Page 44 of Crown of Death
“Again?” she asks, wagging her eyebrows. “You two are like animals. Where you headed thistime?”
It’ll be easier to keep my stories straight if I base them in truth. “Vegas.”
This time, it’s Amelia who blanches white faced. “Vegas? You’re not… You’re not going to go and elope on me, areyou?”
A laugh bursts from my chest and I shake my head with a curse. “No, I swear it. I will not be returning from Vegas married toCollin.”
She actually looks relieved. “You better not or I’m going to be seriously pissed. I claimed dibs on being your maid of honor yearsago.”
I smile, shaking my head, hugging her oncemore.
“I’ve really got to hurry,” I say, releasing her. “Our flight leaves in threehours.”
“Say no more,” she says, flinging the door open and stepping out. “Have fun, but not too muchfun.”
She walks to the door. And I don’t miss how she puts just a little more swing into her hips as shewalks.
My face heats. My jawclenches.
“Let’s do a double when you crazy cats get back,” she says, stopping in the doorway and turning back. “You two, and Tanner andI.”
“I—” I go todecline.
“We’d be delighted,” Cyrus cuts me off though, flashing another of those intensesmiles.
Amelia winks at me, and then walks down the stairs to hercar.
Slowly, I look over at Cyrus, glaring the look ofdeath.
“It would have been rude to decline,” he says, still smiling that wickedsmile.
Chapter 10
We dumpmy larger things at a nearby storage unit. It hurts my pride when Cyrus pays for it, but I’m certainly in no position to say no. It’s seven o’clock when we get back to thehouse.
I head to my room to pack, and for some reason, Cyrus follows me, watching as I sort through myclothes.
“You may bring a few casual clothes, but Mina has already packed you a bag with the essentials of what I would like you to wear.” He walks into my room, standing just inside thedoorway.
“What you would like me to wear?” I question, raising an angry eyebrow at him. “I know you’re old, but this isn’t the eighteenth century, anymore. You don’t get to declare what you do and don’t want me towear.”
There it is, that little gleam in Cyrus’ eyes. Like a little thrill when I stand up to him. He takes two steps further into theroom.
“Are you saying that you know what to wear when meeting the Royal family in Las Vegas? That you know what to wear to a ball hosted byvampires?”
I swallow. A chill tingles down my spine. A little fear. A littleexcitement.
My life may be insane right now. Chaotic. But it’s gotten so much more interesting since Cyrus burst intoit.
“Fine,” I concede. I pull some shorts and a few t-shirts out and toss them into a bag. “Since I’m inexperienced in the political posturing events of vampires, I’ll go with yoursuggestions.”
“You are so kind,” Cyrusbanters.
“We need to leave now,” Mina says from out in thehall.
I toss the rest of my things in my bag. And it’s a little more than bizarre when Cyrus takes the bag from me, shouldering it without a word and walks down thehall.
The four of us load into the SUV and Fredrick drives us to theairport.