Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
But it’s not wise to be impetuous with Lucia. She is vengeful, greedy, thoughtless, and everything she does comes from her ego, which is easily bruised. Not that I’m worried about her feelings—I’m not. But I don’t have the time to deal with her now.
So I leave the rest unsaid. “Let’s go, Echo.”
We turn and leave Lucia in the kitchen with the halfbreeds, and then Echo leads me through the house towards the front door, but I divert towards the back staircase that leads directly to my apartments.
“I thought you wanted to see the feeder?”
“I do. But I want to check my rooms first. Will I find people fucking in my bed right now?”
Echo gasps. “Oh, no, sir, my lord. No, sir. I cannot imagine someone doing that.”
“Even a human?”
She sputters a little bit. “Well, I… I guess I never thought—”
“From now on, if you want to be here with me, you will ignore Lucia. Do you understand me?”
Echo wilts a little. “Yes, my lord. I understand. But she’s so…”
“I know. She’s old, and powerful, and can make your life a living hell. So this is a challenge for you, Echo. A challenge you must decide to overcome. Choose. Her or me.”
“You, of course, my lord!”
“Of course.”
“I will.” She promises this as we climb the stairs. “If she ever wants to do something like this again, I will come find you and tattle immediately.”
I laugh out loud at her honesty and admission of cowardice. “That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard all night. She’s dangerous, Echo. Far more dangerous than you can even imagine. Do not cross her to her face. Do you understand?”
Echo nods enthusiastically, making her pink bob hair actually bob. “Yes.”
Then we’re at my double doors. I punch a code into my digital lock and pan my hand to the door handle.
I can tell Echo is nervous about opening the doors for me. Which means… there might actually be a couple of humans fucking on my bed right now. But she puts on a confident face and swings them open.
We both stare at the empty bed, and she actually giggles out a sigh of relief. “Told ya so.”
I tap a finger on her cute nose and smile. “You did, didn’t you. Stay right here. I will be right out and then we will check on the feeder.”
She melts a little at my attention and I immediately decide I love her.
Then I close the door on her face, just like Hutch did to that sexy thing who I will find and fuck one day soon.
I walk over to the bedside table, take out a satellite phone, and call up from memory the numbers that will lead me to Ryet.
He answers on the ninth ring. “What?”
“Are you so busy partying that you can’t pick up the phone?”
“I’m hunting, you asshole. I’ve caught a scent.”
This is a good development. “I had hoped, but—”
“It’s happening, isn’t it?”
He’s talking about the dying witch. “Yes, Ryet. It’s happening.”
“I can feel it. It’s… weird.”
Ryet is not one who typically talks about his feelings to me. So I encourage this. “Feels weird how?”
“I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Try.”
“It’s a sick feeling. I know I don’t even drink that old skag, but I can feel her dying.”
What he means is, he only drinks blood from me. He has never tasted anyone else. But this feeling of sickness might be a problem. “Do you require assistance?”
“For what?”
I roll my eyes at his contemptuous tone. “You’re feeling ill. Do you require a drink, Ryet?”
“No.” He does. But he’s not lying because he just doesn’t realize he does. So I drop it.
“Fine. Keep following the scent. And… good job.”
“She could be anywhere, so… you know. Be fucking careful and shit.”
“You’re worried about me.”
“I’m literally not. I’m just informing you of the development. I’ll call you in the morning. Make sure you pick up.”
“Me pick up?” I nearly guffaw. “You’re the one—”
But he has already hung up on me.
I’m grinning as I leave my apartments.
Echo is just where I left her. “You look pleased.” She’s got her lips pressed together and she’s smiling up at me.
I don’t answer her, but I am pleased. So pleased with that single conversation with Ryet, there is a spring in my step as we leave the lodge, crisscross the compound, and make our way to the little cabin where the feeder is kept.
The house has been emptied of humans, but out here the party is raging louder than ever. It’s past midnight now and I’ve missed the countdown. The music is thumping and people are yelling their revelry about a brand-new beginning.
I stop outside the feeder’s door and look at Echo. “Did you go in here tonight?”
“No. Only Lucia went in. She bled her this afternoon and brought bags for us. I’m sorry—”
“It’s fine. She’s been dying for decades now. And anyway, it’s not your fault. If I were you, and at that age”—I pause to smile and tap her nose again, because she is a very cute girl—“I would’ve drunk it too.”