Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Theseus glanced down at the woman, and for once, his face was solemn. But even more than that, he was cold. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her with indifference. “I do not see why that is any of your concern.”
“Huh…” she scoffed in shock at how he’d spoken to her but swooned at his accent, too.
Trying not to grin, I pressed the button for my apartment on the eighth floor, and she pressed the button for the seventh. None of us spoke, but as we watched the elevator pass each level, the soft music played from the speaker, in which I noticed Theseus had taken an interest. It was only when the other woman had gotten to her floor and stepped off that she turned to say something.
However, I spoke up first. “Sorry about that, we have nosy neighbors here. It wouldn’t be so bad if they weren’t such snobs.” I gave her my best smile before pressing the elevator doors closed.
The look on her face was hilarious, and I wished I could tell her I knew she was the one behind the note, but I had a feeling I’d run into stuck-up Suzy again and let it go.
“She has unsettled you before?” Theseus questioned as we rode up another level.
“No,” I lied, stepping out onto the grey-blue carpeted hallway. My door was the last, taking up the corner of the building. When we walked up, he peeked down at my rather girly, flower-covered welcome mat, the only one in the hallway. But I didn’t say anything, not because I didn’t know what to say, but because I remembered the condition of my place.
“Are you not going to enter?” he questioned.
“It’s just a bit of a mess,” I muttered, pushing open the door, and it was just as I remembered.
My wooden floors were covered in text and notebooks. Tacked onto my emerald-colored walls were unfinished sketches and plans I had intended to get one day, as well as a few unfinished quotes I had been painting on to the walls from my favorite books. There was minimal furniture outside of a dark-pink velvet couch, some throw pillows, and a fake white-marble coffee table that sat on top of a Turkish rug. With unnatural speed, I ran toward my bedroom door and threw my coat as well as my bag inside before closing the door and looking at him.
“Thank you for inviting me into your home; it is lovely,” he said with a trained politeness that felt very…un-American.
“It’s messy but thank you.” I nodded. “I don’t have a lot of visitors. In fact, I rarely have visitors.”
“Why is that?” he questioned, looking to read one of the quotes on the wall closest to him.
“Because…” I drew out, stepping in front of him. “I simply don’t, and this isn’t about me; this is about you. The sooner you remember what happened to you, the sooner you can get out of my hair, remember?”
He bent down and picked up one of my art history books, flipping through it and not paying attention to me. He didn’t reply, so once again, I stepped into his path. Placing my hand on the book, he glanced up at me.
“When I say I don’t have a lot of guests,” I whispered sternly, “I mean, I purposefully don’t invite people into my home. But I invited you because you seemed lost and you’re also the oldest vampire I’ve ever met. I don’t mean to be rude, but…”
“You wish to ask me a great deal of questions,” he finished, and I nodded. “You have not been able to speak to other vampires?”
“The only other vampire I know is Mrs. Ming. She is an old vampire, like physically old, who works at a dry cleaner about ten minutes up the street. She’s not very welcoming. She prefers to be left alone. But she’s helped me once or twice. Other than that, you are the only vampire I’ve been able to speak with, which is why I’m trying to be nice by allowing you into my home.”
“It’s not because I saved you into beginning a mating ritual with me?” He grinned.
“Tricked me,” I glared. “And I have no idea why you’d do that. Sure, I didn’t want to help you in the beginning, but after you saved me, I would have been indebted to you anyway and would have helped.”
He snickered, rising back up to full height. “So, your first question is why I chose you as my mate?”
“Sure, we can start from there.” I rose back up, too.
“I am not sure you are ready for the answer, as you know nothing of our ways.” He glanced toward the bathroom, sniffing. “May I bathe? I do not wish to track any more dirt into your home.”
It was only then that I noticed, he had barely moved and was covered in dirt. Pressing my lips closed, I moved toward my bathroom, opening the door.