Page 62 of Fangs for the Memories (Budapest Bites #1)

“ W hoops!”

The scarf floats to the floor in the liquid way silk moves. I clutch at my pregnant belly as I attempt to bend down to pick it up.

“Don’t you dare!” Katya growls at me, swooping in to snatch it off the floor before she folds it expertly and places it on the shelf I was aiming for.

“Thank you.” I sigh. “I feel so pregnant.”

“You are so pregnant.” She laughs. “Will you please sit down before Ferenc has my hide?”

The bell on the door tinkles, and she goes to serve the next customer. The bell on my door, of my boutique just off Vaci Ucta.

The one I bought after I sold what I had in the UK. The little shop which Ferenc found for me, and helped me stock, all while insisting what was his was mine.

A shop which has attracted plenty of attention from the monster community, and one which allowed me to poach Katya from her job as senior manager to being my shop manager.

Partly, because I’ve long realized doing everything myself is a false economy and having her here means I can spend more time traveling to all sorts of amazing places in both Hungary and the rest of Europe to source my vintage clothing.

And, of course, because I’m going to give birth very soon. Probably in another four weeks, although I wish it were sooner, given I’m the size of a house. Plus, today I had to give Ferenc the slip because he wants me to stay home.

But I know I’ll be as bored as hell, so I got Viktor to bring me into town so I could potter around for a while. I just got a shipment from my Paris trip, so I have it to sort out.

With Katya occupied, I make my way into the back.

The boutique is situated in a small, intimate arcade which dates from the Art Nouveau era, and I make my way through the small store room, into the pretty atrium and climb the winding staircase to the first floor where I have an airy set of rooms which I use to decant everything, check for damage, wash if necessary, and put to the side if anything needs mending.

I absolutely love it because it looks out onto the busy shopping street below and I can people watch.

Baby gives me a hearty kick as I enter. Enough to have me sitting down to catch my breath. I rub a hand over my stomach in the hope we can avoid a further interruption, but this little (or not so little) one is pretty busy.

A waft of coffee hits me, and baby does yet more somersaults, because I bloody love coffee, yet unless it’s decaf, I can’t stomach it at all.

“What did I say?” Ferenc steps out from behind a rack of clothes.

“You said I shouldn’t exert myself, and I’m not,” I say emphatically, walking over to a box of assorted dresses and rummaging through them.

“I said Katya can deal with the shop and I want you in my arms where I can pleasure and mate you.” He walks up behind me, wrapping arms around some of my body.

“I don’t recall.”

He shoves his face into the crook of my neck, lapping at the now faded claiming mark and sending shivers through me.

“If I didn’t, I should have because that’s what I want.”

“I thought you were busy.”

“You thought Viktor wouldn’t tell on you.”

“I will have to have words with that gargoyle.”

Ferenc’s lips hit mine. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to how his passionate kisses turn my insides to liquid, and I’m absolutely sure I don’t want to.

“But not before I bring you all the pleasure you deserve, kedves.”