Page 4 of The Reluctant Heir

MISSING HEIR

Istare at the man whoclaimsto be my father.

I want to deny it, but I look like the guy. The more I stare at him, the more I see the similarities. And more than that, I can feel a connection between the two of us. This must be a vampire thing because I’ve never felt anything like this before.

But then I remember that I’m twenty three and this is the first time I’ve ever met the guy.

“I don’t have a father.” I try to say the words boldly, but my voice quivers, ruining the illusion of confidence.

Why do I have to be more like a vampire than a succubus?

“You are… more beautiful in person.”

In person?

He must see the question on my face because he says, “Your mother sends me pictures.”

Mymothersends him pictures? The same mother who claims she doesn’t have a way to get in contact with my father? She told me she forgot his last name so there was no possible way I could meet him when I was a kid.

“Can I come in?” He stuffs his hands into the front pockets of his pants.

I sigh, pushing my door open wider in an invitation. I don’t wait to see if he comes inside, I just turn and head toward the living room. I sit back down on my couch, grab my book from the floor, and put it on the coffee table. He sits down in the chair opposite me.

“You have a nice place,” he comments, looking around the small space.

I tuck my hair behind my ear, feeling self conscious about my apartment. “I thought about getting a house, but it seemed like a waste of money to have a big space just to live alone.”

He nods like it’s sensible. “Your mother tells me that you work for your grandfather.”

I nod. “I do.”

“Do you like it?”

I shrug, not answering either way. I just met the guy and telling him about my job feels a little too personal.

“Your mother said you stay up at night,” the guy… my dad… no,Michael, says. Even if my head, I can’t refer to him as ‘Dad.’ It doesn’t feel right.

“I haven’t been around a lot of vampires, but I get the feeling that I’m more like a vampire than I am a succubus.” I chew on my bottom lip, wondering if I should’ve admitted that to him.

He grins. “Do you drink blood?”

I shake my head. “I can’t stomach it.”

He leans back in his chair. “Interesting.”

“What else did my mother tell you about me?” I ask, curious just what she’s been saying behind my back.

“Your mother doesn’t know I’m here,” Michael informs me. “She’d probably be pretty perturbed if she knew. I think it’s why she waited until you were eighteen to tell me you exist—she’s worried you’d want to live with the vampires.”

She didn’t tell him about me until I was eighteen?

I can’t think aboutthatright now, even if she was probably right. I imagine I would’ve gone to live with my dad, especially when I hit my teenage years. Things got rough, going to a school full of succubi and incubi. I was the only hybrid in the entire school. To say that I didn’t fit in was an understatement.

I cross my legs, waiting for him to say something else because I’m not sure what to say. I spent my entire childhood hoping he would show up. Now that I’m an adult and have accepted that I would probably never meet my biological father, he’s sitting on my couch. My mind is racing with the prospect. What am I even supposed to do or say right now?

“I was going to respect her wishes to not contact you, but I didn’t have a choice.” Michael leans forward. “My heir, your older brother, is missing.”

My brother? I have a brother?

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