How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying) (Love at Stake) by Kerrelyn Sparks Read Free Book Online Page B

everyone’s respect by killing any mice that tried to get into their storeroom.
    Neona placed the bowl in front of him and rubbed his ears to thank him for keeping her secret.
    “The cat’s complaining again,” Lydia muttered as she took a portion of fish onto her plate.
    Tashi nodded. “He says he’s tired of fish and wants rabbit instead.”
    Neona gave her pet a pointed look. The rascal. Was he letting her know that his continued silence came at a price? “I’ll go hunting for rabbit tomorrow, okay?”
    The leopard butted his head against her hand and purred.
    Neona returned to her seat close to the fire and picked at her dinner. Maybe she should hunt tomorrow evening in the same area where she’d met Zoltan. Maybe she’d see him again.
    Maybe she was losing her mind. She ripped her piece of bread in two. Relationships with men always ended the same way. With disaster. If she had any sense, she’d hope never to see him again. She would forget all about him. And his last words, which kept echoing through her head.
    Remember me .
    H aving worked up an appetite from his unexpected adventure, Zoltan teleported straight to the kitchen in the basement of his castle. From the fridge, he selected a bottle of AB negative, since it reminded him of Neona, then he popped it into the microwave, noting the time on the clock. Almost midnight. He’d been gone three and a half hours.
    When his cell phone started dinging over and over, he checked it. Over thirty missed calls and texts? He’d deal with it later. For now, he needed food, a shower, and a change of clothes.
    He guzzled down half of the warmed-up bottle, then proceeded up the backstairs to the Great Hall. To his surprise, Elsa was pacing back and forth by the front door. Shouldn’t she be upstairs with her husband?
    He took another sip of blood. “Is there something wrong?”
    With a gasp, she spun to face him. “Zoltan! You’re all right!”
    “Yes, of cour—”
    “We were worried sick!” She strode toward him.
    “He’s back?” Howard’s voice boomed from the stairway leading to the armory. No doubt his superior hearing had caught the sound of his wife’s shout. The were-bear burst from the stairwell into the Great Hall.
    “Good evening.” Zoltan took another sip from his bottle. “Did you enjoy your—”
    “Where the hell have you been?” Howard stalked toward him, scowling. “We came back from dinner, and you were gone! Milan was frantic because he couldn’t find you anywhere, and you were missing some important meetings in Budapest.”
    “Oh, right.” Zoltan winced. He’d completely forgotten about the closing on his latest real estate venture. And then there was the other meeting with the Society for Architectural Preservation. “Not to worry. It can all be rescheduled.”
    “That’s not the point!” Howard gritted his teeth. “This was my first night here as head of security, and I lost my client!”
    “I wasn’t lost. I knew exactly where I was.”
    “ I didn’t know.” Howard gave him an exasperated look. “We tried calling you, but you didn’t answer the damned phone. Do you know how embarrassing it was to tell Angus you were missing?”
    Zoltan groaned inwardly. “You called Angus?”
    “Yes. He was in Tiger Town in China, so he was still awake. He came right away and brought Mikhail with him. Angus and I have been searching the castle and the grounds. Mikhail and Milan are in Budapest, searching for you there. Oh, I need to let them know you’re okay.” Howard whipped out his cell phone and started texting.
    “Oh, my gosh!” Elsa eased closer to Zoltan. “Is that dried blood on your forehead?”
    Howard glanced up. “You were attacked? I’ll need a full report.” He sent his texts and pocketed his cell phone.
    Zoltan took a deep breath. “I understand you’re accustomed to protecting children like Tino and Sofia, but let me explain something. I’m on my third term as Coven Master of Eastern Europe. I’m CEO