Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“The whole indoor plumbing thing is nice, too,” Talon said with a shrug. “And electricity. That's a bonus.”
I nodded. “I’m a fan of television and movies, personally.” And roller coasters, though I kept that thought to myself. My time with Grace felt all the more precious because it was a secret—something I almost never had—from my brothers.
“And the incredible availability of information.” Talon folded his arms across his chest. “You can learn anything you wish in nothing but a few clicks on a computer or phone. It’s incredible.”
“It is,” Benedict agreed.
“But none of that changes the fact that our talents are being wasted tonight,” Talon said, bringing us back to his original point with a pointed look at Benedict. “It’s clear no one has been here in weeks. We’ve patrolled all the routes approved by the Witch Queen—”
“Got it.” Benedict put his hands up. “Let’s head back to the—”
Talon wended before Benedict could even finish.
“For fuck’s sake,” Benedict muttered. “Is he always this impatient?”
“Yes.” I scratched the scruff on my chin. “And in my brother’s defense, we’re used to answering only to the king, not a committee of other supernaturals. It takes some getting used to. For as fast as the technology is in this world, everything else moves a little slower than what we’re used to.”
“How so?” he asked with genuine curiosity.
“Had…Samuel happened in our day, we would have taken off—the five of us—with single-minded focus. Hunting him. We would have left court weeks ago.” There was as much mercy in my voice as there was in my heart for Samuel—none. He had betrayed Saint, kept my brother chained to a wall and nearly starved, kidnapped our princess, and worked with the Sons of Honor to overthrow our king. “There would be no patrolling another species’ lands. No dispatching with werewolves who break your laws—” I winced. “I mean our laws. I may have paused time to give us the precious months we needed to adjust to your century while you felt it was just days, but we’re still very much catching up.”
Benedict tilted his head. “I’m starting to understand that.”
“We put on a good front, but a year ago it was the 1500s to us.” I could escape time—and keep others with me in that sphere—for as long as I needed to, but only in my immediate vicinity.
He looked at me for a second, then nodded. “Noted. Should we head back?”
“Please, before the boredom kills me,” I said dryly.
Benedict laughed, and we wended, cutting through icy layers of time and space and stepping into the courtyard between Domum and residence.
“Took you assholes long enough,” Talon said in greeting from the center of the courtyard as Lyric, our queen, walked out of the Domum, escorted by Jocelyn and…Cassandra.
The noble female possessed classic vampirical beauty, there was no denying it. Her cheekbones were high, her figure long and lithe, and yet she didn’t move me the way a single glance at Grace did.
Weird. Vampires were biologically programmed to be attracted to the females who would give us the best chance at strong offspring—especially warriors, and yet I appreciated Cassandra’s beauty—even Lyric’s and Jocelyn’s—without so much as a stir of attraction.
Talon and I both bowed our heads at the queen’s approach.
“Guys.” Lyric sighed. “I thought we covered this. Stop it.”
I lifted my head and grimaced. “Old habits and all that.”
Cassandra looked at me, then her gaze skittered across Benedict to Talon and she paled slightly. “I’ll be available should you need anything else, Lyric.” She offered our queen a smile and all but ran back to the Domum.
“Mate,” Jocelyn said with a sly smile, sliding into Benedict’s arms and leaning up for a kiss, which he returned.
Huh. Maybe living forever didn’t feel so…pointless when mated. All the assassins seemed not only content, but deliriously happy with the females in their lives. Even Hawke smiled every now and again.
“Cassandra again?” Benedict asked, keeping his arm around his mate’s waist after pulling back.
“She’s been helpful with the nobles,” Lyric answered. “As much as the usuals at court have grown accustomed to having a human queen—”
“You’re no longer human,” Benedict argued.
“Be that as it may, some of the nobles who have been taking shelter with us since the attacks increased take direction from Cassandra easier, and honestly, I really don’t mind delegating.” Lyric shrugged.
“I worry that someone who betrayed you once will do it again,” Talon said, folding his arms across his chest and staring at Cassandra’s retreating back.
“She was more petty to me than treasonous,” Lyric reminded him. “It was her father who betrayed us. Betrayed you.”
“She has brothers,” Jocelyn said quietly, moving to the queen’s side. “The king may have killed her father—with good reason, of course—but she wouldn’t do anything that risks the lives of her brothers.”
“I guess we’ll just have to see,” Talon remarked. “Trust me, there’s a reason the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom hold such allure. To entice and trap their victims.”