One Drop of Blood: A Steamy Vampire Romance (The Coven of Aster Book 1) by Makayla Hart

Author:Makayla Hart [Hart, Makayla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sanguinaria Ephemeralis Press
Published: 2023-06-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Uncomfortable was an understatement.

Silence stretched between them and Victoria couldn’t bring herself to look up from the fuzz she picked on her sweatpants. Mr. Baynham had been sitting across from her in her armchair for the past four minutes, and an awkward stillness hung in the air. She knew it had been exactly four minutes because it was quiet enough for her to hear the soft ticking of his Rolex wristwatch, each second awkwardly ticking by.

She was embarrassed just to have him in her space, despite it not being dirty by normal standards. The paint and carpet needed attention, but it wasn’t a pigsty. Nevertheless, as his icy gaze scanned her modest surroundings, a sense of quiet shame washed over her.

It was obvious that he came from old money, or perhaps was even the origin of old money itself. The way he casually mentioned the early 1900s made it seem like it was just yesterday to him. He must have been around when manners were created and witnessed the dawn of high fashion, judging by his appearance.

There wasn’t a single aspect of his outfit that wasn’t fresh off the table of a renowned designer or imported from the finest fashion houses in Europe. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he brushed his teeth with that $150 Theodent toothpaste. His authentic Italian leather shoes had no business resting on her disgusting carpet.

Even if he were sitting there in a plain potato sack, she couldn’t deny the dignified and downright noble aura that emanated from him. His slicked-back, midnight black hair glistened in the faint sunrays that filtered through her worn blinds, perfectly complementing his thick, dark lashes. He resembled an enchanting elf prince from a fairytale.

The seconds continued to tick by, and the oppressive silence became unbearable. Victoria felt compelled to say something.

“I’m sorry—”

“I want to thank—”

Their words clashed, interrupting each other. Giving a slight bow, she gestured for him to speak first. She didn’t even know what she was about to apologize for. There was so much she felt sorry for in that moment, and she was certain he didn’t want to hear it all spill out like sour milk.

Mr. Baynham cleared his throat before repeating himself. “I want to thank you for your... colorful revelation at the store yesterday evening.”

Colorful revelation?

Victoria’s stomach dropped to her feet as she recalled everything she had said and done at Clearwell’s before retreating into her blanket cocoon for the night. Joel’s red and terrified face flashed in her mind, and while it had felt satisfying in the moment, the image soured in the light of day.

Had she revealed her secret to all the human witnesses while tearing into Joel? Was that why Mr. Baynham had stopped by that morning?

The possibility struck her suddenly: he might not have been there on friendly business but to handle business, a la Tony Montana from Scarface. She could have been a loose end in a very public and revealing display of their kind. There was no doubt in her mind that she blew a major cover last night when she went all red-eyed demon on Joel.

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