Free Heir to the Coven by Melissa Leister Page B

insulted that I was being kept company by underlings, but at least one of them was an amusing underling so I was over being insulted. “He refused didn’t he?”
    “He was unavailable.”
    “He refused.”
    “He refused.”
    “Thank you for your honesty Marcus.”
    “1000,” Marcus said.
    Even Raz was looking at him like he was insane and was not above sharing a look with me over the randomness of that comment. “Excuse me?”
    “You are trying to figure out how old I am. I can feel you trying to sense it. I am 1000 years old.”
    “You can feel it?”
    “One of my powers is the ability to sense when another is trying to use vampire powers in my presence. You are very strong indeed if I can detect you.”
    He could sense when others called on their powers and he was 1000 years old. Why wasn’t he in charge? I didn’t realize I had spoken that question aloud until he answered, “I am not in charge because I’ve lived long enough not to want the headache.”
    “A lesson I’m slowly beginning to learn since I’ve returned.” I looked at the grandfather clock on the opposite wall. “I have other things to do today. Tell Anton to call me when he’s better able to keep his pants zipped.”
    Caught off guard by my sudden movement, the vampires did not react in time to stop me from opening the door. As soon as I had it open a crack I knew why they had been positioned to try to keep me inside my holding pen. Ashley and Anton weren’t having sex; they were having a fight, which was unusual for a dessert and its keeper to have. Desserts were like pets and a pet did as it was told or it got put in a cage or sent to a shelter. And desserts were human which meant they often didn’t survive arguments with their vampires either. What were they fighting about? Enquiring minds wanted to know.
    Ashley was storming down the stairs and shrieking, “She’s here isn’t she? I told you I didn’t want her in this house and you went ahead and invited her anyway. Can’t have Snow White miss out on previewing her future castle!”
    “This is a business meeting,” Anton said.
    “Bullshit Anton! You want her to see how well you’ve done so she’ll want to take my place.”
    Oooooooooook.
    You know that old cliché about being careful what you wish for? It was very, very true. I didn’t want to know any more about their fight. In fact I was all for shutting the door and jumping out the window so I didn’t have to hear a snippet more. I caught a glimpse of Anton speeding down the stairs after her to grab Ashley by her arm. Now I was in a really bad spot. It was against the rules for me to intervene, but no way in hell was I going to stand around and let him hurt her.
    Do you really think he would harm her? my blood asked. Vampires were made to cause harm, just like me and I knew that in a true fit of rage I was capable of a lot. But was he that angry?
    “He will not harm her, he never has,” Marcus said as if he read my thoughts. “But she wants to make sure you know she’s not pleased. That’s why she’s parading this through the house. I would wager she knows you will hear and wants to make you uncomfortable enough not to return.”
    Anton could have gotten ahead of her and trapped her upstairs if he didn’t want me to know he was willing to fight with her about me. But with the top volume tirade coming my way, there was no way I could tune my super hearing out and ignore what was going on. I was supposed to be flattered. I wasn’t.
    Anton shouted, “I am Master here not you! I am through with this argument Ashley. You can go upstairs and wait for me or you can go upstairs and pack your bags!”
    Now if I were Ashley, this is where things would have turned violent, but she opted to stomp back up the stairs, down the hall and slam a door shut. I listened for the sound of suitcases opening, but heard nothing. What little respect I had been gathering towards her for calling him on his crap vanished. She had a