Page 23 of The Reluctant Heir

I reach a hand over to touch her arm. “Still, I am glad you brought me. I know you must have conflicted emotions when it comes to me, but I’d like for us to get along. We’re family.”

Her face softens. “I’d like for us to get along too. I know you have a mother, but I wouldn’t mind taking the role of your stepmother.”

My heart swells at her words. “Good. Because I have a feeling I’m going to need a second mom during my time here. I am in a whole new world here, but knowing that I’ve got family helps.”

Her smile widens into something dazzling.

Is Eden part succubus? Because she’s charming. It’s easy to see why my dad married her. However, I still wonder about his affair. Right now doesn’t seem like a good time to ask, though. Maybe once I get to know Dad and Eden better, I can question them.

After spending all of Friday night getting prepared for the ball, I thought Saturday would go a lot smoother, but I am woken up before the sun even sets.

A loud knock on the door wakes me up and I groan as I look at the clock and see that it’s four in the afternoon. What good vampire gets up this early?

Still, I push myself out of bed and make my way to the door. When I open it a crack, the light from the hallway comes in. I squeeze my eyes shut as they water at the bright light.

“Madeline, I have a team coming to help you get ready for the ball. They’ll be here soon. You may want to shower and have breakfast first. I’ll meet you in the dining room in thirty minutes,” Eden says, her voice sounding bright.

I force my eyes open. “You’re much too cheerful.”

She chuckles. “I’m always up at this time during the winter months. I haven’t always been a vampire, you know? I was born human and I find that I miss the sun.”

Born human?

My eyes widen. “You were born a human?”

She nods. “I’ll tell you about it over breakfast. Get your shower.”

I turn to do as she says. As I shower, I wonder exactly what else there is left to do.

Yesterday was an all day ordeal. It started with shopping, we got our nails done and even visited a spa to get a facial. I’ve never been so pampered in my life. Though to be fair, my mother did try to take me to a spa once. It was run by a succubus and she kept making comments about how I must’ve gotten my looksfrom my vampire father because my mother was so gorgeous and I didn’t take after her. I never wanted to visit a spa after that, but now I know that I’ve been missing out because that wasgreat.

Since I imagine somebody will be fixing my hair for me, I slip on a dress with a loose neckline that will make it easy to take off later. I slip my phone into my pocket and head to the dining hall. Eden gets there about the same time as me. Dad and Julien are both missing, but I doubt they have to get up quite as early as us.

Uh, boys have it so easy. I imagine all Julien has to do is shower, run his fingers through his hair, and put on a suit. Meanwhile, I’ll be tortured with curling irons and hairspray. Yippee.

I slide into the chair across from Eden and a servant brings us both a plate of food.

“You were going to tell me about how you were born a human,” I say, taking a bite of my eggs. I’m not hungry, but I know I’ll regret it later if I don’t try to eat something. I have a feeling that it’s going to be alongday.

Eden takes a long sip from her wine glass which is full of blood. “It’s not that exciting. My father was a vampire, my mother was human. He fell in love with her and they got married. My mother didn’t want to be a vampire—I think the idea of drinking blood turned her off. They had my older brother first, then me. My brother was born a vampire, I was born a human.”

“I didn’t know vampires were compatible with humans in that way,” I admit, knowing a succubus or an incubus can’t have children with humans. I thought it was that way for most supernaturals.

She shrugs. “It’s possible but it’s not exactlysafe. My mother died during childbirth when I was three. My father didn’t wantme to fall victim to the same fate, so he changed me when I was sixteen.”

“Against your will?” My eyes widen in horror.

She nods. “I think if I were given the choice, I would’ve eventually chosen this life. It’s all I knew. But being turned against my will made me bitter. It wasn’t until after Lucien was born that I forgave my father for what he did. I realized, when I held Lucien in my arms, I would do whatever it took to ensure his safety. It’s why my dad forced the change on me. Humans are fragile.”

I grin at that.

Humans aren’t exactlyfragile,though maybe they are compared to supernaturals. They don’t have our increased healing and are more impervious to accidents as they don’t have our magic and increased speed and strength. Though, to be fair, succubi and incubi don’t have those things. The only magic they have is their charm and beauty.

Eden clears her throat and leans forward. “I know that I told you why this ball is being held, but I want to make sure that you truly understand.”

My stomach sinks. “It’s about introducing me to eligible men. I’m the fattened calf, right?”

She chokes on her sip of blood.

---