causing the windows to shake in their panes.
“ What is your problem!” Elizabeth snapped. “I’m trying to bake a cake for the new neighbors and your shrieking made it fall.”
She wiped her flour covered hands on the front of her bright pink apron and pushed back a wayward blond curl from her forehead.
“ I don’t know why you bother.” Natasha wrapped her fingers around a crystal candlestick and threw it, taking great satisfaction when it smashed against the wall next to the window. “A vampire taking baked goods to the neighbors is a tad ridiculous, don’t you think?”
“ I’m just trying to be nice. Mother didn’t raise us to be rude.”
“ Mother has been dead for a hundred years.” Natasha stepped toward the window, smiling at the crunch of glass under her sole. She plucked at the lace curtains with her fingertips. The neighborhood, with its quiet streets, perfectly kept yards, and humans who waved to each other at every chance, was like something that belonged in a damned Norman Rockwell painting.
Elizabeth huffed. “You know what, just forget it.”
Natasha whirled, her eyes narrowed so tightly she could barely see her annoying sister. “Nikolai is engaged to the little tramp he replaced me with.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Replaced you?”
“ Yes, the one he gave my job to just after he fired me.”
“ Come on, Nat, it’s not like you gave him a choice. Nikolai is a man of his word. Did you really expect him to not follow through? You were warned to let the human be. But you couldn’t leave well enough alone; slicing her tires and breaking every piece of glass on her car.” Elizabeth tsked her tongue and shook her head. “I would’ve thought after living for more than a century you’d have learned—”
“ Don’t.” Natasha’s anger plunged the temperature into arctic. “He will pay for this betrayal. I will not allow him to mock me.”
“ Mock you?” Elizabeth laughed softly. “How exactly has he mocked you? Does his heart beat in your presence? I’ve never heard it.”
Natasha continued to glower, refusing to even consider the possibility that Gabrielle might be Nikolai’s heartmate. The thought was just too painful.
Natasha had gotten only a few short years with Nikolai, and it’d only been five since they’d broken up. She still wanted him, wanted him to be hers for eternity. The two of them could have been very happy together if the stupid little human hadn’t ruined everything.
It was obvious by the way Elizabeth gnawed on her bottom lip she had more to say, more criticism, but instead of condemnation, she sighed and shook her head.
“ Let it go, let them be happy. It’s time for you to stop dwelling on other people and search for your own happiness, sister.”
Elizabeth gave Natasha a quick hug before disappearing back into the kitchen. Natasha returned to the window. She rested her forehead against the cool glass. In this world where things could change in only a matter of seconds, there was only one thing Natasha was sure of; Nikolai would pay for making a fool of her. She just hadn’t decided how high the price would be.
“ Thanks again for taking me out.” Gabrielle’s neck hurt where her cell phone was pinched between her shoulder and her ear. “I’m home now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“ Gabby.”
“ Yeah?”
“ I’m worried about you.”
“ I’m fine.”
“ Okay. Just promise me you won’t stress so much. ‘Cause it’ll just give you wrinkles.” Marie laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gabby stepped inside her dark apartment. She flicked the switch next to the doorway. Brightly colored pillows, throws, and rugs accented the earth tones of the furniture; a beige couch, a light oak coffee table. But Gabby’s favorite piece of furniture was the chocolate colored, overstuffed leather chair, an exact replica of the one in Niko’s office.
She dropped her keys on the small table next to the door and hung
“ What is your problem!” Elizabeth snapped. “I’m trying to bake a cake for the new neighbors and your shrieking made it fall.”
She wiped her flour covered hands on the front of her bright pink apron and pushed back a wayward blond curl from her forehead.
“ I don’t know why you bother.” Natasha wrapped her fingers around a crystal candlestick and threw it, taking great satisfaction when it smashed against the wall next to the window. “A vampire taking baked goods to the neighbors is a tad ridiculous, don’t you think?”
“ I’m just trying to be nice. Mother didn’t raise us to be rude.”
“ Mother has been dead for a hundred years.” Natasha stepped toward the window, smiling at the crunch of glass under her sole. She plucked at the lace curtains with her fingertips. The neighborhood, with its quiet streets, perfectly kept yards, and humans who waved to each other at every chance, was like something that belonged in a damned Norman Rockwell painting.
Elizabeth huffed. “You know what, just forget it.”
Natasha whirled, her eyes narrowed so tightly she could barely see her annoying sister. “Nikolai is engaged to the little tramp he replaced me with.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Replaced you?”
“ Yes, the one he gave my job to just after he fired me.”
“ Come on, Nat, it’s not like you gave him a choice. Nikolai is a man of his word. Did you really expect him to not follow through? You were warned to let the human be. But you couldn’t leave well enough alone; slicing her tires and breaking every piece of glass on her car.” Elizabeth tsked her tongue and shook her head. “I would’ve thought after living for more than a century you’d have learned—”
“ Don’t.” Natasha’s anger plunged the temperature into arctic. “He will pay for this betrayal. I will not allow him to mock me.”
“ Mock you?” Elizabeth laughed softly. “How exactly has he mocked you? Does his heart beat in your presence? I’ve never heard it.”
Natasha continued to glower, refusing to even consider the possibility that Gabrielle might be Nikolai’s heartmate. The thought was just too painful.
Natasha had gotten only a few short years with Nikolai, and it’d only been five since they’d broken up. She still wanted him, wanted him to be hers for eternity. The two of them could have been very happy together if the stupid little human hadn’t ruined everything.
It was obvious by the way Elizabeth gnawed on her bottom lip she had more to say, more criticism, but instead of condemnation, she sighed and shook her head.
“ Let it go, let them be happy. It’s time for you to stop dwelling on other people and search for your own happiness, sister.”
Elizabeth gave Natasha a quick hug before disappearing back into the kitchen. Natasha returned to the window. She rested her forehead against the cool glass. In this world where things could change in only a matter of seconds, there was only one thing Natasha was sure of; Nikolai would pay for making a fool of her. She just hadn’t decided how high the price would be.
“ Thanks again for taking me out.” Gabrielle’s neck hurt where her cell phone was pinched between her shoulder and her ear. “I’m home now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“ Gabby.”
“ Yeah?”
“ I’m worried about you.”
“ I’m fine.”
“ Okay. Just promise me you won’t stress so much. ‘Cause it’ll just give you wrinkles.” Marie laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gabby stepped inside her dark apartment. She flicked the switch next to the doorway. Brightly colored pillows, throws, and rugs accented the earth tones of the furniture; a beige couch, a light oak coffee table. But Gabby’s favorite piece of furniture was the chocolate colored, overstuffed leather chair, an exact replica of the one in Niko’s office.
She dropped her keys on the small table next to the door and hung
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