Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 168701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 844(@200wpm)___ 675(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 168701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 844(@200wpm)___ 675(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
“Hello?” I call out.
“Erica Young?” comes a male voice.
“This is her.”
“This is Sergei from the SCC. Is this a good time?”
Riley bares his teeth.
“Uh…” I feel a little lost for words.
Riley pipes up. “Not sure any time’d be a good time to hear from someone who decided to let some witches fuck with our lives seven years ago.”
“That’s fair,” Sergei responds. “I’ve heard from Lucinda about the events of the last several days. I wanted to tell you that I wanted a much lighter sentence. We were deadlocked on that point. I fought their decision, requesting a review by a new panel. Because they won Mitch over, that was the end of it. I made a stink but in the end, I was overruled. I never agreed with it but was bound by nondisclosure agreement.”
“I understand,” I say. “We’re trying to move on.”
“I hope you can,” Sergei responds.
“We can,” I assure. “Thanks for calling.”
“Before you go… there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
Riley’s expression darkens and I know he’s about ready to blow his top.
“What’s that?” I ask quickly.
“I’d like to ask you to help me with a problem. Not long ago, Aviva Starling contacted me to tell me of a vision she had. A friend and colleague’s daughter will develop a fixation on me in about twenty years. It can’t happen. It’s dangerous, and… it can’t happen. I need help ensuring it won’t happen. I’m supposed to die. But her birth, which recently happened, has changed things. I need this matter to be handled quietly, which is why I’m calling you. I’d be very grateful and would be in your debt.”
“Why aren’t you dealing with Lucinda?” Riley asks.
He replies, “Because she’s mated to a vampire. It’s a conflict of interest to ask her and I won’t put her in that position. My colleague is also vampire. It’s a unique situation, not entirely unlike Erica’s. This girl is special.”
I frown. “One second, okay? I’m going to take down some details and I’ll talk to my coven for you. See what I can find out. Find out if we can help.”
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” Riley snaps.
“I assure you, I’m not,” he replies.
But Riley is looking at me. Of course I’m going to help if I can.
“One second, please.” I dash to the ensuite bathroom to wipe my hands on a towel and then I’m digging through my purse for a pen and a notepad.
My hands are still sort of slippery.
“Okay,” I say when I get back. “Sergei Voitenko and what’s the colleague’s daughter’s name?”
“This is highly confidential, Ms. Young. I’ve already said more than I’m comfortable with.”
“Savage,” Riley corrects, sounding very grouchy.
“This is highly confidential, Mrs. Savage,” Sergei amends, sounding bored.
“I assure you of confidentiality.”
“A hundred per cent confidentiality,” he presses.
“Fuck sakes,” Riley mutters.
“A hundred per cent, Sergei. You have my word.”
“I’d prefer to come see you.”
“Oh,” I say.
Riley’s face is red.
“Okay,” I say.
He looks at me like he wants to spank me. And not for the fun reasons.
“I’ll make travel arrangements and contact you when I’m on my way. When I arrive, you’ll need to compose something to avoid the hypnotic state humans usually go into when they come in contact with one of my kind.”
“I’m aware. And okay,” I say, ready to hang up.
“I hope you and your mate are very happy together,” he says. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help seven years back.”
“Thank you for trying,” I say softly.
“You’re welcome.”
“Speak to you soon,” I say.
Riley ends the call with an annoyed look on his face.
“Well, that was…” I start to say, but my phone rings again.
“Answer?” Riley asks.
I grab the phone, answer, and put it to my ear. “Vivi?”
“I just got a vision,” she says. “You’re either going to get a phone call from Sergei Voitenko or-”
“Just did,” I cut her off. “He wants us to stop a colleague’s daughter from fixating on him twenty years from now.”
“We can’t. She’s his second fated mate. His first one died, and he thought he was dying because he lost her. But his second mate is his second chance at immortality. He’s going to try to do everything he can do to stop it from happening because his future mate is the daughter of a dangerous vampire.”
“Yikes,” I say.
“She’s a baby. So it’s gonna take a while, but we can’t intervene,” Vivi says. “He has to figure it out on his own. And he’s not going to be real happy about it. In fact, it’s kind of a disaster.”
Greyson Blackwood
My phone rings. I grab it and leave the room since my mate is sound asleep in my bed. She sleeps on her belly. Nude. Beautiful. And all mine.
“Hello?”
“Hi Grey, it’s Ronnie.”
“Veronica,” I greet my cousin.
“Do you have a minute?”
“I do,” I say.
I’ve got nothing but minutes right now as I wait to hear from Jase and Linc who are looking for Wyatt and Sherry.