Kiss of Crimson by Samantha Coville (best love story novels in english txt) 📕

must have worked because he prattled on like that for the entire hour and a half of our lunch. He spent the majority complaining about all the shortcomings of the human race, my race, and then added in detours about why vampires were such a great, evolving species. I had never met a more narcissistic asshat in my entire life.

Even worse than his attitude? He was boring as could be. Sometimes he talked about investments in poodles, other times he explained at length why he had switched to silk for his robes. I mean, I knew he was over four hundred years old, but I didn’t think he’d be that bad.

I was relieved when our meal was over, and I escorted him to the front door. He placed a kiss on my cheek and my stomach churned. I had to force myself not to slam the door once he was outside. If he never came back, it would be too soon.

When I turned toward the staircase to head back to my room, I was startled to see my mother standing at the top, leaning against the railing, smiling with her head in her hand. It wasn’t the sort of smile that you give to tell someone you’re happy for them and their afternoon with a guest. It’s the sort of smile that screams “ha, I told you so”.

“Don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear it,” I murmured just loud enough for her to hear, but hopefully not any eavesdropping servants. I knew they loved their gossip in the kitchen.

“Maybe better luck next time, El.”

Maybe I would have better luck the next time. The next gathering my mother was holding was only a couple of nights away. It would be a smaller occasion to introduce some new potential clients to her supply. It would be a chance to meet someone dignified and well off, but maybe not quite as old. If I knocked a hundred years off, they might be more pleasant as a companion. Not all vampires could be as stuck up like that, right?

Six

Arden

It had been two days since the ball at the Hart Mansion and I was getting dressed for another one that very evening. As soon as I was ready, this time for a solo excursion, Jardin called me into his office.

As I walked to meet my master, I thought about her.

Eloise Hart.

My hand convulsed, remembering the silk of her gown underneath my fingertips.

Who was she, really, in this never-ending battle for supremacy, territory?

Was she just the spoiled, loved daughter of a rather ruthless and stubborn human woman who had bullied her way into our world with all the determination of a maddened ox?

Or was she something else?

Certainly, she didn’t strike me as the vapid type, although she did have rather deplorable taste in men.

That she had turned me down flat… was that an insult or a compliment?

It bothered me how no matter which option I picked seemed equally bad.

I snorted, wishing I had more pressing things to worry about rather than some woman liking me.

I knocked at the door of Jardin’s office and I heard his voice summon me inside. I obeyed without hesitation.

“May I assume that your, hm, courtship of Madame Leona’s daughter didn’t go as well as it ought to?”

He placed a booted foot upon his desk, swirling a goblet filled halfway with dark, viscous liquid that made me feel hungry yet sick at the same time.

“Unfortunately, someone else had garnered her interest,” I replied as I settled into the chair across from him.

I got the feeling that this was not going to be some kind of light-hearted chatter.

Then again, when did Benedict Jardin ever want to just talk?

And if this was ever the case, I would’ve been halfway across the country; it was so unlike the Jardin I’ve known for the last fifty years.

“Ah yes.” Jardin let out a hoarse gargle of a laugh. “The imbecile with the red hair. Yes. I did notice how taken the girl was with him.”

He swirled his goblet again, almost absentmindedly. “The girl has abhorrent taste in men, if I might be so blunt. Well, never you mind. I do not think you need to worry about Ferdinand as a potential rival.”

“Why do you say that?”

Jardin gave me a broad wink that nonetheless left me feeling quite cold and uncomfortable. The man had something up his sleeve, that much seemed certain.

“Let us just say it’s in the man’s best interest to lay off on Leona’s daughter,” he said lightly. “At least that’s what I had impressed upon him when I caught him, just as he was about to woo the girl.”

He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. “Worry not. If you play your cards right, the girl will be yours.”

The girl will be yours.

My hands clenched into the armrests as I leaned forward. “I was under the impression that I was to only pursue her enough to make her spill secrets regarding her mother’s business.”

Jardin nodded, his eyes closing for a moment. “Yes, about that. I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans, m’boy.”

Shit.

I didn’t like the sound of that.

“What do you mean?”

He took his feet off the desk and settled into his customary ramrod position in the leather chair that surely must have cost a fortune.

He crossed his hands and regarded me carefully.

“How would you like to be the boss?”

I blinked.

“I’m not…” I licked my dry lips. What kind of wordplay was this? “I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Monseigneur Jardin.”

“You must be truly worried if you’re calling me Monseigneur, Arden.” He smiled, but there was little warmth. It was like having a shark grin at me. “Don’t look so worried. I am merely offering you a place to sit at the table… instead of under it.”

“I see,” I replied slowly, still bewildered, but terrified of letting him see just how much he had caught me off guard. “And exactly what must I do to