Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“The woman always made sure to find me when she paid her husband’s grave a visit, and I would tell her what I talked to him about. She asked me if I would promise to do the same for her when her time came.”
“And you did.”
Lara nodded and wiped at tears lingering in her eyes. “She loved flowers, so I planted daisies, her favorite, and talked with her often until the day came that I had to say good-bye to them all.”
“That must have been difficult for you, since no doubt they felt like family.”
Lara stared at him. She had stopped sharing that story a long time ago because of the way people reacted. Most thought she was crazy or weird, not one person understood the cemetery had been home to her and the residents, though deceased, family she talked and shared her hopes, dreams, fears, and sorrows with...no one that was until Michael.
“You’re such an interesting woman, Lara, I could talk with you forever and never get bored.”
Lara had to laugh. “I think eventually you would grow tired of hearing the same old stories.”
“You will have new stories to tell, especially with your travels and the interesting subjects you write about.”
“I do enjoy traveling, seeing new places, meeting new people, and investigating strange phenomenon.”
“Have you traveled outside the U.S.?”
“No, but I would love to someday. And you?” she asked.
“I’ve been all over the world, but then I’ve had the time to travel.”
Lara grinned. “I forget your advanced age, though you look to be only in your mid-thirties.”
“We age, but much slower than humans.”
“What of the woman you fall in love with and marry or do you go through several wives in your extended lifetime?” she asked curiously, though she felt a twinge of sadness. She couldn’t imagine falling in love with him, knowing he would live well beyond her years.
Right, Lara, you’re more concerned with him living longer than you rather than the fact that you’d fall in love with a vampire. And why was she even thinking about falling in love with him? Because he appealed to her in more ways than just his good looks.
Stop thinking about it, he’ll hear you, she silently warned herself.
“We can marry our own kind, but if we choose to marry a human there is a way for her life to be extended.”
“A bite on the neck?”
“There are advantages to a bite on the neck for the woman I marry, but having children is what gives her the ability to live longer.”
“How and what advantages are there to a bite on the neck for the woman you marry?”
“The child’s blood mingles with the mother’s and slows the aging process.”
“So the more children she has the longer she lives?”
Michael laughed. “We’ve found that two children will usually give a human the same life span as a vampire, though my grandmother had six children and she’s definitely retaining her age better than my grandfather.”
Lara grinned. “I’d say it was the opposite for humans. The more children we have the faster we age, mostly from worry and anxiousness over being a good parent. I will admit, though, being an only child makes me want to have a bunch of kids. It was great having my father’s undivided attention, but there were times I missed having a sibling to share things with.”
“At least you missed the fights. My brothers and I were at one another’s throats at times.”
“Literally?” she asked with a laugh.
Michael laughed as well. “No, my father had bigger fangs than us and that kept us from going too far, though my sister suffered the most since we were always trying to keep her safe and protected. She wanted nothing to do with us and complained to my father endlessly. It did little good since vampires have this overpowering need to protect those they love.”
Family. She had none, no grandparents, no aunts or uncles, no one at all. She had few fears, but the big fear that had always lurked in her mind was losing her dad. Once he was gone, she’d have no one. She’d be alone, and now she was.
She shook the sadness away as best she could, not wanting Michael to sense it, and said, “What about the other part of my question?”
Michael moved forward in his chair and emptied the bottle of wine evenly in each of their glasses. He remained perched on the edge of the chair and after taking a sip of wine, he answered, “I would much rather show you what a bite can do.”
Damn if he didn’t send her sensual senses somersaulting. How could she think a bite from a vampire could be sexy? She was definitely losing her sanity. She was the one who disproved such nonsense and here she was sitting with a vampire who wanted to bite her neck.