Free Witches Be Burned: A Magic & Mayhem Novel by Stacey Kennedy Page B

should not be moving.” She kissed Haven’s cheek and whispered something to her that notably relaxed Haven, and then she strode away with purposeful steps.
    Kyden watched Nexi as she hightailed it toward a fight he could do without her being involved in, all the while pondering the outcome of tonight. While he respected and thought highly of Thalia, Nexi was about to go deep into a vampire world that was foreign to her, a world that Kyden would’ve preferred to keep Nexi far away from, considering her blood was so tempting to vampires because of its uniqueness.
    But that was only part of his concern. Mistress Vampires were centuries old, born and raised in a time where respect went far. Knowing Nexi’s smart mouth and lack of a filter, he wondered what would get them in more trouble: her fiery attitude or their accusations against Thalia.

Chapter 5
    The mansion was spread out like a magazine shoot against the dark night, resting on a flat landscape with spotlights beaming up, accentuating its stunning beauty. Nexi was in awe at the exterior of the home: Red brick and black accents, two balconies, stone pillars, sculptures, and arched windows filled each side of the second floor. She whistled, putting a voice to her thoughts. “Must be nice to be a Mistress Vampire and filthy rich.”
    Kyden’s eyes twinkled at her, and the warmth of his touch pressed against her back as he urged her forward to follow Zia. “They’re wealthy because they’re old.”
    “Got it.” Nexi nodded, stepping into stride with him. “They’re cryptkeepers.”
    He chuckled, the low, rich sound brushing sensually across her. “Best keep that thought to yourself,
Álainn.
”
    Yes.
Zia’s voice slid through Nexi’s mind.
Please do.
    She snorted at them both. “Oh, yes, because calling a creature that could rip my head off in one quick move
old
is exactly what I was thinking of doing.”
    “I, for one, wouldn’t put it past you,” Kyden muttered.
    Neither would I,
Zia replied.
    “Jeez, such a good light you all put me in,” Nexi mused, not insulted. She probably would do that. Maybe not on purpose, but accidentally for sure.
    When they reached the black front door, Zia knocked and it immediately opened to a short, stubby vampire with gelled black hair and dark eyes. “Welcome. Thalia has been expecting you,” he said in a monotone voice.
    Thinking that Talon probably called Thalia, giving her a heads-up, Nexi crossed the threshold behind Kyden. Mistress Vampires likely had a certain type of protocol to be followed, though that was a fleeting thought. As Nexi took in the main foyer of the house, envy slid through her. Marble covered the floors, the pillars, and even the damn ceiling. Perhaps being a cryptkeeper wasn’t so bad after all—Thalia lived like royalty.
    “Follow me,” the butler said, striding through the foyer.
    They entered the small sitting room, and the lavish space was beyond anything Nexi had seen in reality, almost as if she’d stepped onto a movie set in the 1600s. The design appeared French-inspired, with rich colors and heavily detailed wood lining the furniture. But the prettiest—and most impressive—thing in the room was the vampire standing by the dark red velvet curtains, gazing out into the night.
    Thalia, Nexi assumed, had the same pulsating energy Zade carried, indicating her old age and high levels of power. But she was also beyond elegant in a long backless dress fitting her like a second skin. When she turned to Nexi, her soft brown hair was pulled into a loose bun and her cheeks were rosy.
    The vampire was drop-dead gorgeous, literally.
    “You’re Nexi?” Thalia asked, her voice holding a faint French accent. A gentle smile graced her face that shouldn’t belong to any vampire, especially one of the vampire leaders who Nexi assumed killed brutally to keep her minions in line. She offered her hand. “I’m so pleased to finally meet you.”
    Nexi returned the handshake, noticing that even