Page 29 of Tempting the Dhampir

After packing, Everett carries our bags down to a waiting car. I assumed it was a taxi, but then I notice how big and luxurious it is.

A bulky male stands by the open back door, his tawny skin glowing in the tropical weather, the sun reflecting off his bald head.

I don’t know how I can tell, but now that I’m aware monsters live among us, he strikes me as not wholly human. He looks like he spends a lot of time lifting heavy stuff in the gym and probably eats a diet consisting mostly of protein.

With eyes crinkling in the corners, he offers us a genuine smile. “Mr. Ülavere, Miss Everly,” he greets us in a warm, gravelly bass.

I raise a brow at Everett, mouthing, “Ülavere?”

He nods with a light cherry shade staining his cheeks.

Turning back to the large male still standing stoically next to the car, I smile at him in return. “Good morning, please call me Sadie,” I say, offering my hand.

His gentle grip dwarfs my hand. He exudes kindness, and despite his towering size, I instantly feel safe and comfortable with him.

“Pleased to meet you, Sadie. I’m Pierce.”

Everett places a hand on the small of my back and says, “Go ahead and get comfortable. I need to discuss something with Pierce real quick.”

I scoot into the back while they exchange some words and then load our bags in the trunk before Everett joins me.

Pierce closes the door after him, enclosing us in the back with the privacy partition in place.

Once the car starts moving, I shift in my seat and turn fully to Everett. Whispering fiercely, I ask, “Are you like rich rich?”

“Define rich.” He leans back oh so casually.

“That’s something only rich people say.” I point an accusing finger at him.

“You could say I come from a wealthy family. Most of the Vegas Strip is owned by vampires. I’m a bit of a black sheep since I’m a dhampir and not a ‘pure’ vampire.” His shrug is apathetic, but I can taste the bitterness in his statement.

“Uh, what? Own? The Vegas Strip? Vampires?” My voice rises with every word, my incredulity growing with its volume. Then, in a whisper, I add, “Does Pierce know about all that? Is it safe to talk about that here?”

“Oh, Pierce knows almost everything about my life. He’s a golem and has worked for me right from the start. Good male, very kind, very loyal.”

I blink. Then blink some more.

“It’s going to take me some time to process this. My brain kind of feels like it’s melting. Any other necessary information you need to divulge before my brain shuts down completely?”

“A couple of things,” Everett admits with a barely perceptible cringe. “Do you want them in quick succession or revealed piece by piece over the span of the journey to Vegas?”

Vegas.

It just hit me: I’m on my way to a new city with a supernatural being I met yesterday, who is apparently very rich and incredibly handsome and a wonderful flirt. And I don’t know for how long.

“You better tell me in quick succession because I’m gonna start spinning out very soon.”

“Okay. We’re on our way to a small airport where we will board my plane. Flight will be about six hours. Once we’re in the air, I’ll most likely have a bunch of phone calls to make and messages to respond to since I’ve been out of reach while on the island. Please don’t take my preoccupation personally, but I am expecting to have a couple of pressing matters I have to see to. Once we land, I’ll drive us to my hotel, where I’ve arranged a suite for us to share. Don’t worry, it has two bedrooms. Because of the distance limit, I thought it would be better for us to stay there instead of at my place. I’ll also do all my work from the suite, so it’ll be more convenient for you to move around and explore the area given our distance limit. Considering how many floors up we’ll be, we’re going to have to experiment to see how far our range is without hitting that invisible wall. Let’s see, what else?”

Everett crosses his arms and worries his bottom lip with a long canine. “Pierce will see to it that your flight is canceled and make sure you are reimbursed. I tend to keep to a night schedule, seeing as vampires don’t do daylight and most of my business is with them. But it’s July in Vegas—you don’t want to be out in the daytime much anyway.

“If there is a show you want to see, a restaurant you want to try, ask me, and I’ll arrange it. If you need anything from me, I’ll make myself available for you. Day or night. Anytime. I promise to try to make this adjustment as easy and comfortable for you as possible.”

“Huh?” My mouth hangs open, my blinking unnaturally slow.

“Do you need me to repeat some of that?” Amusement plays at the corners of his mouth.

I shake my head. “No. Maybe. I don’t know. Hotel? Like you work at a hotel?”

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