Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Ronan cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at Aiden’s unexpected attire. “Are…are you in disguise?” Ronan teased.
Aiden glared at his friend, but there was no real fire behind the look. “The area I prefer for hunting will allow us to move without catching much notice from the humans, but other vampires tend to lurk there as well.”
“Ahhh…King Aiden prefers to escape their notice.”
“If you’re going to be this sort of helpful, I’m happy to leave you behind.”
“No. No. I’ll play along. But maybe I should tweak my appearance as well.” He stripped off his jacket and tossed it into the passenger seat before pulling his sweater over his head. The cream color made him into too much of a beacon in the darkness, and he didn’t want to ruin its softness if they found trouble. Underneath he wore a plain black T-shirt tucked into his slacks. Placing the sweater into the car, he pulled on his leather jacket.
He looked up to find Aiden smirking at him. “Feeling appropriately dangerous now for hunting?”
Ronan pointed at his friend across the roof of the car. “You understand just as well as I do the importance of looking the part when you’re out hunting.”
“Uh-huh,” Aiden muttered as he pressed the button on the key fob to lock the doors. “Come along, dangerous man. The hunting grounds are still several blocks away.”
There was no stopping his huge grin as he walked beside Aiden across the parking garage to the stairs leading to the street level. This man—away from his family and the trappings of his new station—felt more like the Aiden he remembered. Not that the other man he’d met was bad. He just felt stifled, as if he were being hemmed in by obligations, duties, and maybe even the worries of his family. It was nice to get Aiden away from all of that so they could spend a little time together.
They walked several blocks in relative silence, but it was surprisingly comfortable. It was only when they reached an area where the buildings looked more rundown and the streetlamps were more often broken than not that Aiden grew more cautious. The shadows moved here and there, as both humans and vampires watched them pass.
Aiden’s posture changed, his shoulders tensed, and his steps turned silent. The hunter was out, looking for his prey. Despite his broad shoulders and strong arms, there was something sleek and pantherlike about Aiden. Ronan was surprised that he found the man even more sexy, but he almost wished he were still human so he could be Aiden’s target just once.
“I should have asked. Do you need to feed?” Aiden inquired softly.
“I was careful to feed before coming into your domain. I wasn’t sure if the new lord would permit me to hunt here. Unless I find a bit of trouble, I should be fine for at least another three weeks.”
“Let’s hope you stay out of trouble.”
“Do you have any suggestions for keeping me entertained?”
Aiden rolled his eyes. “I think your companions from the Ministry might have some plans for you. I have no doubt they have some plans for me.”
Ronan clenched his jaw to hold back the words. He wanted to warn Aiden, but was it the wisest course? Could he do something about Mara and Michael on his own? Yes. But that wouldn’t stop the machinations of the Ministry. And Aiden really deserved to have a choice in the matter. It was his life, the lives of his family, on the line.
“Do you wish to discuss the Ministry? I’ve finally learned of their plans. You should know.”
Aiden stopped and glared at the ground for a second. “Will my family come to harm tonight if we don’t discuss it?”
Ronan paused, surprised by Aiden’s question. He clearly expected some dark plot, but he wasn’t demanding answers. “No, I honestly don’t believe they will.”
“Then, let’s not discuss the Ministry tonight. We can talk more tomorrow. I would like one evening…”
“To forget. To be a normal person again,” Ronan supplied.
Aiden smiled broadly, revealing a perfect set of white fangs. “Well, a normal vampire.”
“Is there any way I can help you hunt other than to stay the fuck out of your way?”
Aiden snickered and started walking again. He scratched his jaw for a second as he glanced around. “Actually, if you don’t mind serving as bait. I’ve spotted a rather violent fellow that will do nicely. But it’s easier if I sneak up on them. Don’t want him to see me before I can get my fangs sunk.”
Ronan chewed on his bottom lip as a new thought occurred to him. It was dangerous, and nearly every vampire would claim that it was incredibly stupid. But trust was often born out of a person taking a chance and trusting the other person first.