Free Vampire Elite by Irina Argo

bedroom floor six years earlier, sobbing from a broken heart and a blow to her dignity. After Antar left her room, she had vowed that she would become the kind of female no male could resist. She would cultivate herself to perfection. One day Antar would fall hopelessly in love with her—and then she would break his heart and abandon him. Let him grieve over his loss, suffer as much as she had, feel his heart being torn from his body! Or ... maybe she would just bask in his love, in the joy of knowing that he was finally hers. She’d see how she felt when the time came.  
    For two years, obsessed, she could think of nothing except her revenge, do nothing except ready her body and her mind for it. Her body was already a masterpiece, even by Sekhmi standards, so she honed her ability to use it in every way, mastering agility, balance and coordination by learning fencing, archery, marksmanship, yoga, Asian and Brazilian martial arts, and new styles of dancing. Her brain, too, already razor-sharp was challenged with new languages, philosophy and science, and activities that developed her creativity, like music and art. She was a winner, an overachiever; Antar was her only remaining challenge. Well, Antar and her father, but there was nothing to be done about Tor.
    Now, watching Antar, Simone realized that her time had come—the time for her counterblow. She was no longer a teenager in ridiculous red silk stockings. She was a sophisticated adult female skilled in the subtle art of seduction. Let the games begin.  
    “Don’t worry; I’ll go with you.” Simone put her hands protectively on Arianna’s shoulders, then glanced at Antar. “I can’t leave her here alone just yet. She’s had no experience at all with immortals. I can’t just abandon her. I’ll stay with her until she feels comfortable in her new environment.”  
    They both turned to Antar, but he didn’t answer right away. In fact, he looked none too thrilled by the idea. Dammit, he had that look on his face like she was a child, independent and unmanageable, and he was the baby-sitter, with better, more important things to do. He doesn’t have to love the idea, Simone, he just has to agree to it.  
    Finally Antar sighed. “Fine, but I have one condition. You may be the King’s daughter, but you don’t have Sanctuary. That means you follow the rules. Zero tolerance. If you break them you go home immediately.”  
    “Agreed.” Her heart was doing a little-girl jig inside her chest.
    “Now go and rest.”
    They were heading to the exit when Antar stopped Simone. “Sim, stay for a moment. Arianna, you may go.”
    “I’ll be there in a just a sec,” whispered Simone into Arianna’s ear, nudging her along. When Arianna was gone she wheeled to face Antar, striking a bit of a pose, channeling all the enigma and allure she could muster into her deep blue eyes. Look at me; am I not perfect? Tell me how much I’ve changed. Tell me you are awed.  
    But he wasn’t biting. “Call your father. Let him know about your plans. We accept you only with his approval.”  
    It felt like a slap. Simone was even left momentarily speechless. What! That’s it? He still thought that she was a baby ? He hadn’t even noticed all the hard work she had done for him ? For him to love her? Her ego deflated, punctured.  
    To make matters worse, she abruptly remembered that she was going to face the music for what she’d done to Anock and Odji. She stifled a groan. Tor was going to chew her out so badly. “But—”  
    “No buts . Remember, the Alpha’s word is the law, and I am the Alpha.”  
    Simone bit her tongue. Fine. She’d suck it up and play along with his rules for as long as it took. After all, he’d spend the rest of his life playing by her rules.

Chapter 8
    On the Legacy’s private jet, soaring toward Manaus, capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, Simone fidgeted in her leather seat, sucking a paper-cut on her finger. She’d been flipping