Page 74 of Blood Owed (Blood Mafia 1)
“What are you having?”
My food sours in my mouth as I finish chewing. “Fettuccine, you know that already though, you’re the one who ordered it for me. Why are you watching me?”
Silence.
I take a bite of my breadstick. “You know,” I say, pointing my breadstick toward the ceiling. “It’s rude to ignore someone when they talk to you, especially if you’ve exchanged blood with the person.”
“Is that so?” There’s a lightness to his voice and I imagine him smiling.
I nod and take a drink of my water. “Yup, but I guess you’re used to being an asshole, so I can’t say I’m surprised.”
The answering silence puts a smug smile on my face. I’m mad at Mateo for playing games. He’s up to something, holding the truth from me while he grooms me to be his pet or something equally nefarious. It doesn’t matter how hot he is, I will not be sleeping with that asshole.
The speaker crackles when Mateo clears his throat. “Chapter One.”
I pause mid-bite. “What are you doing?”
“Reading you my favorite book.”
“Don’t tell me. Dracula?”
His scoff is barely audible through the speaker. “No, it’s not Dracula. This book is called Van Helsing’s Revenge.”
I take a bite, intrigued as to why the vampire’s favorite book would be about an infamous vampire hunter. The world is fictional of course, but still, Mateo is a vampire. They hate vampire hunters. Well, technically, Spike loved Buffy, but I digress.
He hasn’t started back up, so I wave my fork around to saycarry on.
If he insists on interrupting my dinner, he may as well read to me. Otherwise I’m liable to say something I’ll regret.
“Chapter One, Primary Laws Never to be Forgotten.
There are two laws when it comes to vampires. The first, and most important, always sever the head and burn the body if you wish to kill them. The second, vampires are emotionally incapable of love.
My sister, Beatrice, learned that lesson the hard way the day she fell for a man named Mikael. She had no way of knowing he was a vampire when they met, seeing as her training hadn’t yet begun, and Mikael used her ignorance against her. After several meetings, he revealed his true nature to her. My sister loved to go against the grain, and as such, believed Mikael could love her, even as a vampire. She didn’t want to believe the truth taught to our family for generations.
She was wrong. Very, very wrong. I was the one who happened upon her lifeless body, only moments after Mikael drained her dry. Had I been faster, keener as I am now, I could have saved her. I was mourning over her body when she began to stir, rousing from her death.
My heart hardened as I reached for my sword—”
“Wait, wait, wait,” I say, interrupting Mateo. “Beatrice, sister of the notorious Van Helsing, fell in love with a vampire and let him turn her?”
“Those are the words written in the book.” Mateo’s deep voice bleeds through the speakers.
“Why would she do that?”
I hear him sigh.
“I don’t know her motivations, Demetria. Shall I continue?”
I set aside my fork, grab a breadstick, and lean back against the arm of the couch, settling in for the story.
Mateo continues reading. He’d make a wonderful audiobook narrator, especially if that means I’d never have to see his face again.
“Demi, wake up.” Mateo’s voice is louder than it was when I nodded off, and I blink to clear the sleep from my eyes.
Van Helsing killed his sister, then sought vengeance on Mikael. Mateo had just started a chapter about the best way to cut a head from a body when I drifted off.
“What’d I miss?” I ask, yawning and stretching my arms over my head. A few breadcrumbs tumble down my shirt.
