Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“That’s what it means to be mated to Kindred warriors,” Hold said. “We put the safety and happiness of our mates above all else. But since you seem so certain that you’re going to marry Peter instead of us, I hope he’ll do the same,” he added.
A sudden image rose to Celia’s mind. It was during their second date—Peter had taken her out to a fancy restaurant and afterwards to see yet another investment property that he had bought and wanted her to decorate. While they were there a huge palmetto bug—an enormous flying roach native to Florida— had suddenly appeared, crawling on the wall.
Peter had shrieked like a little girl and run out of the room so fast Celia almost expected to see little cartoon puffs of dust coming from under his expensive Italian driving loafers.
“Peter, come back!” she’d called to him. “It’s just a bug!”
But her fiancé had refused to go back in the room.
“Roaches—ugh! Such filthy things!” he’d exclaimed, shivering. “If I had known this building was infested, I never would have bought it! No wonder the price was so good!”
“It’s not infested—palmetto bugs get everywhere in Florida,” Celia told him patiently. “You just can’t keep them out, no matter how clean you keep things.”
But despite her reassurances, Peter had still refused to go back into the room. A week later, he sold the property at a loss.
Celia hadn’t thought much about the incident up until now. But she had to wonder how Peter would have reacted in the same situation she’d found herself in with Fierce. Would her fiancé have called the V’ranna’s attention to himself to give her time to escape like the Dark Twin had? Or would he be putting on running shoes like the camper in the joke?
You don’t really want to know the answer to that question…do you? whispered a little voice in her head.
Celia decided it was right—she didn’t want to know. Some things just wouldn’t bear scrutiny and Peter’s courage—or lack thereof—was one of them.
“What are you thinking, my lady?” Hold murmured. “Are you still uncomfortable being between us?”
“Well, I mean, it is kind of awkward,” Celia admitted. “Maybe…maybe we should keep talking. To keep our minds off it,” she added. “We could play a game.”
“A game? What kind of game?” Fierce’s voice was low and interested.
“Truth or Dare.” The words popped out of Celia’s mouth before she could stop them.
“Truth or Dare? What kind of game is that?” Hold sounded interested as well.
“Oh, it…it’s a way of getting to know new people,” Celia explained. “When it’s your turn you get to pick one other person and ask them if they want Truth or Dare. If they pick Truth, you can ask them any question you want and they have to answer truthfully.”
“What about if they pick ‘Dare’?” Fierce rumbled.
“Oh, well…then you dare them to do something. Like…kiss the person beside them or run around the block naked or something silly like that.” Celia shrugged. “I really haven’t played it since college—that’s when you do a lot of stupid things,” she added.
“Well, I don’t think any of us ought to be running around naked in these temperatures,” Hold said thoughtfully. “But I like the idea of the game—we’ve shared dreams about our present lives but we don’t know much about each others’ pasts.”
“All right, since you think it’s such a good idea, you go first, Brother,” Fierce challenged him.
“All right, I will.” Hold looked down at Celia. “Truth or Dare, my lady?” he asked.
“Truth,” Celia said at once. She couldn’t believe she’d suggested this game, but at least she could try to keep things from getting out of hand by picking the least dangerous option.
Or so she thought, anyway. But Hold’s question surprised her.
“Were you really in twelve different homes in as many years?” he asked, his eyes glowing softly in the darkness. “I heard you tell your fiancé that. Is it true?”
“Oh…well, yes,” Celia said, nodding. “I, um, was raised in the Foster Care system—that’s when the government takes a child away from his or her parents and puts them with someone else—another adult who gets paid to raise them,” she added, as an explanation.
“That sounds fucking horrible,” Fierce growled. “How did you end up there?”
“Not fair! You have to ask Truth or Dare, first,” Celia reminded him. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk about her childhood and she thought that keeping their questions confined to the game might keep things from getting too personal.
“All right, Truth or Dare, Celia?” the Dark Twin rumbled, looking down at her.
“Um…” Celia bit her lip. If she said “Truth,” he might ask more about her painful past. But if she said “Dare” he might try to steal a kiss. She never should have mentioned that as one of the dares—what had she been thinking?