Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“Nothing!”
“It doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“We had a rocky start.”
“Oh, yesterday? Yesterday was rocky but everything is all better now?” Rena asked derisively. “What the fuck?”
“He’s—It’s—”
“What?” Rena snapped. “You can’t even say anything good about him.”
“He’s really close to his family,” Reese snapped.
“Oh, cool. Awesome. That tells me everything I need to know.”
“He’s protective.”
“Try possessive,” Rena replied. “They’re all fucking possessive. They can’t help it.”
“We’re figuring it out as we go,” Reese said firmly.
“You know I love you, and I love that you’ve always leaped before you looked, but this is bad. This is—I don’t even know. Bordering on self-destruction.”
Her tone grated along my skin, and I found myself taking a step toward the bedroom. I understood protectiveness toward family, but it was turning from a conversation between the two of them into Rena berating my mate. Fuck that.
“He is the first thing—the first thing—that has ever been all mine,” Reese said, stopping me in my tracks. “Vampires get one mate, and I’m his. He’s searched for me his entire life. His mother was so excited to meet me that she made a big dinner with everyone there. His dad called me daughter.”
“You don’t know anything about him.”
“I know he’s an ass,” Reese countered. “He’s stuffy, and he’s rude.”
“You’re acting like those are good things.”
“He also sat outside the blood bank today for hours so that I could work,” Reese said. “He freaked when I cut my arm—”
“How the hell did you do that?”
“And he held me while it was stitched. He kisses the top of my head for no reason. When shit got heavy with his family—nothing to do with us—he leaned into me for comfort.”
“I see that you’re feeling all the things,” Rena replied gently. “But you barely know him and you’ve—you realize this is forever, right? This isn’t even tattoo forever. This is death forever. You will never be able to have a normal life.”
“When have I ever tried to be normal?”
“I wish you would’ve called me,” Rena said defeatedly.
“I didn’t want to,” Reese murmured. “I didn’t want you to try and talk me out of it.”
“You knew it was a bad idea.”
“I knew it was a crazy idea. Not all crazy ideas are bad.”
“This one was.”
“I don’t think so,” Reese said stubbornly.
“You have no idea. He’s going to completely take over your life.”
“He will not.”
“How could he not?” Rena hissed. “You’re now a Vampire’s mate. You’re not even considered part of the human race anymore—not legally. You’re under Vampire law.”
“What?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell you that part?”
“How do you know all this?”
“I read,” Rena said flatly.
She was lying. Nowhere in any media did it detail our laws. As far as the general public was concerned, we followed and obeyed the same laws they did. If they believed otherwise, it would cause an entire shitstorm.
“I was going to tell you,” Reese said after a few moments. “I was just waiting for the right time.”
“Right.”
“He’s actually not that bad,” Reese said, and I knew the words were for my benefit. My lips curved. “I mean, he’s listened to this entire conversation and hasn’t said a word.”
“Shit,” Rena spat.
The bedroom door swung open again. I was still standing in the middle of the living room when they came back down the hallway.
“You know, you could’ve stepped outside to give us some privacy,” Rena said, glaring.
“Why would I do that?” I asked.
“Be nice,” Reese warned as she came toward me, tucking herself under my arm.
“I’m being nice.” I looked at Rena. Her entire body was tight, and I couldn’t figure out if it was true worry for her best friend or if it was mixed with jealousy. Reese had mentioned more than once how obsessed her friend was. “How do you know so much about Vampires?”
“I read.”
“And what else?” I asked, knowing that wasn’t the full truth.
“Nothing else.”
Reese looked back and forth between us. The silence dragged out as I watched her best friend, waiting for her to tell the truth.
“My grandparents were Vampires,” she said finally, her voice so quiet it was almost silent.
“They were what?” Reese yelled.
“Explain,” I ordered, tightening my arm around her shoulders.
“My grandmother already had my mom when she met my grandpa,” Rena replied, lifting her chin.
“I thought all of your family was dead,” Reese said, her voice wavering with hurt.
“They are,” Rena replied, meeting her eyes. “My grandparents died in a plane accident when I was two. I never knew my dad, and my mom died when I was ten—which you knew.”
“How is that possible?” Reese whispered, looking up at me.
I knew exactly how it was possible. Vampires were nearly immortal after they’d mated, and a plane crash could easily cause decapitation. I knew the crash that Rena was referring to. There had been no survivors.
“Your grandparents were Joseph and Irene Rossi,” I said.
I remembered them well. Now that I knew there was a connection, I could see Irene in Rena. They had the same dimple in their cheeks and the same eyes.