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 didn’t feel like it was a good time to mention that in the midst of her grief over the loss of Victor, Bellatrix had gloated any chance she’d got. As had Ambrosia.
“Yeah, Bellatrix is not a great representative for our kind.”
“And no one who has ever met you could think there’s anything evil about you.”
“I haven’t always been good,” she said. Sure, some part of her was craving his compliments and kindness. The other part, though, didn’t feel like she deserved it.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about things,” Victor said. “And as much as I was hurt that you didn’t trust me with that information, I also understand that it wasn’t exactly something you could easily tell anyone. I mean, in some vampire fiction, there are even vampire overlords to make sure no one tells humans you exist. I didn’t even stop to ask if that was the case.”
“It is actually the law that no one knows. Save for the occasional vampire who keeps familiars, but that’s considered a different matter. Though, I’m not sure how they even monitor something like that.”
Victor nodded at that.
“Still. Even if there weren’t some vampire overlords keeping an eye, I get why you didn’t tell me. And I don’t know if I would have necessarily believed you anyway.”
“You would have. Like you said, you had your suspicions. I should have given you the chance to believe me or not. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you.”
“I know,” Victor said. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain. How did things go after … after?”
“I don’t know,” Pandora replied. Even just the memory of those moments immediately following their argument made pain slice through her once again. “I … ah … My mum brought me to my room.”
She didn’t want to tell him in what state she’d been, didn’t want to guilt him for being upset with her. But something in her tone or face gave her away.
“How long?”
“How long what?” she asked. “How long did I stay in bed?”
“No. But, now, yes.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“A while,” she said. “What were you originally asking?”
“How long was it not fake for you?”
“I don’t think it was ever fake for me. I’d had a crush on you pretty much since you first came into Luna Bean. Had a silly nickname for you and everything.”
“Well, now I have to know the nickname.”
Pandora scrunched up her face, embarrassed to admit it. “Caramel Macchiato Cutie. Lucy teased me about my crush endlessly. I mean, obviously, it was just kind of, you know, superficial then. But once I approached you and we started talking … I was always into you, Victor.”
“That feeling was mutual.”
Was?
It was naïve of her to hope that it wasn’t all in the past tense for him.
“I need to tell you something,” she said.
“OK.”
“I’m not telling you to guilt you. Or to try to win you back. I’m telling you in the interest of being completely honest.” She went to her desk to grab her bag, then reached inside for the ring some part of her had hoped to see on her finger for eternity. “I was in love with you,” she told him, holding out the ring. “Senselessly, hopelessly in love with you.”
He took the ring, then watched her for a long moment. But she found his green eyes unreadable.
Finally, he sucked in a deep breath.
“Was?” he asked.
“Am,” she corrected him. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you.”
“Forever is a long time. Especially in your case.”
“I still mean it,” she told him.
“Well,” he said, reaching down to take her left hand, lifting it, then sliding the ring on her finger. “I think this still belongs here, then.”
“Victor …”
Tears were stinging the backs of her eyes at the feel of his skin on hers, of the familiar weight of the ring on her finger.
“Unless you don’t want it there anymore,” he said, his gaze finding hers.
“No! That’s not it,” she said, blinking back the wetness in her eyes. “I just want you to be sure.”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be sure?”
“No. No, I will never keep something from you again. I will even tell you if you get an awful haircut. Or if you have bad breath. Or if I find myself staring at your neck.”
“Well, you might not need to be that honest.”
“I don’t want to keep anything from you again. I don’t ever want to risk losing you. I barely survived it once.”
“All right. Full honesty.” He laced his fingers between hers. “And maybe a less rushed wedding.”
“Or, you know, a civil ceremony. You, me, Lucy, and Sebastian.”
“I dunno. I was kind of enjoying that massive vampire wedding. Though, trying to explain marrying in a graveyard was … fun.”
“This time, maybe it can be more about us and what we want.”