Wicked Matrimony (Legends and Lovers)

I trail behind, listening to them bicker back and forth. She’s upset he slept with her cousin. He claims he was drunk, which to me is not a good excuse for infidelity. There’s zero excuse for it.

She yells and yells, leading him further and further away from civilization. If I’m going to take my prey, I need to act soon.

“Who are you?” the man asks as I move out of the shadows.

“I’m your worst nightmare,” I say back.

The man scoffs as the woman turns around. Her dirty-blonde hair hangs in her eyes as she tries to get a good look at me. She pushes it off her forehead and then glares at her boyfriend. “He’s good-looking. I’ll sleep with him to get back at you,” she says with a voice that’s been tarnished from years of cigarette smoke.

Her boyfriend rolls his eyes. “Charlene, that guy wouldn’t fuck you for all the money in the world.” He tilts his head at me. “Do you have money?” He steps closer, like he’s thinking I might be a good victim to rob.

I’m not.

I don’t answer. There’s simply no need to respond.

Charlene smiles, showcasing two missing teeth in her bottom row. “We like money.”

“Who doesn’t?” I ask. “Tell me, Charlene. Do you have family waiting for you back home?” I’d love to sit around and take my time with them, follow them to see if there is indeed a family waiting at home, people who would look for them, but the clock is ticking.

“She’s got a sister in the States.”

“Perfect.” Before either of them can do anything else, I move like lightning, streaking across and knocking both out. Thanks to my superhuman abilities, within minutes, I place them in the back of my car. The excitement makes my adrenaline pump, and I smile at the memory of hunting.

I’ve only hunted a few times in my life as a vampire, but I’ll never forget the thrill. Sometimes, it makes me want to return to the old ways. The time before missing people caused a team of police to hunt down their attacker.

I drive the unconscious couple back to my palace.

Viggo waits for me in the driveway. “Rao just arrived.”

I nod. “Please take my present for Rao to the forest.”

“Sure thing.”

I make my way into the castle and head toward the main living room, not wanting to leave Rao alone with Allison for too long.

Twelve

Allison

* * *

Rao’s fascinating in an emo punk way—thick black hair swept back on his head and wearing a slim-fitting burgundy suit—but the way his haunting green eyes stare at me leaves an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I wish Draven would return. Why would he leave when he knew he had Rao coming?

“I see Draven’s done some redecorating,” Rao says, glancing at the new navy rugs and cream-colored furniture with sunny yellow pillows. “It’s very… cheerful.”

I smile politely. “We felt the old decor was a bit dated.”

“That’s definitely true.” Rao moves closer, and I stiffen, afraid he’s going to sit right next to me on the couch. His musky cologne tickles my nose, and I swear he’s staring at my body like he wants to devour me. He drops into the armchair, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“How long was the journey to get here?” I ask, attempting small talk.

“Not long. Draven mentioned you were a student in college,” he says, changing the subject.

I nod. “That’s right. History major.”

His thick eyebrow arches. “I love it. Smart girls are sexy.”

“Draven should be home any minute,” I say, twisting my fingers in my lap, feeling like I should dash out of here.