Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Mable and Zeek are a couple, I note. Interesting.
“I expect four carats,” I say without missing a beat.
“At least,” Xavier replies back, not fazed by my sassiness. “My wife only has the best. That goes for everything going forward. As soon as you take on the Malus name, you are part of this family and will be treated as such.” He picks up his goblet and takes a drink, staring at me the whole time. “And you will be expected to act like a member of this family.”
I pick up my fork. “So I have to act like a pretentious undead prick with a breeding fetish?” Before I have time to process what happens, Xavier is in front of me and the back of my chair hits the wall.
“You will respect me,” he growls.
“Respect has to be earned.” Also moving fast, I muster every bit of strength I have and stab my fork into his chest. Xavier just looks down, and a low grumble comes from his throat.
“I liked this shirt,” he says slowly and leans back. He pulls the fork out, stands up, and heavily puts it back on the table. “Enjoy your dinner and mind your manners.”
Focusing on my breath seems almost pointless. I know everyone in this room besides Devon can hear how fast my heart is racing right now.
“I like this one,” Mable loudly whispers to Zeek. “She has much more spunk than Ellie.”
“Was Ellie the last brood mare?” I ask, surprised at the strength of my voice. Xavier is back in his spot and I can see Devon looking at me out of the corner of my eye. He clears his throat and elbows me.
“You should eat,” he says quietly.
I pick up the other fork laid out at my place setting and pick at my food.
“Theo, can you pass me the sugar?” Mabel asks the remaining unnamed vampire. He also has a crystal goblet of blood in front of him, as does Zeek. Smiling at her, Theo picks up a pink and gold sugar bowl that matches Mabel’s teacup. I take a bite of my rice as I watch her pretend to add sugar to her blood “tea” and then take a drink.
“Father said he saw Cary Grant at brunch today. I don’t believe it, do you?”
Zeek takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. “He is filming a new movie, according to the papers.”
I silently watch, trying to learn everything I can about this fucked up family. Theo and Xavier have similar mannerisms, on top of looking alike. They could pass for real brothers, if not close cousins. Knowing the weird desire to carry on the family line, maybe they’re brothers and cousins.
Zeke has a family resemblance, for sure. None of my biological siblings looked that crazy alike, and Gia honestly looked more like me than Larissa. Thinking about my hunter family causes pain to wash over me, and unwelcome tears burn in the corners of my eyes.
“Oh my goodness,” Mabel quips after a few minutes have ticked by. “I forgot introductions! I am Mabel Davis, or at least I was in a former life. Now I’m Mabel Malus but the M-Ms sound like candy, dontcha’ think? But I don’t melt and I’m not chocolate.” She giggles and takes a loud slurping sip of blood from her fancy tea cup. “And this is my Ezekiel, but you can call him Zeke. That’s Theo, Xavier, and you’ve met Devon. Sometimes, his blood tastes like strawberries.”
I turn slightly, just enough to see Devon cast his eyes down. So his family who supposedly loves and respects him uses him for food?
“So, uh, how did you all meet?” I ask, flicking my eyes up at Xavier. I’m a good bullshitter and have been able to talk myself out of a lot of situations. This, however, isn’t going to be one of them. Because in a few short hours, I will legally become Mrs. Xavier Malus.
“Xavier and Theo are brothers," Mabel tells me. “My Zeke is technically Xavier’s grandson.” There’s tension in the air and I’m guessing Mabel likes to tell everyone her life story and then whoever is just held spellbound to forget.
“What about you?” I ask.
“I don’t remember how I got here. Sometimes I dreamed I chased a white rabbit but then I remember that was Alice, not me.”
“I chased a gray rabbit into the woods once,” I tell her. “It wasn’t really a rabbit though.”
“What was it?”
“A rakshasas.” I take another bite of food and look up, feeling Mabel’s eyes on me. “It’s a type of monster,” I go on.
“Did you kill it?”
“I did.”
Mabel pushes her cup out of the way and leans forward, elbows on the table with her head in her hands. “Tell me everything!”
“Another time, my love,” Zeke tells her. “We have business to attend to.”