Blood Entangled by Amber Belldene Read Free Book Online

stay,” Zoey said.
    “Andre and I agree that is a bad idea.”
    “Who cares what Andre thinks? What about Kos?”
    What about him? Lena stood and straightened items on the countertop, her back to Zoey. “He’s been very helpful.”
    Zoey stepped up to the counter, well into Lena’s personal space. “Helpful—that’s nice. But does he want you to go?”
    Lena pivoted to face Zoey and shrugged. “He says he wants me to be happy.”
    “He would. He’s that kind of guy.” Zoey sounded wistful. “Have you thought more about taking a regular job?”
    “I’ve thought about it.”
    And an adorable baby boy with Kos’s eyes. If that baby looked like anyone else, she might follow her heart right into a human life. But he resembled a very sexy vampire who by definition could never father a baby, and the resemblance stoked impossible hopes.
    “If I left blood service, I feel like I’d be letting my grandma down. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.”
    Zoey waited, quiet. She seemed to know when Lena needed silence. It was something she especially liked about Zoey.
    “Can I ask you a personal question?” Lena asked.
    Zoey’s eyebrows drew together. “You know you can.”
    “Is the whole bitey sex thing as good as they say?”
    Zoey’s lower lip jutted. Lena knew that look—it was pity, and Kos wore it all too often when he looked at her.
    “To be honest, it’s spectacular. But, honey, it’s nothing to hang your life on.”
    Tears stung Lena’s eyes before she could stop them. That was exactly what she’d been doing. When Andre hired her, she thought all her dreams had come true. But the sex, the mysterious pleasure—none of it materialized. Maybe it was time to give up on the whole destiny thing.
    Zoey hugged her close. “It’s going to work out. You’re beautiful, and kind, and from what I remember, a damn good cook. Who wouldn’t want you?”
    Lena’s spine went rigid. Zoey meant it as a kindness, but it didn’t feel like one, because the answer to her question thundered in Lena’s head: Andre didn’t want her, the one who had chosen Zoey instead.
    “Thanks.” Lena pulled away. “Hey. If you don’t mind, I kinda want to be alone right now.”
    “Sure, okay.”
    The pity lip was back under worried eyes, but Zoey left without another word.
    Lena sunk onto the floor in blessed solitude, letting the tears run down her face. Though the air in the kitchen was warm, the tile floor was cold, and she shivered. How had she ended up so miserable, an object of pity in a vampire household?
    She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of lemony kitchen cleaner. Tracing her fingers along the lines and corners of grout, the smell and sensations dragged her into a memory. When she opened her eyes, she was in another time and place, tracing the same angles in harvest gold tiles. It was the kitchen of her childhood home in Juneau. The windows were bright, but her Alaskan internal clock told her it was late, possibly eight or nine in the evening. Her legs stretched out in front of her, skinny and covered in golden fuzz. She was just a girl, hadn’t even started shaving them yet. That meant—
    “Lazy lille . What are you doing down there? Taking a nap? I need the mixing bowl.”
    Nona was alive!
    Lena hopped up to hug her. “Sorry. Here it is.” She handed her grandmother the large metal bowl she favored. “How can I help?”
    “Measure out the currants.”
    Nona never slept. She said it was because of her days in a vampire household, feeding humans her home cooking and vampires her blood. Whenever Lena’s father was off in the wilderness leading tourist treks, Nona let Lena stay up late for marathon cooking sessions, and her recipe for cream scones with currants was etched in Lena’s heart.
    Standing alongside her sturdy Nona, she inhaled the woman’s scent—flour, rose perfume, and cigarettes. Nona was thick-waisted, and only as tall as twelve-year-old Lena, which made it funny that