Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Dear lord, Stark. How many slaves do you have?”
He shrugged. “I lost count.”
My mouth fell open. “You need to let them go.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s just wrong to own another living being,” I argued.
“Humans own cats, dogs, tiny colorful fish—”
“That’s not the same, and you know it.” I shook my head.
“I cannot release Herman or any of the others. It would make me look weak, and that would put you in danger.” Stark lifted his chin in a snobby, proud kind of way. “A vampire who isn’t feared is as good as dead. So are those under his protection, including your own father.”
We’d gone full circle, back to the power conversation. “So, basically, you’re all trying to be a bunch of mob bosses. Great.”
“In a way, yes.” Stark nodded.
Ugh. I hated vampire fear-porn politics, but more than anything, I hated how Stark kept breaking my trust. This was no way to start a relationship that would last an eternity.
Still, despite my encroaching doubts, I loved him. I wanted him. I owed him one more chance. But if he failed this next test, we were done. I’d let Daddy guide me through the transformation.
“Take me home,” I said.
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve had enough. Take me home,” I repeated.
“Masie, I have gathered my closest allies here to get to know you. It is the first step of the Powoli Trać Erekcję.”
The first step of a marriage process he wouldn’t tell me about. More information being held back.
I looked at him, anger bubbling through me. “I have not agreed to marry you, Stark. Nor will I if I hear one more false, sketchy, deceitful word from your lips. Now,” I inhaled slowly, drawing on my patience, “you said I could leave if I wanted to, so are you a man of your word or not?”
He looked away, groaning with frustration. “Yes. I am.”
“Great. Then I’ll go pack my things.”
“As you like. I will make the arrangements to travel home tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow?” I snapped.
“We are vampires, woman, not magical rocket ships. We cannot snap our fingers and travel thousands of miles. We are hours from the mainland and from any airport that can transport our steel containers nonstop to Tennessee. Arrangements for safe travel must be made.”
“You mean…you brought me here in a metal coffin?” The idea terrified me. It was beyond morbid.
“Container. Large enough for us both, though still very confined. Thus the sedative I gave you,” he added casually.
“Oh my god, Stark! You drugged me?” It explained the weird dreams in the dark rusty room.
“I thought it would make the journey more comfortable.”
Stark and his high-handed BS strikes again! He could’ve explained things to me back home. If he had, he’d know that I was against taking drugs of any kind unless prescribed by a doctor. I would’ve sucked up the discomfort like the strong woman I was. But nooo….he drugged me!
“I-I-I just can’t with you, Stark. You and your controlling bullcakes are just too much.” I turned toward my suite.
“You’re going the wrong way!” he called out.
“I’ll go whichever way I want!”
“Very well, but that way will take you to the slaves’ quarters, and I doubt you want to bump into Herman again.”
Dammit. He was right.
I turned to head in the correct direction, not bothering to look at Stark as I passed him. Drug me. Lie to me. Ship me off in a toaster oven!
I got to the door of my suite and opened it. There was Stark standing inside, holding two champagne glasses. He must’ve run ahead of me and zipped right past.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now,” I growled.
“You do not have to speak. Simply listen. But first, you will have a drink.”
That was when I noticed he’d filled one glass with moonshine, and I was too hungry to resist.
I took the glass and downed the pink liquid in two greedy gulps.
“Very good,” he said. “Now, you will calm yourself and listen.”
I marched to the bed and sat, taking off my heels. “Nope.”
“What do you mean, nope?” He set the second glass on the white wicker nightstand.
“Nope. Not listening,” I clarified.
“How about now?”
Was he trying to be cute? “Still no,” I snapped.
Irritated, he grumbled, “Everyone’s waiting. I don’t have time for it to kick in.”
“Kick in?”
“Never mind.” He walked over, grabbed me by the shoulders, and pulled me to my feet. “Look into my eyes.”
Before I could tell him to pound pretty sand, I was swept away by two beautiful swirling orbs sucking me into their atmosphere.
“Tonight, we will drink champagne,” he commanded. “Then we will dance until the sun comes up, and when you wake, you will see that I was trying to care for you because that is my role—as your mate and coven leader.”
His voice hummed in my ears like the voice of God, seeping into my soul. I went for the second champagne glass he’d set on the nightstand and drank it down.