Indebted to the Vampires (House of Durand, #1)

by Erin Bedford

Glaring daggers at Wynn, Rayne growled, “They only want you because of your powers, not because you're such a catch, you self-absorbed snob.”

Rayne slammed his hand on the table as he stood. “I thought the point of this meeting was to agree that we weren't going to mess with the new maid, and here you three are, making bets on who could get into her pants the fastest without using your powers.”

“Lock your door. I won’t be responsible for what happens next time if you don’t.” I bobbed my head so fast my eyes rolled in my head.

“You know what I mean. Have you ever…” His other hand moved down along the outside of my thigh, causing them to press together. “… let a man into your glorious haven?” I snorted. I couldn’t help it. Glorious haven? Come on now. How cliché was that?

“What?” Drake jerked back from me, a look of confusion making his beautiful face even more attractive. Shaking my head, I slipped out of his grasp. “Your brother was right about you. You really know how to pull a prank.” Grabbing the door handle, I pulled it open, but it was slammed shut by Drake’s hand.

“Dallas, I'm pretty sure,” Allister answered for me. “Really? That was fifty years ago. Surely they've bumped uglies between now and then?”

“You did this, didn’t you?” I arched a brow at him, ready for a reason to smack him upside the head like he deserved.

“Then hear this, bite me!” Darren chuckled, his shoulders shaking with the effort. He went back to stirring the delicious smelling pot. Remarkably, not even the prospect of food made up for my day. “What, you think that’s funny?” I spat, staring at him like he had lost his mind. “Just your wording. The irony.”

“What the fuck?” I gasped, ripping my hand away from the smirking bastard. Wynn brushed his hand across his shoulder with a knowing grin. “You should mind your manners. Next time, I’ll make sure she’s here to watch.”

When I realized last night’s ‘Bite me!’ was what he had been talking about, my face burned with embarrassment. Darren had been right about their hearing all right. I should have been more careful. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it—” Antoine’s fingers covered my lips startling me. “Enough. I simply wish to remind you to think before you speak, because the next time you tell someone to bite you…” He leaned forward until I could feel his breath on my face. “… someone just might.”

“I know you do,” he purred, his voice reached parts of me that tightened and moistened despite my fear. “I can smell you, you know. Every time you think no one can hear you in the safety of your little room, we can smell your arousal, hear your gasps of pleasure.”

“I don’t see why we all need to be here for this. Drake fucked up. We got it. Good riddance. She was a pest anyway. Get another one. Maybe this time we can find a deaf and mute one. Then all our problems would be solved.”

Wynn threw his head back and laughed. “That might help us, but it wouldn’t stop you from hearing her thoughts.” He paused and stroked his chin. “Wait, does a deaf-mute think in words? Or signs? I’d love to know. Get on that, would you?” “Fuck you.” Rayne flashed his fangs at Wynn, making Marcus tense beside Antoine.

“Perhaps she has found a reason to stay and the only way she can think to make sure she won’t be fired is to owe us more?” I snorted. “You find this funny?” Antoine angled his head toward me.

“Any other comments?” Antoine asked Darren and then glanced back my way. I grinned and shifted in my seat. “Yeah, she’s giving me a perpetual case of blue balls. Can we do something about that?”

Allister’s arm shot out and his brother in the shoulder shoving him into the brick wall of the restaurant. Rayne stopped talking to the hostess long enough to snap at us. “Stop screwing around and get in here.”

I jiggled my foot and gripped my knife in my hand, waiting for her to stop eying the guys and leave. Not that they were doing a good job of getting rid of her as Drake kept asking her questions. When she finally left, I picked my knife up and pointed it at Rayne. “I am not your pet. I can order my own food.”

“Stop with the walk down memory lane,” Rayne growled lowly, crossing one leg over the other as he grimaced. “Sorry,” I muttered, darting my eyes away from him and back to the vampire guests.

“The visual isn’t helping either,” Rayne reminded me, running a hand through his hair, his teeth tightly clenched.

“I wouldn’t have been in that situation if it hadn’t been for you.” I pointed at him, pissed off that he’d dismissed me so easily. “My sexual status or lack thereof is none of your or your guest’s business.” “Then perhaps you shouldn’t moan so loudly while in your bedroom in a house full of vampires.”