Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93727 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“People are idiots.”
“They were afraid of what they didn’t understand.”
“So…assholes?”
“Some of them,” I agreed. “And then you had the usual suspects. The ones who acted like they’d known all along that we were out there. The ones who pretended like they didn’t care, even though they clearly did. The groupies. The protestors.”
“But it eventually calmed down,” she said as if asking for confirmation.
“When we didn’t jump out of the woodwork and start kidnapping virgins, yes. It took a while, though.”
“That myth always cracked me up,” Rosemary said, sitting back up. “Why would anyone want a virgin? Like, why is the ideal someone who hasn’t done something before? Logically—and for literally anything else—everyone would prefer a partner who had experience.”
“Purity,” I replied.
She made a gagging noise.
“I’m not saying I agree with it,” I said, taking another bite. “But that was the culture when I was young. A hymen was very prized by human men.”
“But not Vampires?”
“I think Vampires have always been a bit more pragmatic, at least the ones I’ve known. A virgin’s first time is always a little shocking. Add in the mating bond and exchanging blood? That seems like a lot to deal with in one go.”
Rosemary chuckled. “Fair point.”
“My first time was with a widow,” I mentioned, enjoying the way her head jerked in my direction.
“Do tell,” she said dryly.
“She was pretty.”
She moved her hand in a circle, gesturing for me to keep going.
“She had blonde hair.”
“A pretty blonde widow,” Rosemary murmured. “That’s all you remember?”
“Of course not.”
“Well?”
“She had two sons. One was around six and the other was four. They were napping inside, and we did it against the outside of the house.”
She grinned.
“She was very concerned about pregnancy,” I said dryly, making her cackle.
“All good there,” Rosemary commented. Vampires could only procreate with their mates.
“It was over far more quickly than either of us anticipated,” I joked, my cheeks flushing at the memory. “Which was a good thing since her younger son started hollering out the front door before I’d even buttoned my trousers back up.”
“I’m sure she didn’t think it was a good thing,” Rosemary countered.
“She did not,” I agreed. “But I made it up to her later.”
“I bet you did.”
It was the first time I’d thought of Ella in more years than I could count. She’d been quiet and petite, and I’d been more than surprised when she’d let me into her bed. Years after we parted ways, I’d seen her at a distance, her grown son helping her down the street. She’d never remarried. She hadn’t needed to. Her dead husband had left her enough to get by on, and from what I remembered of the man, I knew why she hadn’t married a second time.
“Did you love her?” Rosemary asked quietly.
“No.” The answer was instant and firm. “But I liked her. She was a sweet woman.”
“I’d tell you about my first time,” Rosemary said dryly. “But I think you’d have a different reaction.”
“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”
“Because mine is still alive,” she joked, raising her eyebrows. “It’s much easier to feel glad that you had a good experience knowing that the other woman is dead now.”
“How do you know she’s dead?” I asked innocently.
Rosemary froze.
“I’m fucking with you,” I assured her, smiling. “She was dead before your grandparents were born.”
“Well, mine isn’t,” she said primly, rising from her seat. “I saw him at the store last year.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, playing along as I leaned back in my chair. “Did you have the burning desire for another round?”
“I didn’t have a burning desire the first time,” she replied, rinsing her dishes. “I just wanted to know what all the fuss was about.”
“I’m sure that went well.”
“Two teenagers with no clue what they’re doing but a basic understanding of anatomy went pretty much as you’d imagine,” she replied, turning to face me. “But I figured out what worked eventually.”
“With the same boy?”
“Oh, hell no. He sucked. I found someone who knew what they were doing.” She pointed to my dishes. “Are you done?”
“I can clean them,” I assured her as I rose and took them to the sink. “So there’s no boyfriend I have to worry about showing up here, right?”
She scoffed, leaning against the counter beside me. “It’s a little late for that question, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t really think about it before,” I confessed. It was only the mention of her seeing an old boyfriend at the market that had reminded me that she had an entire life before we met, and that life included sexual partners.
“No boyfriend,” she replied. “I mean, I’ve had boyfriends, but no one current. With my job, I’m never in one place very long.”
“We can travel,” I told her as I washed my dishes and then hers. “If you want to. We don’t have to stay in one place if you’d rather—”