Stark added, “Ralf’s recipe for his whiskey lives on today, as do his and Isabella Trehueger’s descendants. Isabella was the great-great-great—”
“I get it. She was related to Anna.”
“Not just related. She is, as are you, the descendant of the child Anna carried while we were together. Persimmon is the true reason Anna waited to be turned.”
Stark, a vampire, had been with Anna during this time. Meaning, Stark couldn’t be the father. “She got pregnant while you were with her?”
He nodded.
“Who was the father?”
“Some wandering minstrel—Anna enjoyed the arts in all their forms.”
“And you were okay with it?” I asked, knowing how jealous Stark could be.
“Why not? I got to watch. Very creative use of a lute. Also, I knew she wanted to have at least one child before she turned, and I could not give her that.”
“You people are weird.” Or maybe eccentricwas the right word.
“You meanyourpeople are weird. You are Anna’s only descendant.”
“What about Maybell?” I asked.
“I do not believe she possesses the Trehueger genes. She is not very bright.”
“Hey!” Also, that wasn’t how DNA worked. But whatever.
“I once caught her attempting to fly with cardboard strapped to her arms,” he explained.
“I’m sure that was a long time ago.” She and I always played dress-up as kids—fairies, princesses, supermodels, whatever. Even in our teens, we enjoyed a good costume party on Halloween. We still did.
“This was last month. In the warehouse. She even got out a ladder.”
Oh, Maybell.“She has a big imagination,” I said defensively, “and I don’t see how any of this is going to help us. Even if I’m related to the original Anna, I’m not…magnetic.” Or whatever he’d called her.
“That is what I am here for. I can teach you to speak like her, command the room, and, more importantly, induce the fear of God into the entirety of our vampire nation.”
Stark seemed really confident. “What if it doesn’t work? What if they all laugh at me?” I asked.
“Then you will lop off a few heads. That will get their attention.”
I wanted to go to my default of hemming and hawing, but there wasn’t time for that. “Fine. I’ll dowhatever I have to.” I paused. “How do I lop off a vampire head?”
Stark flashed his trademark charming smile, which included a dash of fang and a sprinkle of dimples. “I always knew you had it in you—the blood of a fierce fighter. Very hot.” He looked me up and down, a lusty gleam in his now blue eyes.
“Stop it.” I was not about to fall for his sexy tricks. “I need you to focus.”
“How can I? I am rock hard right now, and we are in my sex room.”
Not happening.Even if he looked deliciously muscular without his shirt on. His abs were so well-defined they could make a washboard green. Also, this bed was super comfy. Nice bounce.
“We are not going there, midnight cowboy,” I said. “You need to tell me when I’m going to address the vampire nation, what I should say, and provide instructions on this lopping thing. Also, I’m hungry.” I couldn’t remember the last time I ate.Still need to go grocery shopping. Darn it.
“I will cook for you.”
The last time he did that, I almost threw up. He’d claimed the recipes were from his mother and typical of his hometown, which is somewhere in northern Italy, but the man didn’t know his vittles from his rear end. “I’ll order a pizza.”
I slid past him and went for the door, ignoring how good it felt to have our bodies rub together. In a blur, he appeared in frontof me, blocking my exit.
