Steal the Sun by Lexi Blake Read Free Book Online Page B

Vampires don’t like it when you break up with them. They tend to be possessive creatures.
    He rolled his eyes and contorted his face to let me know I’d said something distasteful. “No. Ewww. He’s like…”
    My heart warmed because I knew what he was thinking. For the first time in his life, Neil had wolves around who didn’t hurt him or make him feel less. He had a small pack and it made him happy. “…a brother?”
    “A real, actual one,” Neil said with a shrug, trying not to get too emotional. “I guess Zack is what I thought a brother should be like. He annoys me with his butt kissing and his perfect obedience. Most of the time, I want to throttle him. But then I know he has my back. I like hanging out with him. We might not have a ton in common, but that’s okay. I’m totally going to get him back for the arrow thing, though.”
    I nodded. Revenge was important in our world. I turned and looked at Bibi, who only reached my shoulders, or she would if she stood up straight. Bibi seemed to be trying to shrink into herself. Still, she had a job to do, and it was time she learned how to do it. “Please inform Mara that I will be sleeping with my husband. She can either move my luggage or I will move it myself. Daniel will also be joining us in whatever room Prince Devinshea has been given. They might not recognize my marriage to Daniel, but Dev certainly does.”
    Without a doubt, Dev would have the best room. He was a prince, after all.
    “You want me to tell her?” Bibi asked, her dark eyes wide with fear. “You want me to speak to her?”
    I walked back toward the troll. It was time to start making the best of things. If Mara thought I was going to bitch and complain and beg for a better assistant, then she was wrong. I sat down on the bed so I was at eye level with Bibi. “Yes, Bibi, I want you to tell Mara that she has made a dreadful error and must fix it right away. You tell her your mistress is insulted and will probably do something terrible if she doesn’t get her way.”
    Bibi shrank back. Her whole body shook. “I will carry the luggage myself. Please don’t harm me.”
    “No, sweetie.” Neil knelt down beside her. He was sincere as he dealt with the frightened girl who was probably older than all of us combined. “You aren’t getting it. She isn’t going to hurt you. You’re part of the team now. Zoey here is loyal to her crew. She might yank out that hair of Mara’s though.”
    “What is a crew?” Bibi asked, shyly smiling at Neil. Her eyes were big as she took in Neil’s blond hair and light blue eyes. She sighed as he smiled at her.
    Trolls have no gaydar.
    “It means you’re with us now,” Neil explained. “You work for Zoey, so you’re one of the gang. If someone messes with you, then we handle it.”
    Bibi thought about this for a moment. Big tears shone in her eyes as she looked up at me. “But I am a gardener and a troll. It is an insult to you. They meant to shame you by placing me in your household.”
    “Then they did a terrible job, Bibi.” They hadn’t done their research on me. “Would you like to know a secret? I was practically raised by trolls. They were Huldrefolk, like you. Daniel and I spent many summers walking the bridges. You are not an insult to me. You’re a cherished reminder of my home.” Just the day before we left for Faery, I’d gone to say good-bye to my adoptive summer parents, Ingrid and Halle. They had been filled with advice on how to survive Faery.
    “She told the others you would be upset by me,” Bibi told me. “She said I would be awful and you would come begging for her help.”
    I was going to have to have a little talk with Mara. It sucked because my plan coming in was to try to blend in as much as possible. I was going to try to be what Devinshea needed me to be. I planned on learning how to be a member of this family, but it was looking more and more like I was going to have to be me. If terrifying trolls and going all