Unraveling Selena, Marisa Maichel [13 ebook reader TXT] 📗

my arms around her waist and pulling her into me.

“Oh, hi Spunk,” Sarah said as the golden retriever made his way into the room and jumped on the bed. He rolled over, asking for a belly rub. She rubbed his belly, then rubbed my leg.

“Oh, something poked me!”

“It’s just me,” I said, putting my head on her shoulder. Spunk climbed into her lap, wagging his tail and grabbing the stereo remote.

“You can’t eat the remote, silly! Just like you can’t eat rocks!” Sarah took the remote from him.

“He eats rocks?”

“He tries. It actually caused a blockage when…when my parents were still around.” She choked up, her eyes shining with tears. I kissed her. I started singing softly, singing “Crazy in Love”. She settled up to me, cuddling. She tried to get up, but I growled and pulled her close.

She went to the window, squinting. “Is that Toby?”

“Probably. I asked him to keep an eye on you. He won’t bug you or invade your privacy, he’ll just be around in case something happens.”

“Alexander’s yelling at him.”

“I hear him. He’s complaining because the guards let Marius get away, and he’s blaming Toby for it.”

“Why? Dimitri is the head guard.”

“Yes, but neither Toby nor Spencer stood up to him or did the right thing. They’re just as responsible for letting him go.”

“It doesn’t make sense to me.”

“That’s because you weren’t born royal. You weren’t raised in a royal or even noble household with servants. Anyway, I thought you’d be angry as well.”

“I was. But well…it’s not entirely their fault. We weren’t specific enough.”

“They’re not children, Sarah. Toby was frozen at eighteen, Spencer was frozen at fifty. Dimitri has been around as long as my father has. And Dimitri betrayed us to the Council. He’ll be punished for his actions.”

“I understand that. I guess I’m just trying to understand how it all works.”

“You don’t need to worry about that yet. You’ll learn when you become my princess.” I bent down and kissed her. I put her hand under my shirt. She stared, amazed at my stomach muscles. She accidentally poked my navel, glancing up at me to see if I would react. I didn’t, other than purring. Spunk nosed his way between us, and I lifted him up and put him on the floor. He whined and jumped on the bed again, begging for a belly rub.

Sarah settled beside me, wincing at something.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

I sighed. “Sarah.”

“Reese Mordecai Emerson, I doubt that you want to hear about random pains and rubs in my most sensitive spot.”

That peaked my interest. “Oh?”

“It’s not fun, Reese, or sexy. It’s just random pains, like sharp pains.”

“Should I get Mother?”

“God, no! Don’t tell her; every girl goes through it. Sometimes I hate having a vagina.”

“Sometimes I hate having a penis. Unless, of course, I’m fucking you. Either in front or behind. Then again, I fucked Evan from behind, too.”

“Reese!” She smacked my arm, blushing. “Don’t tell me things like that!”

“Jealous?”

“NO. It’s kind of hot, actually.” She paused, realizing what she just said. She buried her face in my arm. “Shut up.”

“Spunk, should I punish her for her insolence?” I asked the dog. He tilted his head adorably. I purred, speaking in rapid Greek.

“What?” she asked.

“I said, o agapitós mou erastís, i kardiá mou, o adelfós mou, o gnostós mou. Thélo mia aioniótita mazí sou. That means ‘My dearest lover, my heart, my soulmate, my familiar. I want an eternity with you.’ Do you want an eternity with me?”

“You know the answer.”

I growled. “Sarah.”

“Reese, you can’t expect me to make that decision so quickly. I’ll miss the sun, I’ll miss my human family, and what about my sister?”

“You’re right, I should be nicer about it.”

“Hello, son,” Mother greeted me, carrying a load of laundry into the room. “Sarah, sit up straight. Sternum up. Stomach in. See how strong and beautiful you are?”

“Yes, Mom,” Sarah rolled her eyes. Mother grinned. I knew she liked it whenever Sarah or Sabine called her “Mom”.

“What are you doing with the laundry? Isn’t that Zie’s job?”

“Zie had to help her sister take care of her new baby. So I’m doing laundry for the girls. Oh, by the way, I found a new guard. Her name is Sanderson.”

“Sanderson? She’s a bounty hunter for us,” I said.

“I know-I knew her when Mordecai and I were married. She’ll be your personal guard, Sarah. She usually gets on well with humans and has excellent control, so don’t worry. She won’t bother you or be rude. If she is, I’ll tear her limb from limb.”

Sarah gulped. She still hasn’t gotten used to being around beings with violent thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I met Christie Sanderson officially when I was ten and hadn’t seen her since. She hadn’t changed much. She had the same dark blond hair in a tight bun, the same leather pants and heavy boots, and the same makeup-free face and dark blue eyes. She bowed to us.

“Hello again, Prince Reese. And you must be Sarah.” Her British accent had lightened, I’d noticed. Not as thick. She held out her hand, and Sarah took it. Sanderson kissed Sarah’s knuckles. “My name is Christie Sanderson.”

“Hello, Ms. Sanderson,” Sarah squeaked.

“Please, call me Christie. Or Chris, either one works. I will be your personal guard, princess. I will also watch your sisters on occasion, but I am mostly here for you.”

“When will my sisters get their own guards?”

“Very soon. I was also suggested for Selena, but Ms. Santorino thought my personality would work better with yours.”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

“Yes, actually. I’m fond of card tricks and children’s magic games. By the way, what is that in your jacket pocket?”

Sarah pulled out an ace of spades of her denim jacket. She smiled.

“How did you do that?”

“Magic, princess.” Chris smiled at her.

“Do you have kids?”

“Alas, I do not, although I have always wanted a little girl. My job does not allow me to have children, or even a mate. My occupation is too dangerous.”

I smiled. They got along perfectly. Chris and Sarah continued to talk about Sarah’s hobbies and ideas, their mutual love of violent videogames, WWE, and their love for their sisters. While Sarah only had one biological sister, Chris had three, two of them younger, and a fraternal twin. nWhile Sarah was more girly, Chris was more tomboyish, and while Sarah’s sister was sort of bratty and wasn’t particularly close, Chris’ sisters looked up to her.

Mother smiled at the scene. “I knew Sanderson would be perfect,” she said. She turned to Selena. “Now we need to find someone for you and Sabine. Shouldn’t be too hard now.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next few days were filled with job interviews. I went to the restaurant where Sarah worked. She looked stunning in her orange apron and cute peach skirt and white tank, her ass pert and round.

“Hello, my name is Sarah, and I’m going to be your waitress,” she said to a family with unruly kids.

“Five waters, no ice, three Cokes, two of them diets. And be quick about it!”

I frowned. But despite the rudeness, she still had a smile plastered on. I read her mind. She was thinking about going home and starting a new book series by Holly Black, one of her favorite authors.

I asked meekly for a water and a rare-cooked steak. Of all human foods, rare steak is the least disgusting.

After I finished the disgusting human meal, I walked over to the bookstore next door. Keeping an eye on my mate was exhausting. Keeping up with her lifestyle was exhausting. Working, working, working. School. Homework and studying. Friends. Cheerleading.

I tried not to react when I saw Glen Crow. He was nursing a black coffee and watching my girl. His black wavy hair framed his handsome face like a dark curtain framing a window that led to a stormy day. His dark eyes noticed me, and he quickly averted them.

“What do you want with her?” I asked. He sighed.

“I want her. You know that. I’m starting to realize that she may never be mine, though. You win.”

“I-what?”

“You win. Do I have to repeat it? I love her, but she’ll never be mine. She never was, and she never will be.”

I was suspicious. “What is this?”

“Gods, do I need to say it again? I was wrong. You were right. She’s yours. I’m backing away, just like Eric Martin did when she told him that she was not interested in him. Of course, he only wanted her for her hot ass. I actually…when I saw her in your mind, I fell in love with her right away. But I’m a warlock. Her future is with you, almost human but not quite. Not dark magic.”

“I’m not almost human.”

“Not physically, but your soul is. You’re innocent, good in your heart. So is she. I’m not. I can’t give her the life you can. That you have already. I will always love her, but my time with her is over. She never loved me, and never will. My attitude is too abrasive, my ideas too dark for her girlish mind. She belongs with you, Reese Emerson Nicolai.”

“Nicolai?”

“Of course. That name is in your blood, isn’t it?”

While I thought about that, Glen finished his coffee and left. He picked out a book at random and went to pay for it.

Of course, I was technically a Nicolai. Apollo and Emery were brothers, so technically, Nicolai should have been my surname. So why was it Emerson?

That was a question for my grandfather.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE – CHANGE

Finishing the tome of Shakespeare’s works, I was done with my required reading for school. Father was talking loudly to Uncle Soren, probably arguing as usual. Faolan was resting by the pool, Grandfather was in the library reading, and Louis was out flirting with a new girl.

I rolled over and spooned Sarah. She was reading a fanfiction on her phone. My eyes glazed across the bright screen, briefly reading about a vampire who preferred drinking animal blood to human blood. I scoffed. There were vampires who chose to do that, and they were seen as weak and pathetic.

I kissed her ear, and she giggled. I knew she was ticklish there. I nipped her lobe, trying not to shatter the pearl earring in her ear. I moved my mouth down to her shoulder, her ribs, her side, her hips. I growled at the scent of her and rolled her onto her back. She looked terrified. My eyes roved over her form. I slipped her shorts off, pausing when the smell of blood assaulted my nose. My eyes widened, my nostrils flared, my fangs grew.

My stomach tightened and my heart clenched. No wonder she had been complaining of pain the other day. I pulled her shorts back up, growling. I started as I realized that, in my haste to undress her, her earring had nicked the area behind her ear, which was now bleeding.

“Forgive me,” I said, my voice deeper than normal. I ran to the bathroom and hid, nearly tripping over Frodo. I heard my uncle enter my room.

“Did he hurt you, Sarah?” he asked.

“He didn’t mean to,” she said.

“What happened to your ear?”

“He got excited and…he…um…”

“No need to say anymore. I’ll take care of that for you.”

I sang to myself softly while I relaxed, trying hard to keep my appetite under control. I went to my room, where Uncle Soren was taking Sarah’s earrings out and setting them on the counter. I noticed her gaze at his arms, his rippling muscles. Jealousy twisted my gut, especially when she sighed softly as his chest bumped her. She glanced at me and blushed, looking down.

I wanted to tear them away from each other.

“Did Reese tell you about my earrings?” Uncle Soren asked her.

“No, he didn’t,” she said, looking at me.

“He used to wear a gold hoop,” I said.

“That’s true,” Uncle Soren said. “In my left ear. I still have the piercing, but it’s barely noticeable now.”

I growled. She’s mine.

Mine. MINE!

“Mine!” I growled, snatching her from him.

“Reese, calm down,” Uncle Soren said. “Let