Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“I did notice a symbol on the shifter’s jacket. Looked like some kind of hourglass. What would that mean, though?” Xavier asked. “And what would they want with Blake?”
I didn’t necessarily enjoy being talked about like I wasn’t around. “Ransom?” I suggested. “I’m not the least valuable target. Maybe they’re making some kind of move.”
“True,” Dawn said. She looked out the glass. My run this morning had shown me we weren’t as isolated as I thought we were. This desert mansion gave off the illusion of exclusivity. I had to remind myself that these glass walls weren’t surrounded by any sort of fences or protection.
Although I didn’t discount the four dragons and one vampire that currently surrounded me. That was way more protection than any kind of fence would ever provide.
I allowed my shoulders to drop, but I still bit my nails.
“A move so out in the open?” Warrick asked. His thick-rimmed black glasses sat low on his nose. He was the sibling I’d gotten closest to in the last month I’d been with them. He was lighter, a little less guarded than the others. The entire Blackthorne family welcomed me, but Warr felt like a long-lost best friend. And that was nice.
“This could have been a probe,” Damien suggested.
Robby scrunched his face. “A dumb one.” He was a handsome man, with that texture-less face all vampires had. His fangs were notable when he spoke. They got a bad reputation for their initial arrival from the Tears, when their blood-thirst had caused a mass murder of unsuspecting humans, Marvels, and fae. But over time, most of them integrated into society without an issue.
The shifters and dragons didn’t cause nearly as much of a stir.
“It just doesn’t make much sense.” Dawn sat back in her chair.
“And you said they were about to kill Blake?” Robby asked.
“That’s what it looked like, although one did mention something about grabbing me,” Xavier said.
The room spun a bit. I wiggled my toes and took a deep breath, grounding myself. He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. Did I have a tell? How did he know I was freaking out?
Maybe my masks weren’t as solid as I assumed.
My phone started to vibrate against my thigh. I pulled it out, already guessing who was on the other line.
I was right. It was my father.
I stood, the room’s attention shifting in my direction. I swallowed audibly. “Dad’s calling. Have to take this.” I pointed toward the hall
“Let’s go,” Xavier said at my side. He stood nearly a foot taller than me. At first, I found his height a little imposing, but now—especially now—it was becoming a comfort.
I answered the call. “Blake?” My dad’s voice was tense. He’d learn to keep his emotions in check, but I could always tell.
“Hey, Dad, I’m okay.” I heard him let go of the breath he’d been holding. Xavier had already briefed him, but my father was a worrier. Xavier and I stopped in the hallway. One of the walls was made of the natural tan stone rock, and the other was all glass. “Those self-defense classes came in handy. And so did my dragon buddy.”
Xavier shot me a wink. I started to blush.
Probably a side effect of the adrenaline.
“Okay, good, son. When I heard the news, I was about to get on the plane and head straight to you.”
“Thanks, Dad, but I’m fine. Does anyone know who these people are? What they’re after?”
There was a moment of silence. I could hear papers rustling in the background, one of his aides trying to get his attention. My dad was likely in his office. He shooed them away. “We don’t know yet. I’m looking into it, but as of right now, it seems random.”
The way he said it didn’t really instill much confidence in me. What did my dad know that I didn’t?
Likely a whole lot of shit. Just because I was the vice president’s son didn’t entitle me to a top secret clearance.
“With that said, I want you returning to the White House. I feel it might be safer here right now.” A small jolt of disappointment hit my heart. “I’ll have you and Xavier flown back tomorrow.” The jolt lessened with that clarification.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I’ve got classes starting next week.”
“I believe that should be put on pause too.”
Surprisingly, that didn’t send the same jolt. I definitely wasn’t excited to be walking around a wide-open campus, being sat inside an auditorium full of people. Too many opportunities for things to go wrong. And it wasn’t like I didn’t already have a degree. I’d graduated three years back with a bachelor’s in English and had only decided to take these summer classes and have something else to work toward.
I could do that next summer. As long as I wasn’t taken out by a pack of rabid shifters beforehand.