Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“What’s that?” Erik asks, and I’m afraid of the answer.
“From what I’ve read about jealousy with mates, you could end up killing one another if you felt like she was being threatened. But I don’t know from experience what it means to have one, so I can only guess as to the lengths you would go for your other half.”
“There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my Juliet,” Kane says simply, but the words are laced with deadly intent.
Just then Dove makes a sound from the couch and Erik and I rush past Bishop to her side.
“Don’t sit up,” Erik says softly as she tries to move. “We think you hit your head.”
He reaches out, taking one hand while I grab the other in mine. “How do you feel? Are you dizzy?”
“I’ll go get some ice,” Erik says, and he’s gone before I can offer to do the same.
“What happened?” she asks, her voice as soft as kitten paws. “Where’s Erik?” My heart sinks when she looks for him, but to my surprise she pulls my hand closer to her. “Ezra, did you catch me?”
“Yes, of course I did.” I brush my lips across her knuckles, needing to get closer, and just then Erik is back with the ice.
Dove reaches for him as he places the ice on the side of her head and examines her.
“Should I call for a doctor?” Bishop asks, still hovering close by.
“No, it looks like just a small scratch,” Erik says as he brushes the hair away from her face. “I think she passed out because of her fear. Are you still afraid of us?” he asks Dove, and we both wait for her answer.
“I think I’m okay now. I was more afraid of falling to my death than of you two. Right now I think I’m just going to die from embarrassment.” Her cheeks blossom with pink and I ache to rub my lips there, too. “Maybe I should go.”
“No!” Erik and I both shout at the same time.
“I mean, we want to make sure you’re alright,” Erik rushes to say, and I nod.
“We should take care of you. It’s the least we can do.” I don’t let go of her hand as she sits up and looks around the room. “Careful, don’t move too fast.”
“Thank you,” she says and looks down at our joined hands but doesn’t make a move to separate us.
“Hey, Kane. Nice to see you again,” Dove says as she looks up him. “Seems like we’re always meeting this way.”
“I’ll tell Juliet you’re here,” he says and turns around and walks right out of the room without another word. I’m surprised she wasn’t with him to begin with. He never lets her far from his side.
Bishop sighs and shakes his head. “No more fireworks, you two,” he says, looking between us. “I’m going back home. If you need me, just call, but stop annoying Delores. She gets so worked up and I can’t stand the sound of her voice.” He walks out of the room calling after Kane, but the big guy is probably halfway home by now.
“I didn’t realize it would be so easy to clear a room full of vampires,” Dove says, and Erik and I snap our eyes to her.
“You know what we are?” I ask, wondering how this is possible.
“There’s a lot I know,” she says and pauses as she looks down at her hands. “Some of which I wish I didn’t.”
“Let’s start small,” Erik says, moving to sit on the couch beside her while I kneel in front of her on the couch. “We know you’ve been following us, but we don’t know why.”
“I was curious about you two,” she admits, shrugging. “Actually, I was curious about your whole family after Juliet and Kane got together. Then I spotted you two and I guess I became fascinated.”
“So you know what we are, but how far does your knowledge of vampires reach?” I say as I feel her fingertip trace along the inside of my wrist. “Do you know that we have mates?”
“You do?” Her voice is sharp and she narrows her eyes, but her grip on us only tightens. “I thought Bishop said that woman was your housekeeper.” She looks around as if expecting someone to appear. “Is it Ravana? Do you both share her?”
Now the questions are being turned around on us, and suddenly I realize my anger and jealousy from earlier have started to wind down. I’m not looking at Erik as an enemy anymore but instead as an ally. Could this mean that the bond between us is loosening, or is it somehow morphing into something else?
“Ravana?” Erik asks, trying not to laugh. “She’s our sister, and she’s mated to Valen. I think he would rip our throats out for even mentioning being mated to her.