Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34989 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34989 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
“What you’re talking about is politics,” Fox huffed. “Have I told you lately that I hate politics?”
Winter grinned at his mate, and Sky had to do a double take. The few times he’d met Winter Varik, the vampire had been cold, reserved, and all-around scary. He lived up to his reputation as being one of the most dangerous vampires in the world. But when he smiled at Fox, it was like looking at an entirely different person. All the shadows and danger fell off him, and he became this carefree twentysomething.
“Do you mean in the last five minutes? Because, yes, you have.” And he was even teasing his lover. Insane!
Sky cleared his throat to keep from chuckling, but Moon didn’t bother to hide his laugh, which was a damn good reminder.
“Fox, you’ve never officially met Moon in person,” Sky began.
Fox gasped and grabbed fistfuls of his red hair. “Holy crap! Yes! It’s so great to meet you. I mean, I wish we weren’t meeting for this reason, but still…wow! This is the best.”
Moon grinned at Fox, his face crinkling up so much that his golden eyes were almost completely lost. “It’s great to meet you in person, too.”
“Another witch?”
Fox gasped and spun to stare at Winter, who sighed loudly.
The vampire pointed a finger at Fox’s face. “That expression there. That’s why I worry. Not because I think witches are bad, but because you’re scared of how I’m going to react.”
“It’s okay,” Moon spoke up. “Fox is worried because he knows I’m a blood witch. It’s not something I advertise. It makes most people—even witches—uncomfortable.”
Winter turned his very unimpressed expression on Sky. “You brought a blood witch with you.”
“Can you think of better backup when you’re going up against a vampire clan leader?” Sky snapped. While necromancers were relatively rare, making up less than ten percent of the witch population, it was believed the blood witches accounted for less than one percent. They were like fucking unicorns.
Very scary unicorns.
All their spells were powered by blood—either their own or someone else’s. And since vampires were blood-centered creatures, Sky couldn’t think of anyone better to have at his side.
“Nope,” Winter instantly agreed. “Just glad I didn’t grab a bite ahead of the meeting. Come on, Blood Witch, Dead Witch. Let’s go inside. I can’t wait to see how Marcus reacts to this news.”
Winter led the way up the stairs and Sky lingered a step behind so he could whisper to Fox. “Who’s Marcus?”
“Marcus is the oldest of the Varik brothers. He can be grumpy and overbearing, but he’s a nice guy deep down. Or at least that’s what his mate, Ethan, claims.”
Winter’s cackle drifted to them. “I’m telling him you said that.”
Sky held on to his smile as a stray thought drifted through his mind. He’d stumbled into a strange world.
This must be how Nolan feels.
Hugs. The second he got Nolan away from Christoph, he was going to drown that man in hugs. Yes, lots of hugs and cuddles and muffins. Anything to make him feel safe again.
The interior of the Varik mansion was as opulent as Sky had expected after seeing the exterior. Everywhere he looked were thick Persian carpets, antique vases and knickknacks, while classic oil paintings of people and landscapes covered the walls. It was like stepping back in time to an old English manor for some duke. Sky immediately shoved his hands into his pockets. He was in a living museum and his inner child wanted to touch everything.
“I thought we were expecting only one witch,” a voice growled from above. Sky lifted his eyes to a man in a dark suit with black hair pulled into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck, descending a set of wide, curving stairs.
“You got two for the price of one,” Moon called out, leaving Sky wanting to groan.
“What the hell! Don’t I count anymore?” Fox complained.
“No. You’re just his,” the stranger said with a jerk of his head toward Winter.
“Be nice!” The shout echoed off the walls and the three-story-high ceiling. They all glanced up to see a young man charging down the stairs with a wide grin on his face.
Fox leaned close to Moon and Sky. “The grumpy asshole is Marcus, the oldest Varik brother, and the one descending the stairs is his mate, Ethan.”
“Why do you whisper? We’re vampires. We can hear you,” Marcus grumbled as he reached the ground floor and glared at Fox.
The witch smirked at Marcus and continued in a whisper. “Because it seems less insulting if I whisper, and maybe you’ll get the hint not to eavesdrop.”
Marcus turned his glare on Winter as if there was something he could do about his boyfriend, but Winter smiled at his brother in an expression that screamed, “Fuck off!” Sky wanted to ask if Fox meant they were truly blood brothers when he kept using that word, but after seeing these two with each other, it was clear they were related.