Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“I don’t under—”
“Yes or no.” He gave my bare shoulders a firm squeeze.
Telling him no didn’t sound like the right answer. Not if I wanted to live. “Sure. Fine. Yes.”
“You’d better not be lying to me, woman, or so help me, I will end everything and everyone you love. That is, if we make it through the night.” He pushed me behind him and faced the blonde. “Fiona.” He dipped his head of beautiful silky black hair. “You are looking lovely, as usual. Very fierce and deadly, too. Unfortunately, your challenge cannot move forward.”
“Why?” she snarled.
“Because I have confirmed she is my mate.”
“Mate? A second one?” She laughed, throwing back her head of wavy blonde hair. “We all know that’s impossible.”
The roomful of creepy, rich vampires laughed, too.
“Not a second mate. My first. Reborn in a new body,” Stark declared, all cocky and proud.
The woman, Fiona, frowned.
“Do not be so shocked,” Stark said. “The prime minister himself claims to be the reincarnation of Lord Bleyer, and I have proof that she, Masie Kicklighter, is my Anna.”
The room gasped in unison.
Oh Lord. What was happening? My head whipped from side to side between Stark and Fiona.
“That can’t be,” Fiona said. “You’re mad for even suggesting it.”
“To the contrary. I am thrilled to have her back.” Stark reached behind him and took my hand, dragging me to his side.
My heart was beating so loudly, I was sure my left melon was going to jiggle out of its holder.
Fiona scowled at me. “If he is proven wrong, then I will be back for you. Do you hear me, Kicklighter?”
I didn’t respond.
She turned and marched back to her table. The rest of the room returned to their business as if it was all a big nothing.
Stark urged me to retake my seat.
“I’d li-like to go home now,” I stuttered.
“You do not wish to eat?” he asked.
“No.”
“But it is perfectly safe. For now.”
“You need to tell me what just happened,” I hissed, “or this night is over.” I pointed my finger in his face. As if that would scare him.
He bowed his head and gestured toward the patio.
We stepped outside and followed the path leading around the green. Why the hell do vampires have a golf course? Did they night golf? The thought annoyed me. They had no business doing human things.
I stopped and turned to face him, waiting for his explanation. “Well?”
“I believe you are my Anna.”
“Yes, I know.”
“What I failed to tell you is that she was our queen, our ruler for over two hundred years.”
I took a wide step back. What the fuck? Sorry, Mamma. The swearing seal is permanently broken.
He went on, “If I am right, then it means you are our rightful ruler, Masie.”
I took another big step back, shaking my head. “Uhhh…no.”
“Yes.”
“How did we go from spending one sexless night together to me being your reborn vampire queen?” He was crazy. Crazy, dead, and dangerous.
“I intended to work up to that information, Masie. In time. And do not complain; I told you to take the pill. That was all you had to do. My blood is a thousand times stronger than Fiona’s, and you would’ve beaten her with one slap.”
“So your blood was in that pill,” I declared.
“Just a few drops.”
“Enough to brainwash me, right? Then seduce me, have sex with me, do whatever you want.”
His expression soured, animosity in his eyes. “I told you, I am a gentleman. And cheating in games of seduction is not my thing.”
I didn’t believe him for a minute, but whatever. “Why did you really bring me here tonight, Stark? What was the plan? Have me fight your ex in my hot leather pants so you could beat off to it later? Then what?”
“I was not certain she would be here. I only knew it was a possibility. After dinner, I planned to show you my home, introduce you—little by little—to my world.”
“And then what?” I scowled, knowing that wasn’t everything.
“There were certain things my Anna enjoyed. I had planned to try them on you and gather proof that you are her reincarnation.”
“What things?” I barked furiously. Mostly out of frustration and terror. This night was supposed to move me closer to a Stark-free life. Now I was knee-deep in vampire muck.
“If I tell you, then it will ruin the test.”
“Fine. Let’s go,” I said.
“Go?” He raised a brow, looking surprised.
“Yeah. To your house. Show me all the things you planned. I want to know if I’m this person you say.” Really, though, I saw this as an opportunity to end this insanity. I was not his Anna.
“Are you certain?” he asked.
“Just promise me one thing: If I’m not her, I want to be left alone. No fighting your exes. No more seduction. I want you outta my town, outta my life.”
He narrowed his eyes. I could tell I’d set him off.