Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I look up at her, once again taken aback by this woman. She’s so fucking incredible. The black cat she called Mr. Prickle Paws follows her, winding between her feet as she walks. It’s a wonder he doesn’t trip her, though I’m sure they’re so bonded it hasn’t and won’t ever happen.
Callie moves onto the first step. “Want to walk with me? It’s the last day of the full moon phase and something about the moonlight always calms me.” She comes down the rest of the stairs, stopping at my side. She swallows hard and looks up, meeting my eyes.
A warm feeling grows inside me, and I don’t know how she does it. How she makes me feel like this by just standing next to me. I slowly move my head up and down and we turn, not talking as we walk toward the woods.
I go down the rest of the stairs, stopping right beside Lucas. I look into his eyes, heart hammering away in my chest. This time, I don’t care if he hears it.[HW14]
“What else happened to make this night a long night?” I ask.
“Somebody is hunting witches,” she says as a breeze blows her hair around her face.
“That’s a pity. Can’t imagine why someone would want to do that,” I say sarcastically.
“How do I know it’s not you?” she asks with a pointed glare.
“You don’t. But I have no reason to kill witches.”
“Really? An old vampire like you has no reason to kill witches?”
I rush forward, pressing Callie against a tree, pinning her there with my own body. “How old do you think I am?”
“Twelve hundred,” she says and pushes against me. She can’t physically overpower me and she knows that.
“I’m older than that.”
“Thirteen hundred?”
“Older,” I say and Callie puts her hands on my chest, giving me another shove. “Keep squirming, I like it.”
She does too, I can sense it coming off her in waves. She knows she shouldn’t and is resisting. It would be much more fun if she just gave in. Parting my lips, I tip my head down to hers. Then I grab her wrists and bring them over her head.
She could conjure an energy ball. Burn me and break away. We’re on a level playing field, and I fucking love it.
“Sixteen hundred,” she breathes.
“Bingo.”
Her mouth falls open as her eyes shut for a moment. Her body relaxes just a bit. She should be doing the opposite after finding out how old I am.
“You,” she pants and twists her wrists. I let go, missing the feel of her skin against mine the second she’s out of my grasp. “You lived through the War of Light and Dark.”
“I did, but I was not part of it.” I lower my head, looking deep into her eyes. They’re emerald green, lined with a ring of a dark, hunter green. She’s so beautiful, and I want so badly to bring my lips to hers.
Once I kiss her, I won’t be able to stop. I’d lay her down and fuck her right here in the woods, under the stars. I wouldn’t be fucking her out of my system, no, I’d be getting myself in deeper.
Because I could fall in love with a woman like Callie.
“I am sorry about your fellow witches,” I say.
“Thanks. I didn’t know any of them, but a witch hunter is never a good thing.”
“No, it is not.” I break away. I could fall in love with her, but would she fall in love with me? “I imagine this news makes you sad.”
“Of course, but it pisses me off more than anything. I’d love to find this motherfucker and burn him at the stake.”
“You have had a long day. Are you sure you don’t want to get something to eat? I hear humans raving about comfort food.”
“I’m never one to turn down comfort food.”
“I don’t know what comfort food actually is,” I admit and Callie laughs. We move away from the tree, and right when I expect her to put physical distance between the tension we’re both feeling, she falls in step with me.
“I suppose it’s different for different people,” she explains. “As to what you find comforting. It’s usually unhealthy and full of carbs. And cheese. Most people like cheese.”
“I have heard that as well.”
“Do you miss eating?” she asks and I shake my head.
“It’s been long enough I don’t remember what food was like.”
“That’s kind of sad.”
“I won’t call it that.”
Her dress catches on a thorn bush. She yanks it free. “Food is probably better now than it was sixteen hundred years ago goo[HW15] .”
“I’m sure it is,” I agree and we walk the rest of the way back in silence that’s anything but awkward. It’s comforting to just be around Callie, and I’m starting to think she feels the same about being around me.