Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Fine. I didn’t take it,” I admitted. “I don’t put pills in my body unless it’s doctor’s orders.”
A snarl formed on his perfect lips. “I told you, Masie, not to disobey me.”
“And I told you that I’m not the trusting type.”
“I saved your life. I saved your uncle, too. What more do you want?” he said sternly.
“How about the truth?” I spat back with sass. “Why was my uncle eating raw meat this morning and goin’ on about how I should date you?” I folded my arms over my chest. Then I unfolded them. The girls were already camped out on a cliff. They didn’t need encouragement to jump.
“As I said, it will take time for your uncle to fully heal. And while my blood remains in his body, it is only natural that he craves what my blood craves.”
“Nasty, but okay. And how about the Montgomery Stark pompoms? Jimmie was cheering for you pretty hard this morning,” I said.
“My blood is inside him, and he is very open to my suggestions. Can you blame me for trying to increase my odds?”
I could. I could blame him for a whole lotta things, but now was the time to make Stark think I was warming up to him. “What about Ronnie’s friends? You said you turned them, but I know you didn’t.”
He leaned back in his chair, a proud look on his face—a hint of a smile and warmth in his pale eyes. “You surprise me with your questions, Masie. Though, I should’ve known you would discover the truth. My Anna had the same gift. Nothing got past her.”
“Thank you.” I stared expectantly.
“I gave Ronnie’s friends my blood and intended to snap their necks, but then I changed my mind.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Is a person not allowed to change their mind?”
“Of course, but now they’re all under your blood spell or whatever.”
“It is temporary,” he said. “Soon they’ll be back to normal and return to their pathetic, meaningless lives. Satisfied now?”
I shrugged, wanting him to think he’d inched me closer to trusting. “I guess.”
“Good. Because now we have another issue to deal with, and it will require your full attention.” His eyes shot across the room to a blonde in a tight yellow dress, being seated by the maître d’. She was giving us the death stare.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“My ex-lover, and she is displeased that I left her to pursue you.”
He’d dumped his girlfriend for me? That didn’t sound very rational.
I stared at Stark, waiting for him to elaborate.
“She is not known for giving up so easily,” he added.
Well, she could have him, not that I could say what I was thinking. “Tell her it’s over.”
“I tried that already. It did not work. She will want to fight you.”
“Fight?” I laughed. What, were we in high school? Or at a banjo concert?
He flashed an annoyed look at the blonde.
“Well, I never agreed to the rules, so I’m not gonna fight her,” I said firmly.
The blonde got up and started walking over. The entire room of patrons stopped talking and stared.
“She is a vampire, Masie. All of the people here are,” Stark said calmly.
My head whipped around, my eyes taking in the intense, feral gazes. I suddenly noticed that no one was eating. They just had red wine in front of them.
Not red wine. My heart began to gallop.
Stark continued like this was just another day in Vampire Land, “They won’t allow you to leave until you’ve answered her challenge. It is why I told you to take my blood and not to eat. I wanted to ensure you had fully absorbed it. Just in case she showed up.”
I lost my cool. “You set me up. You knew this would happen.”
Stark remained calm, almost indifferent. “I understood it was a possibility. Public confrontations are par for the course among my kind.”
“Oh. You think you’re being funny right now with your golf lingo, buddy?”
“No, but it is time to put my cards on the table, Masie. I want you, and she will not accept it until she’s had her fun.”
So he just thought, Let’s rip off the Band-Aid and pit Masie against an irate vampire? Side note: how the hell were there so many vampires in Leiper’s Fork?
I have to get out of here. I stood and started heading for the French doors leading outside to a patio.
“You! Kicklighter!” the woman yelled. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
I ignored her, rushing toward the exit. But before I took five steps, Stark was there, gripping me by the arms. “You should’ve taken the pill,” he scolded. “I trusted you.”
Why would he do that? “Next time, try tellin’ the truth. Now let me go. I’m leaving.”
“You cannot. I already explained this,” he growled.
“I’m not gonna tussle with your ex. She’ll whip my butt.”
“I am aware of that. Thus the reason I wanted you to take my blood as insurance.” His eyes scanned the room and then focused on the approaching blonde. “Tell me right now, Masie, and do not lie. If I can prove we are mates, are you prepared to be with me?”