Mercy's Debt (Montgomery's Vampires Series Book One) by Sloan Archer Read Free Book Online Page A

the same angelic voice from the phone.
    I s wallowed and nodded.
    “I’m Marlena,” she declared. “It’s so nice to see you, Mercy.”
    Marlena’s disposition was welcoming, as if she’d never been more ecstatic to see any other person than myself in her entire life. Her speech was laden with practiced enthusiasm, similar to the voice an A-list actress would use while promoting a movie she obviously thought was crap. Her greeting was intended to make me feel like I was the most important person in the world, but I didn’t take kindly to being bullshitted.
    She beamed a t me again sweetly, beckoning me into her home. Feeling somewhat ashamed for being so bitchy, I reconsidered my snap judgment. Although she unnerved me in a way I couldn’t pinpoint, I figured I was just being paranoid because of my uneasiness and feeling insecure next to her perfection. She may have been a bit on the phony side, but at least she was making an attempt to be friendly, which is more than I can say for a few women that I’ve encountered. Still, I didn’t like that her smile didn’t reach her eyes. However, with the kind of money she had, she’d probably been Botoxed to hell and back.
    As I walked into the house, she put her arm around me in a friendly gesture. Her skin felt icy even through the thick satin fabric of her clothing, adding to my agitation. It took an obscene amount of concentration not to recoil.
    Marlena led me through the cavernous house. She invited me to take a seat once we’d arrived at the entrance of a stylishly decorated office. She took my coat and handbag from me, hanging them on a coatrack by the door. The air inside the office was more like that of a meat locker, yet I noted with pleasure that a fire was blazing inside an old-fashioned hearth. Marlena, commenting on my goose bumps, crossed the room and added another log.
    Michael entered the room just as I was settling back into my seat. I stood and went to him. He hugged me like an old friend, kissing me on both cheeks. His skin was even colder than Marlena’s. I wanted to ask if their heater was broken, or if they were trying to cut costs on their energy bill, but I thought it seemed rude.
    “Mercy!” he bellowed. “ I am so pleased that you have decided to give us a chance.” His over-the-top fervor was on par with Marlena’s. But, unlike his wife, he appeared genuine.
    “Hello, Michael,” I smiled. “Nice to see you again.”
    He clasped both my hands in his icy grasp. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? I can have something made for you,” he said, his brows knitting together fretfully. He was a caricature of an anxious grandmother, doting on her grandchildren with forceful offers of sustenance. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he whipped out a plate of freshly baked cookies from a drawer in his desk.
    “No, I’m fine. Thank you,” I said , biting back a smile. I unexpectedly yawned, which was mortifying because Michael noticed. I wasn’t bored. I just wasn’t exactly running on all cylinders because of my lingering hangover.
    “ Are you sleepy?” he asked. “Of course, you were out late last night. I sometimes forget that humans- er, young people like you- do not typically keep the same hours that we do. I will have my assistant make you a cappuccino. You do like coffee?”
    “Really, I’m-”
    He held hi s hand up, cutting me off. “It is no trouble.”
    “Okay,” I submitted . There was no point in arguing with the man. “A cappuccino would be great.”
    He spoke into an intercom on the wall, asking a young-sounding voice to make my coffee and bring into the office. I wanted to laugh; I was lucky if I could get Liz to remember to refill the water jug after she emptied it. Having people at your beck and call around the clock was simply one of the endless benefits of being rich, I imagined.
    Michael and Marlena pulled up chairs across from me, an indication that our meeting was commencing.
    “I am sure that you are wondering why we