Something Fishy About Love (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 3)

The prince groaned and exchanged looks with Rodrigo. He knew that voice anywhere. It sounded awfully like the voice of reason in his own head. The voice he liked to squash under loud music and crowded parties.

“Vik, if you’re here to lecture me, you might as well forget it.” He turned around to see his brother watching him with a heavy brow. They shared many of the same features. A strong jawline, amber colored eyes, and tall athletic figures. But where Leo was blond, Viktor was dark.

“No lecture.” Viktor’s mouth twisted into a disproving frown. “But, you do realize that I was in the middle of drafting a formal treatise with the ogres? It’s taken centuries to get us this far. The ogres are nothing but overly suspicious and distrusting creatures. Your most recent poker game most likely set us back another half a millennium.”

“Hmm. And I wonder who told you about that mishap,” Leo replied, throwing a wry smile at the black cat standing next to him.

Rodrigo shrugged his furry shoulders and took a leap off the table, quickly disappearing into the crowded ballroom.

“What I’d really like to discuss is the possibility of you taking on more royal duties,” Viktor said, lifting a goblet of red liquid to his lips. “More supernatural creatures are flocking to Monstrana every day. We’ve also had official delegations from parties wishing to claim their own sovereignty. I’d like to hear them out, but I simply haven’t had time to consider all the requests. I need your help.”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.” Leo snatched a cigar from the table and ran it under his nose, sniffing the exotic tobacco. “Doesn’t sound like my kind of thing.”

“And what exactly is your kind of thing?” Viktor’s eyes flashed. “Illicit poker games and getting into tight scrapes with nefarious sorts?”

He clapped his brother on the back and grinned. “Exactly.”

His eyes wandered across the room until they landed on a particularly alluring sight. A slender woman dressed in a stunning aqua dress stood next to the punch table. She had ivory skin with a warm, beige undertone, thick black hair coiled into a bun behind her left ear, and dark eyes that seemed to be taking note of every person in the room. Her lips were painted red and every time she moved, her dress shimmered like fish scales. Leo straightened his back and dropped the cigar back on the

table.

“If you’ll excuse me, brother, I have someone I need to meet.”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed. “Fine. But don’t think I’m dropping this. It’s about time you stepped up in your duties as a vampire prince of Monstrana.”

“Definitely. Later. Whatever you say.”

Leo had already drifted toward the crowd, his eyes glued to the stunning stranger. She couldn’t be a vampire. He knew every royal vampiress in attendance, thanks to his grandmother. She had to be some other fantastic creature. Who she was, he couldn’t be sure.

But he needed to find out.

?

Eina shifted uncomfortably in her dress and fingered the goblet of water in her hand. So far, her infiltration of the royal wedding had been a bust. As much as she enjoyed seeing the surprisingly gorgeous werewolf princess walk down the aisle toward her beaming fiancé, she hadn’t found a single clue that would help her people of Aestus become a recognized kingdom.

If anything, her disgust in the rulers of Monstrana had grown deeper at the obvious exhibition of wealth and privilege. They got to enjoy their freedom while her mermaid sisters struggled for a hold on the world’s supernatural stage. It made her want to dump her glass on the next person who approached her.

“Good evening.” A masculine voice caused Eina to stiffen. Its owner touched her lightly on the elbow, causing waves of electricity to shoot up her arm. “I don’t suppose we’ve met? I could’ve sworn I knew all the ladies in attendance today. Are you here with someone?”

Eina gulped and turned to find herself lost in a pair of amber eyes. She blinked three times and managed to steady herself with a nearby table. A tall, attractive blond man with a teasing grin stared down at her. He had light skin and a black tux that fit his toned figure in all the right ways. Something about the way he was looking at her made her skin flush.

“No, it’s just me.” She cleared her throat, desperate for her brain to start working again. It hadn’t occurred to her to come up with an excuse for being there. She’d assumed she’d just slip into the crowds, unnoticed. “But I do have an invitation. Do you need to see it?”

He chuckled and dropped his hand from her elbow. “No, I’m not the palace guard. I just needed an excuse to introduce myself to you. Lame pick-up line, I’m afraid.”

She let out a nervous laugh and inwardly thanked her lucky sea stars. That had been a complete bluff, of course. She didn’t have an invitation.

Did royal weddings even need invites or did anyone with an overwhelming sense of self-importance just feel the supernatural urge to attend? She wouldn’t be surprised.

“I’m Leo.” He held out his hand.

After a brief moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in his. “Eina.”

He wrapped his long, slender fingers around hers and gently pulled them toward his lips, leaving a searing kiss on the top of her hand. She blushed and pulled away, averting her eyes.

“Can you believe all this ruckus?” Leo settled in next to her as if he hadn’t noticed her sudden shyness. “For a wedding? Seems like a waste.”

She glanced at him from under her dark eyelashes and smirked. “No kidding. Think of all the poor supernaturals in captivity they could’ve rescued by utilizing the budget of this event. It’s a shame.”