Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“There she is! The legendary Anna.” Roman zipped over and took my hand, placing a sloppy, ice-cold kiss on it.
Why were his lips freezing when Stark’s always felt so warm?
“It is an honor to meet you in person,” Roman said. He was a short man compared to Stark, but Roman had a very beefy physique, almost like a roid-pumped bodybuilder.
Stark glared at me from behind Roman.
“Pleasure’s all mine,” I replied sweetly, retracting my hand and wiping off the slobber behind my back. My poor T-shirt.
Stark chimed in, “Roman and I were just discussing a way to evade war.”
“I heard,” I growled subtly. “Every word. And, Roman, you were right. You are…” I looked him up and down, “so good looking. You were once a supermodel, right?”
“One of the first.” He ran his hand over his perfectly combed strawberry-blond hair. “Male model of the year. 1880 to 1920.”
I didn’t react to his ridiculousness. “You are a man of true beauty. And I hear you are quite the fighter.”
“I am the best. At everything.” He winked. “I also have a black belt in tai chi.”
Okay. So Stark was afraid to fight him because it might be too relaxing?
Roman added, “But I am most famous for my strangulation technique. Some call me ‘the Python.’” He formed claws with his hands and hissed.
I call you an idiot.
“Excellent,” I said, throwing in some Southern sugar. “Then I say you and Stark fight. Hand-to-hand or fang-to-fang. Whatever. The one who wins will be my husband.”
“Masie!” Stark barked.
“Anna,” I corrected with a sharp look. The way I saw it, I wasn’t getting out of here alive. Not human, anyway. Not if I left my fate in their hands. At least Roman was dumb, and I could probably talk him into just about anything. Stark was cunning. Experienced. Ruthless. Also, he couldn’t stand losing. His ego was his Achilles’ heel.
Like Charlie’d said before he’d died, “…if you want us to win, then you need to use his feelings, his weaknesses, against him…”
If Stark won the fight, he’d be blinded and infuriated by my newly discovered spine. He’d understand that neither I nor Anna would bend to his will, and if we were going to team up, I had a say. A say I intended to use.
If Roman won, well, I wasn’t sure, but my money was on my bigger brain.
In short, I was doing as Stark had taught me: ensuring I came out on top no matter the outcome. The difference was, I didn’t want power or wealth for myself. I wanted to be in the best position possible to stop this nightmare.
“Mas—Anna,” Stark said, “may I speak to you privately?”
“As long as it’s all right with the Python here.” I giggled.
“Of course,” said Roman, “his words are no weapon against our destiny.” He blew me a kiss, and I pretended to catch it.
“Hee hee,” I fake laughed. “You are truly a gentleman. Unlike some.” I turned and left the room, heading upstairs toward the master.
Stark was right behind me, slamming the door shut. “What the hell are you doing? He is everything you loathe—no respect for you, this town, or your family,” Stark growled.
“Look who’s talking. At least if he wins, I’ll be free of you.”
Like a deflated balloon, Stark’s body shrank from his chest to his spine. “You want to be free…of me?”
“I heard every word, Stark. You weren’t fighting for me. You were bartering for your island. Using my life!” I hissed.
“Yes. Because we need that island. Otherwise, where will vampires go when you order them to retreat from public life?”
“What about me? Were you really just going to let him turn me?” I seethed.
“Did you not hear the part where you get to choose whom to be with?” Stark asked.
Ohmygod. He hadn’t listened to one word. Not one little bit about wanting to stay human if at all possible. He hadn’t even tried. In his mind, this was the best plan. The only plan.
“From the minute you entered my life,” I said, “I’ve been terrorized, tortured, imprisoned, and heartbroken. What you’ve put me through is worse than when Daddy died, when I could hardly breathe let alone keep myself from drinking a bottle of rat poison for breakfast.”
Stark’s eyes turned black—a shade I’d never seen before. “You said you were…fine. You had your family.” Stark sounded winded.
“I lied, okay!” I threw down my fists. “You were right. I did want to die after we lost Daddy. I couldn’t stand wakin’ up every morning, looking at Mamma and Maybell crying, knowing nothing would ever be right again.” The tears pooled in my eyes. “He left us poor, lost, and with a mother who couldn’t get out of bed. Jimmie helped us out with money, but Maybell and I fended for ourselves for years because Mamma couldn’t cope.”