down my spine. I didn’t like puzzles that I couldn’t solve.
A memory of my dad looking at me over his glasses played in my head. Don’t overthink it, Flower. The simplest answer is usually the correct one.
Okay, so the simplest answer to why this Vampire was looking at me like I was some kind of supermodel, even though I hadn’t showered in a week…
But that would mean—
“I’m your mate?” I asked, bracing myself for his laughter.
“Yes.” He brushed his tongue along his bottom lip, and my stomach flipped.
“Shit,” I whispered, dropping my arm down limply at my side. Only years of training kept me from dropping it as shock made my limbs go numb.
The Vampires burst into motion.
“So you don’t know who Finau is, then,” the scruffy one drawled.
“I’ve never even heard that name,” I replied, watching as he nodded thoughtfully.
“Why were they holding you?” the beautiful Vampire asked as his brother left the room.
“I don’t know,” I replied, clicking on the safety of the pistol. I rounded the desk and tried to hand it back to him.
Vampire lore was legendary. People discussed them ad nauseam, and I’d heard every harebrained theory there was. Most of it was bullshit, but sometimes humans stumbled onto a piece of truth.