Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
She was pleased to realize they agreed on pretty much every point. And the only one he differed on was about a menu item that he learned Ravenna really wanted to include. Since he had a soft spot for her, he went ahead and sided with her on that. Pandora, charmed by his affection for her great-aunt, wasn’t bothered about giving in on that one point.
“Oh,” Victor said, patting down his pockets when they were climbing the stairs from the Tube.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I’ve misplaced my phone,” he said, turning his backpack to dig around in it. “Maybe I left it in your house?”
He had put it on the table when they’d sat down to discuss her texts. He could have easily forgotten it.
“We’ll check,” she said as they walked back to the house.
It was still too early for her to worry about any of her family. Or so she thought.
Until they walked into the dining room to find her great-great-grandmother standing there.
“Oh, hey,” Pandora said, stiffening.
Things hadn’t exactly softened between the two of them since the night of the in-laws’ meeting. She couldn’t help but blame Ambrosia for giving Bellatrix the idea to glamour Victor.
“Hello,” Ambrosia said, looking over Pandora, then Victor as he found his phone on the table.
She saw her great-great-grandmother zero in on the pendant hanging from Victor’s chest. Pandora could tell by the way Ambrosia stared at it, brows slightly lifted, that she knew exactly what it was.
“It’s good to catch you two,” she said, making a strange shiver move down Pandora’s spine.
“Why’s that?” she asked, moving closer to Victor.
“I never got a chance to give you your engagement present.”
“That’s not necessary,” Victor said before Pandora could think of anything to say.
“Of course it is,” Ambrosia said. “Traditions are important.”
“Do you need to go get it?” Pandora asked.
“It isn’t a gift so much as an … experience,” she said.
“What kind of experience?” Pandora asked, back going even straighter.
“Oh, just a little … lovers’ getaway,” Ambrosia said.
Why did Pandora get the feeling that there was some sort of catch?
24
“Why are you looking a gift horse in the mouth?” Lucy asked the following night when Pandora showed up for work to request the next three shifts off so she could go on this getaway that Ambrosia was insisting on.
“There has to be a catch,” Pandora said.
“Why? This is your family. Even if they might not love your choice of a significant other, they love you and want you to be happy, right?”
“I guess,” Pandora said, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling.
“You’re just getting paranoid as the day approaches … Oh, God, did someone lift the lid on your crypt again?” Lucy asked, looking past Pandora toward the door. “Because I’ve got some industrial-strength duct tape, if needed.”
Pandora knew it was Elias before she even turned.
“Sweet as ever, pup,” Elias said with a charming smile.
“What are you even doing here? Your job, as pathetic as it was to begin with, is over.”
“I want to be there for the wedding. Sounds like it will be a hell of a time,” Elias said. “You must be the life of the party. So long as no one brings a vacuum out.”
Despite herself, Pandora let out a little snort.
“Traitor,” Lucy said under her breath, even though her eyes were dancing a bit. “Isn’t there anywhere else you could be? A support group for men who peaked in the Victorian era, perhaps?”
“Alas, I find myself without my private jet at the moment,” Elias said. “I hear it is being borrowed so you and your fiancé can take a trip.”
“Where is the trip?” Pandora asked a little desperately.
“I’m forbidden from telling you.”
“I need to know if it is some sort of trap.”
“Honestly, I don’t know exactly where you are heading. I just know why your family wants you out of the house.”
“See!” she said, pointing at Lucy. “I told you there was some sort of catch.”
“A small one, really. And I probably shouldn’t ruin the surprise, but this is a situation that, unfortunately, I feel like you might want your little furball here to be in on.” Elias shot a little wink in Lucy’s direction.
Lucy growled. “I am not furry.”
Elias’s gaze slid over Lucy in a way that Pandora felt was just shy of suggestive. “Perhaps not at the moment. But the full moon will be here again soon, won’t it?”
“Elias, focus,” Pandora said. “What is my family up to that I can’t be around for?”
“They’re planning stag and hen parties.”
Pandora groaned. “Oh, no.”
There were only about five thousand ways that could go wrong.
“Relax,” Lucy said, holding up her hands. “I will get all over it. And I’m assuming Count Blech-ula can handle the stag part.”
Elias, eyes bright, pressed a hand to his chest and gave her a small bow. “See? We have it covered.”