Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“Remember about that botched matchmaking attempt of my Papou?”
Her eyes widen. “You mean to say—”
I nod gloomily. “I never told you his name because it just...I just didn’t think it mattered. But at that time, I had no idea he wasn’t even human—”
“And you still didn’t, even after That Day,” she concludes with a sigh, “since you never really thought they were a big deal.”
“I’ve always believed in Big Foot—”
Anastasia chokes out a laugh. “I know you mean well, but I don’t think preters in general will appreciate hearing that.”
Oh. Okay. Really?
I look at Anastasia, remembering this time how she was raised by and knew of preters even before That Day. She’s the only person I know with any connection to that side of the world, so...
“Can I—”
“Ask me about the Leopard King?”
I nearly fall out of my chair. Unbelievable! Could the Leopard King have lied? Could Anastasia also have lied to me all this time? Was it possible that they could read minds and—
“Stop right there,” Anastasia says with a laugh.
“Stop what?”
“I can’t read your mind, okay? But your face, on the other hand...”
My face?
What does she mean—oh, right.
I make a face, and Anastasia laughs anew. It pains me to admit this, but I’ve heard that more often than I wanted to ever since coming to work in Hollywood. It’s actually cost me a stunt gig here and there because I can’t act for the life of me, and that’s kinda bad when a) I’m supposed to double for an actor and b) I have to pretend I’m acrophobic when the camera pans my way.
“So, the snow leopards huh?” Anastasia’s expression turns thoughtful. “They’re not a member of L’Alliance, for one.”
Really?
“I thought that wasn’t optional?”
“It always was, and that’s how it has to be since only bad things happen when you force any preter race to do something.”
“But why would they not want to join? Isn’t it, like, all pros and no cons?”
“I guess you can say they’re more like Caros that way?”
“I see.” I actually don’t, but I’d rather not reveal my ignorance.
“You don’t really see, do you?”
I grin sheepishly, and Anastasia rolls her eyes. “Seriously, Sam. You need to know more about preters, if only so you could protect yourself in case you’re attacked by a vampire.”
“But we live in one of the safest cities in America—”
“But not vampire-proof,” she says soberly. “There’s no such place these days.”
“I always have my anti-vampire spray from House Bellecourt if that helps?”
“It’s better than nothing, I suppose,” Anastasia allows with a wrinkle of her nose.
“So...” I try not to look a little too eager. “Anything else you can say about the snow leopards?”
“Don’t you mean Hexius?” she teases.
“You can’t blame me for being curious,” I say defensively. “He didn’t show an ounce of hesitation in rejecting me six years ago. But now, all of a sudden, he wants to marry me?”
“I’m actually rather surprised he was very...controlled about the entire situation. Shifters would normally go berserk if they find their prospective mate—”
Whoa. Who’s she calling a prospective mate?
“In a speed dating event—”
“You’re the reason I was there in the first place,” I protest.
“Correction: you were there because you lost a bet, and the bet was also your idea.”
Oh, right. It really bothers me sometimes when I see her looking all wistful over the foster brother she’s been in love with her entire life. I honestly thought I could get her to join the speed dating thing to make her forget Stefano, but...what I didn’t foresee was me losing a bet because innocent-looking Anastasia is actually a pro in playing Texas Hold ‘Em.
Moral lesson: never judge a book by its cover...because the fairytale-looking-ones can actually be something that reads more like a gritty action-packed suspense.
“I asked him, you know,” I hear myself admit. “About why he rejected me in the first place.”
“Oh, Sam.” Anastasia gives my hand a supportive squeeze. “That’s just so like you, and that’s what makes me look up to you but also fear for you at the same time.”
“He told me that the ‘easy’ reason—” I make air quotes around the word for emphasis. “—is That Day didn’t happen yet, and so having a human wife was an unnecessary inconvenience.”
“That’s...understandable.”
“But he also told me he has another reason, and it’s because at that time...he was in love with someone else.”
Anastasia blinks. “Oh.”
Oh, indeed.
My roommate props her elbow on the table between us, her features turning somber as she settles her chin on her palm. “Like I said, no one really knows much about the snow leopards in general. And I’ve certainly never heard anything about any girl—shifter, human, or otherwise—linked to him. Just like no one also knows why Alphonse stepped down as alpha shortly after That Day.”
So that’s why it’s Hexius who’s the King now...
“But what we can reasonably conjecture is why he wants you as a mate.”