Free Mercy's Debt (Montgomery's Vampires Series Book One) by Sloan Archer Page A

wiping imaginary sweat off my forehead. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that. So, my hunch is right. They are that strong?”
    “ Yah, they are crazy-strong. Like, can pick up a car and toss it a few feet kind of strong.”
    I grimaced. “Fantastic.”
    “Oh, but don’t wor ry. They’d never hurt one of us. Michael would kill them if they did.”
    Was that supposed to make me feel better? “That’s good to know,” I said dryly.
    “ So, who are you going out with?”
    “Some big CEO named Robert Bramsin or Bramwell- something like that.”
    “Robert Bramson ?” she asked in amazement.
    “That’s it! Bramson. Wait- did you just cringe?”
    “Okay, maybe you have a little to be nervous about,” she tittered. “A long time ago, I chaperoned him to a formal charity dinner put on by Bramson Enterprises. He’s kind of… uptight, not at all chatty. He’s extremely private about his personal life. He’s gone out with a few girls here, and they’ve all had similar experiences. He hasn’t asked for a chaperone in months, though. How nice of Marlena to partner you with him for your first time out,” she quipped sourly.
    “ Right!” I agreed. “It was probably Marlena’s way of throwing me into the deep end to see if I’d drown.”
    She laughed. “Probably. I don’t want to stress you out before your date or anything, but I kind of got the vibe that Robert isn’t into the whole humans mixing with vampires thing. Some vampires like us more than others, if you know what I’m saying. When I chaperoned him, it was almost as if he tolerated my presence begrudgingly, like humans are a necessary evil to doing business.”
    “I t’s funny you say that,” I said. “Tonight I’m going to a mixed-race gala that his company is throwing.”
    “ There you have it,” she said, tapping a French manicured finger on her nose.
    “Great,” I said sarcastically.
    “Oh, pooh-pooh on Robert. I’m sure you’ll still have a great time regardless. It would be hard not to in that dress.” She winked. “Oh, and if it makes you feel any better, Robert is hot with a capitol H.” She fanned her face dramatically.
    “Really? I’d expected him to be some dour old man with white hair.”
    Erik a cackled. “Oh, honey, not even close! You’ll see.” She looked around the closet, scrutinizing the dresses. “This place is amazing, isn’t it? The clothes, the vampires, the places we get to go, the places we get to see... Never in a million years would have I imagined such things possible. This job has opened me up to so many new experiences. It’s literally changed my life. The money isn’t all that bad, either, am I right?” She grinned at me knowingly. “I worked for a little over minimum wage as a bookstore clerk before this. I lived paycheck to paycheck. Now I drive a Mercedes, take care of all my bills early each month, and I’m just about to pay off my first home. It’s not a mansion like this place, but it’s still mine and I love it.”
    “I initially thought Dignitary was some sort of scam because of how much they paid,” I admitted guilty.
    “Me to o! I think all the chaperones did! Michael is a good man, though, about as solid as they come. He treats the chaperones like family.” She looked around slyly. “So,” she said casually, “what do you think of Marlena?”
    “What do you think of Marlena?” I deflected.
    “I think she’s a nasty piece of work,” she said in a hushed tone. “Trust me when I tell you this, Mercy, you do not want to cross her.”
    “I kind of gathered as much.”
    “I seriously don’t know how Michael puts up with her constant henpecking. She must give one mean blowjob,” she laughed.
    “That’s got to be it,” I snickered.
    “She’s so self-righteous. She’s never said as much, but I can just tell that she loathes new vampires.”
    “ New vampires?”
    “I guess you probably don’t know much vampire slang yet. Give it a couple of