Free Heir to the Coven by Melissa Leister Page A

was to wait here. The other guard, who had wheat colored hair and who was not a Hadi, I named the Ancient because he was giving off a vibe of great age. Despite the vague explanation I had been given, I was fairly certain Anton had ordered them to report on how long it took me to explode so he could laugh at how long I was willing to wait or chide me for my impatience when I was not getting any older. But I had a plan of my own; I was going to annoy them until they made him appear just to put an end to their torment. Next I was going to start chewing gum loudly if the nail tapping didn’t produce the desired effect.
    “Must you do that?” asked Leather. We had a taker ladies and gentlemen! His eyes were red; they matched his crayon red hair. I think I was supposed to be afraid.
    I ignored his question to ask one of my own. “How often do you have to dye your hair to keep it that color? I had mine purple once and I had to touch it up every two days because my body kept healing it back to my natural color. Finally I gave up.”
    The Ancient’s blue eyes twinkled. He had a sense of humor, a rare thing in a vampire. He might actually be the only vampire walking the world to have one. Leather obviously didn’t have one since he was glaring at me. I wasn’t trying to be rude, I really wanted to know. That purple hair had been a pain in the ass to maintain.
    “Tell her,” the Ancient said.
    “No.”
    “What does it hurt?”
    “His vampire pride at talking to me,” I quipped. “Never mind. You can both go back to guarding the hall from my unexpected entry. Is Anton standing on the other side of that door waiting to see how long it takes before I kill you both and leave? This being his house I can’t sense him because his presence is everywhere.”
    The Ancient was staring at me. “You think he is playing hide and seek with you?”
    “He’s playing some game with me, one that’s not very amusing.”
    “You are exactly what he said you were.”
    “Anton has been talking about me?” That was surprising. “How did that conversation go? ‘She’s moody and rude and has abysmal taste.’ Oh, and if he said that purple hair was just to annoy him he was partially right. I did it for me, but I put up with the retouches because I knew he hated it.”
    The Ancient laughed. I should have nicknamed him Cheerful instead, and then Leather could have been Grumpy. “He said you were beautiful, impatient, volatile and irritated people to amuse yourself.” His eyes were twinkling again.
    I was going to like this one. I never expected to like a vampire. I got to my feet and walked over to him. His muscles tensed, but I held up my hands and said, “We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Natasha Carmichael.”
    “Marcus. It’s a pleasure.”
    He held out his hand and I hesitated. The closer I got the easier it was to see this one was older than I thought and that meant his reflexes would be better. I put my hand out, ready to snatch it back at the slightest hint of treachery, but he took my fingers in his and brought my hand to his lips to kiss it. “It’s been a long time since anyone kissed my hand.”
    “A custom that has sadly gone by the wayside.”
    I turned to Leather. “What should I call you?”
    No response.
    Marcus frowned at him. “His name is Raz and he needs a lesson in manners towards a guest in his Master’s home.”
    “His Master also needs a lesson in manners towards a guest. I know Anton knows better, Lucius never would have put up with this.”
    “Ah. I believe he was unexpectedly detained.”
    Unexpectedly detained. Either he was feeding or… “Well then why doesn’t one of you go pull Ashley out from under him, clean him up and get him down here before I go do it myself?”
    Marcus laughed.
    Raz looked pissed.
    Marcus said, “Easy Raz.”
    “Where is my pal Tristan? Anton didn’t trust him to baby-sit me?” As Anton’s second Tristan should be the one entertaining me. I should be