Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“It’s to piss off Anubis.” Tyrell snorts. “Such a softie these days, one would think he wasn’t even a god anymore.”
I frown in confusion. How am I not following this conversation? “I’m sorry, what?”
Cyrus flashes a tight smile. “He has a friend named Anubis, piece of work, right? Practically a demon.”
Everyone laughs around the table. Why is that funny?
“Cyrus, has a vested interest in this year’s eclipse, smartest one in the family,” Tyrell’s father adds.
“Wait, family?” I look around the table.
“Apologies,” he says. “My name’s Inti. You’ve had the unfortunate privilege of meeting my son Tyrell, and this is Daggon or Dag. We’re Cyrus’s brothers, sort of.”
“Brothers,” I repeat. “But you all look like you’re the same age and wouldn’t that make you his brother, and you his nephews?” Wait that’s not right.
“The mountain air,” Cyrus pipes up. “It’s some of the best air in the world, right Tyrell? Make sure to take a lot of walks during your time here.”
“I’m sure I will.” I need to find Jack anyways.
“It’s puzzling,” Inti says. “And sad. Seattle and the Olympic mountain range are no longer… well it used to be different. A lot of things used to be in this forsaken world.”
Cyrus clears his throat and stands. “Everything has a time.”
“And some of us are bored of it,” Tyrell says under his breath. “I’ll see you guys later. I’m out to hunt.”
Inti rolls his eyes. “Stop calling it that.”
“What?” Tyrell shrugs on a black peacoat and winks. “None of the women seem to mind when I say it to them.”
“Because they want to be your prey,” Daggon says in a bored tone. “How old are you again?”
Tyrell’s eyes flash. “Unless…” He turns those beautiful blue eyes toward me. “…I already have my prize right here?”
“Go,” Cyrus barks. “Before I break your neck and feed you to the Kraken.”
I laugh at his joke.
Nobody else does.
The table stills for a minute. The air buzzes with tension.
Tyrell swallows slowly, his once confident eyes waver before a forced smile appears on his full lips. “He’d probably rather eat her.”
Every muscle in my body freezes. Me? What?
He’s probably drunk, though he’s walking in a straight line and didn’t slur his words. Maybe it’s just part of the Seattle culture?
He storms out of the bar.
I almost ask about the tension, but everyone’s already getting up. Daggon grabs his navy peacoat and a black scarf while Inti walks over to Cyrus and puts his hand on his chest then whispers something.
Cyrus’s eyes never leave mine as he listens.
He finally nods his head.
The room suddenly feels too small for both of us. “Um, thank you.” I start to grab my plate, then set it back down. “Should I clear the table?”
“We have waiters for that.” He stands.
I have trouble looking away from him and can’t explain why, other than he’s just really good looking. Yeah, that has to be it; that and the wine. “I know but technically that is my job.”
“Not tonight it is.”
“Have some Scotch with me.” He asks it, but the words feel more like a command as he walks around the bar and grabs a few bottles then slowly starts to pour small amounts in each glass. “These are our top shelf bottles, compliments of the one you met previously, Mason. He’s Scottish born, rich as shit, and we’re the only bar he’ll sell to.”
“Oh?” I sip the whiskey; it burns down my throat. “What’s that?” I take a look around. The ambiance is really dark down to the Mahogony bar top and even crazier when you see the wingback chairs scattered around the large room. Most of the tables are high tops but a few, like the one I was just at, were regular sized. The door keeps swinging open as people start to filter in. My eyes narrow when a man with what looks like red contacts walks a woman towards the wall and presses her against it, drink in hand. I look around for security then see her small smile, he takes a swig of his glass then grips her by the chin, her lips part. He quickly kisses her, she visibly swallows then looks up at him with what can only be described as absolute obsession.
“Distracting, isn’t it?” Cyrus says making me jump a foot. I spill the drink in my hand and try to quickly set it down, but miss the countertop, making it topple and shatter loudly on the floor. Without thinking, I get down on my hands and knees to clean up the mess not realizing the glass nearly exploded, sending shards everywhere. Belatedly I realize my kness and hands are peppered with small cuts.
Do I move?
Tell him?
It hurts. Bad. Great. I already messed up on my first night because I saw two people kiss. I wince when I try to stand up. Cyrus is immediately by my side lifting me into his arms and placing me on the counter. Oh, um okay.