Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
That will work in the rebellion’s favor—it already has. Not that such things matter to me. I won’t be around to see the rebellion prevail or fail, whichever the future holds. As soon as I reclaim my family jewels, I will return home and . . .
Go back to how things have been for the last century. Rising to meet my mother’s every demand. Scheming and plotting and killing to further my family’s power. There was a time when such things excited me, but when I think about it now, there’s only a heaviness in my chest.
What is wrong with me? I don’t doubt. Such emotion is for lesser beings. I’ve always had a direction in life, I’ve always had a goal to strive toward. I fully intend to be matriarch of my family at some point. The problem is that without Wolf and me being good little breeders with the proper partners and producing pureblood heirs, what family is there? Vampires live long enough that it might as well be forever. It will be centuries before there’s even a chance my mother might perish. Or before I become fed up enough with her control and stage a coup.
But what then? Wolf is enjoying his ridiculous little polycule, and though they’ve popped out three children, those children are of mixed bloodlines. Somehow they’ve gained the power of all three fathers—as well as their mother’s glamour and seraphim magic. They will undoubtedly change the vampire world when they’re of age, might even challenge the pureblood mentality that my mother clings to so fiercely.
That’s in the distant future, though. She wants to grow our family’s numbers now—which means she expects me to be the one to move forward with those plans. I have no desire for children. I never have. Even if I did, there is no guarantee I could become pregnant. Bloodline vampires may live damn near forever, but that means that we don’t breed easily. We’re lucky if we get one babe a generation. The fact that my mother had two was a small miracle, at least until we became the disappointments that we continue to be to this day.
What’s wrong with me? I don’t think like this. There’s no room for doubt when it comes to my mother. She carved that part of me out a very long time ago—just like she carved out every other alleged weakness I possessed.
I belatedly realize that Alix is still waiting for a response. I can’t afford to let my guard down now. Their ambition will work in my favor, but only as long as they fear me. “To Drash it is, then.”
“Very well.” They turn and move away in a strange little hop-flutter movement that’s not quite walking and not quite flying.
With them gone, there’s nothing else to focus on. Nothing except Maeve’s absence.
What if she didn’t leave intentionally? What if the bay isn’t nearly as safe as we were led to believe? What if she fought and died below the surface and I had no fucking idea?
I grip the railing hard enough for the wood to crack against my palms. If I didn’t know better, I would assume that Maeve had cast a spell on me. There’s no other reason for me to be unraveling this quickly over such a short acquaintance. Yes, I want her. Of course I do. She’s gorgeous and soft and stubborn to a fault. But lust is a simple emotion for all that it can be overwhelming. What I’m feeling right now isn’t simple. I don’t understand it.
“Lizzie.”
She’s back. There’s no thought of tempering my response. I spin and rush to where Maeve has just climbed over the railing several feet away and stands before me, her clothing and hair dripping wet, with a bag in her hands. She grins. “I figured we needed our things.”
I don’t stop to think. I throw my arms around her and pull her close until she squeaks. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?” She gingerly pats my back as if she’s not sure what to think of me. And why would she be? I am not acting normal right now. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” It still takes several beats before I’m able to release her and step back. I clear my throat, but my heart is racing far faster than it needs to. “You seem . . . well.” Better than well. There’s a vibrancy to her that I didn’t realize she was missing. It’s pure joy, and it draws me to her even more than she did to begin with. I want to sink my hands into her hair and claim her mouth, to channel that joy into pleasure. To claim her.
I glance at the sky; dawn has long since passed. There’s a thousand reasons to be less reckless, but I can’t think of a single one of them right now. I scoop up the bag, Maeve’s soaking wet skin, and grab her hand. “Come on.”