Page 152 of Vampires of Eden

The tall woman nods politely toward me and I return the gesture. With his coat off, Ansväd takes a moment, assessing me, then Alexander. “It’s remarkable that the two of you have crossed paths once more, and at this precise junction in life. It also seems as if you are getting along… quite well.”

The subtle emphasis he’s placed on the word ‘quite’ makes me tense. Oh God, am I carrying Alexander’s scent?

Fuck.

My nature is weak and difficult to sense, so I was hoping there wouldn’t be any chance he’d successfully mark?—

“We are.”

My eyes flicker wildly to Alexander from the cool sound of his voice. He slips his hands into his pockets, utterly relaxed. “We had a rough start, and Daniel pretended like he didn’t remember me at all. But I think he’s warming up to me. Little by little.”

I scowl, but then quickly fix my face as both Kendrick men regard me, scrutinizing. Warming up to him? What am I—a second stray cat that he’s snuck into the house?

“Aust vie ÿonkra pest, nan?” Ansväd glances over at Alexander from the corners of his eyes, unexpectedly speaking in the traditional northern Eden tongue. I can’t understand it, but I recognize the guttural sounds when I hear them, which is very rare.

Alexander huffs in amusement and shrugs. “Saud.”

Um, excuse me?

“Well I, for one, am pleased to have you here,” Ansväd says, flipping back to his polished Central Eden dialect and stepping toward the long hallway behind us. “Shall we eat, gentlemen? Daniel, I’d love to hear about how you’ve been keeping yourself busy these past several years. If you’ll indulge me, of course.”

I will not. Especially not about Josefina and being kept as a blood-obsessed pet in her bedroom for six years. “Yes, your grace.”

Ansväd walks forward. Alexander and I follow. Alexander keeps his hands in his pockets but glances down at mine as we move. Like a child that’s considering reaching for and snatching a cookie.

Nervous and wary as hell, I fold my hands tightly behind my back.

CHAPTER 36

Alexander

My father has three loves in his life.

The first is music. The symphony orchestra and the Royal Opera House occupy the majority of his attention. Left to his own devices and given true freedom, Ansväd Kendrick would spend all of his waking hours consuming classical and operatic music, traveling the world to see performances in historical theaters. Rubbing elbows with industry elites. Scouting new talent.

He cannot spend all of his time this way, because he had the misfortune of being born as the sole heir to the illustrious Kendrick Clan of Eden. A devastating burden he has quietly shouldered his entire life, but is visible to anyone who pays close enough attention.

His second love, arguably, is me. I’m okay with this—that my father has a life, passions and interests outside of being my parent. It feels healthy? I also appreciate his support and general thoughtfulness of me. A kindness that he himself did not receive as part of his upbringing.

The third love is Eve, or Evie, as he affectionately calls her. Eve is his long-term maidservant whom, given other circumstances, would likely be his mate. Eve is purebred and also hails from thenorthern mountains, but her family lacked social position and power. In the days of Ansväd’s youth, only the most elite of the elite had other purebreds as servants. It was the ultimate status symbol for their time.

My mother and father get along well enough, but anyone with eyes can see that they are ill matched. Ansväd is mostly introverted, careful to react and calm in his temperament. Victoria, my mother, is a firecracker, but keeps her cards close to her chest. She often projects one thing, but is thinking something else entirely. Genetically, my impressive poker face is courtesy of her.

Loveless arrangements and weak bonds are common in Eden. It took my parents a year to form a mated bond. That’s the average, I think. If a couple doesn’tcompletelyhate each other, anyway.

“This vineyard sounds impressive,” Father observes, setting his napkin on the table and having finished his lunch. “I have not visited any of the outer villages in years. It sounds as if you and Leoni have a lot on your hands.”

“We do, but gradually, we’re receiving more local support,” Daniel assures him. Briefly, he glances at me from across the table before refocusing on my father. Danny never lets his gaze settle on me for more than a few seconds before he diverts his attention elsewhere. Like I’m a ghost that only he can see and he’s desperately trying to ignore me.

“It’ll take time to rebuild the vineyard to where it’s thriving and profitable again,” Danny goes on, “but we believe in what we’re doing and the good it can contribute to the community.”

“They invited me to spend some time on the vineyard last week for a potential partnership,” I interject, folding my arms over my chest. “I’ve gone to the weekend markets with them several times too, and the wine is popular. I’m thinking this could be a great long-term investment.”

“An investment for you and Eden as a whole, I imagine,” Father says. “Investing within the businesses and goods of the outer villages could help to address the other crucial issues weface. The concerns we broached in the last board meeting, specifically.”

“I think so too,” I confirm. “It’s a good place to start.”

“Well done,” Father says. “I trust in your judgement fully, as always. So, is this how the two of you reconnected?”