Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
I pulled it out.
The front was torn.
Some of the pages were stuck together, and it was at least fifty years old, if not more.
Scrawled across the front in bold black was the title, “Curses and Hexes of the Courts.”
“Huh?” I frowned, and the book chilled my hand like ice.
It spoke to me.
So even though it didn’t sound that interesting and was probably filled with fake spells, I grabbed it, left a twenty on the counter, and turned to Benjamin. Hadn’t that guy that kissed me mentioned the courts? Was that why the book spoke to me? “Okay, now I’m ready.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you concentrate so much,” he mused in wonder, his eyes flickering down to the books in hand like he knew something I didn’t.
“Like I said, books are serious business, Ben. If you learn nothing from me, learn this: words have power, and I refuse to let them enter into my brain unless I know they’re going to be used for good.”
“You’re very…” He stared as though trying to define his thought. “Captivating when you talk about books.”
“Told you I would marry the beast for the library or, at the very least, sleep with him.”
Benjamin frowned. “What if he was a monster? What then?”
“Then I’d just close my eyes and pretend he was my prince,” I teased. “Let’s go.”
He nodded like he was in deep thought and opened the door for us. The drive to the inn was short, and rather than pull up to the front gate, he parked in the lot and helped me get out.
“I’m really fine now,” I insisted. “I’m just going to read and have some dinner.”
“And I’m going to help you and make sure you don’t fall down the stairs,” Benjamin said, more to himself, voice low.
“Are you calling me clumsy?”
“Did you or did you not break your arm falling off a table?”
“Did you or did you not participate in said breaking?” I countered.
His lips twitched, and then a sour expression crossed his face. “Touché.”
My cheeks heated. “Worth it.”
He sucked in a breath, his eyes blazed amber as he leaned forward angrier than I’d ever seen him.
“That you, Luna?” Hath yelled from the front porch. “I made more clam chowder.” Her eyes fell to Benjamin. “Oh good,” she added in a bored tone. “Benjamin’s here.”
“Hi, Hath.”
The door slammed behind her.
I winced. “She’s sweet. I promise.”
He laughed. “No no, she appears to be sweet. She’s the bark and the bite—careful Luna before you become her next meal.”
“With that cryptic response…” I grumbled. “Shall we?”
“Yes.” His eyes flashed. “I’ll help you up the stairs, then bring up some of that clam chowder to go with our takeout.”
“Just make sure she knows it’s for me so she doesn’t poison it.” I patted him on the back with my left hand and then lingered in that same spot like it couldn’t help but want to touch again and again.
He moved away from me and opened the door, voice husky. “After you.”
“Perfect gentleman,” I said.
But the predatory look in his eyes said he was anything but.
And the shiver down my spine told me that maybe a man like Benjamin Wells was exactly what I needed.
Chapter Sixteen
Jasper
“Things are progressing?” Her red hair danced in the ocean as she stared back up at him through the glass of water. “I noticed that he went to the inn.”
“He also went to the hospital,” Jasper mused. “Which means he must have done more than touch her; the more he siphons from her, the more he’ll give in, and the more he gives in, well… the shorter this time will be.”
“Good.” She snorted. “A lot of magic was used to get her here. The last thing we need is him finding out what you’re doing in your dark basement with all your tools and blood.”
Jasper ignored the way his skin crawled when she looked at him like that—like she owned him. Then again, in a way, she did.
He used her blood.
And he gave her serum to stay young and beautiful.
It was a win-win.
The only problem was her blood wasn’t strong enough to fully heal. Not that he’d ever breathed a word of that to her.
“Let’s talk business.” Eyes wild, she focused on him like she could kill him through her stare. “Where are you at with Adrina-X?”
He kept his expression impassive. “In some ways closer than ever, the human reaction to it has been strong. Though the aging process continues, we’ve at least added on some much-needed years. We go into production next week.”
“And the bids?”
He grinned. “In the billions, of course.”
Her smile was menacing. “Of course it is. And the other serum?”
She was pushing him. Didn’t she know what she was dealing with? “Stealing even a drop of blood from any creature, no matter how powerful, is wrong, punishable by death.”