Page 119 of Blood and Buttercups

“He didn’t bite you, did he?” I scan her arms, but they look all right as well.

“I’m not in the business of offering handouts to just anyone,” Ethan says wryly.

Olivia casts a dark look at the vampire. “He didn’t bite me, no.”

“Shall we move to the living room?” Ethan asks pleasantly. “I have game systems and every streaming service imaginable. When the sun goes down, we can move to the pool. I thought I might grill tonight.”

This is so freaking weird. I just can’t.

“Put together a charcuterie board for us,” Ethan says to the maid who brought Olivia. “Don’t forget we have a pre-vamp and a human here this evening.”

“Yes, sir.” The dour woman is already moving toward the fridge. She wears a gray dress and a white apron, and I suspect she’s not a maid but a housekeeper.

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who actually employed one.

“I like to keep a selection of foods on hand for work colleagues,” Ethan says as he leads us into the living room. “Olives, pickles, a few vegetables and fruits.”

“That’s hospitable of you.” I try not to roll my eyes. “Do your colleagues know you’re a vampire?”

“No. They believe I’ve developed a severe sun allergy.”

Olivia looks at me while we walk, widening her eyes when our gazes meet. She’s obviously hoping I have a plan to get us out of here, but I am planless. All our hope rests on a two-hundred-year-old vampire, my probably livid ex-conservator, and my clueless brother.

We enter the living room. It’s gorgeous, naturally, with several overstuffed white fabric couches, mounds of throw pillows, and a few knitted blankets strategically draped around to give the space a cozy feel. There’s a stone fireplace, too, but it’s not cool enough for a fire.

Ethan’s television is massive. I couldn’t even guess the size, but it’s the largest I’ve ever seen.

“Do you think he’s compensating?” Olivia whispers so quietly I almost can’t make out the words.

I nearly bark out a laugh, but I manage to swallow it back.

“Make yourselves comfortable,” Ethan says. “If there’s anything you?—”

He’s cut off by a shrill electronic shriek. Dozens of alarms throughout the house join in the cacophony, the noise nearly deafening.

“Fire!” someone yells. “In the master bedroom!”

When Cassian said he had an idea, I thought he meant he had anewplan—not the one he first came up with.

“Put it out!” Ethan yells, running out of the room.

Olivia and I look at each other when we realize we’re alone.

“Let’s go,” I whisper urgently, already heading in the opposite direction of the chaos.

Olivia follows, accidentally knocking a ceramic bowl of pinecones onto the floor. Luckily, the rug keeps the bowl from breaking, and the fire alarms cover up the noise.

“Sorry.” She grimaces, leaning down to clean up the mess.

“What are you doing!” I exclaim, tugging on her arm. “Leave it—we need to get out of here.”

She follows, realizing I’m right. We escape the living room and end up in the front foyer. The clouds must be breaking. Daylight streams in through the opaque glass on either side of the door, beckoning us forward, promising if we can escape into its warm glow, we’ll be safe.

I yank the door open…and smack right into the chest of a massive guard.

26

Apparently,Ethan doesn’t have guards posted at all the doors, but he does have one stationed here at the front.

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