Nova sat and calmly watching the theatrics of the young woman. Her face was expressionless as Emily lifted herself back to a standing position. “I guess we should go, then.”

  Emily looked a little confused as she looked back and forth between Nova and Kenneth, “You guys going somewhere? Why did you have me come up here then?” She cocked her head to the side in an exasperated gesture, “You want me to spend all night reading again, don’t you?”

  Kenneth met the girl’s stance and glare with a neutral look, “No, actually. You will go with Nova tonight.” Emily looked as if she was going to protest but Kenneth held up his hand in silence, “This is not negotiable. Your lessons for tonight will be with Nova. I expect you to give her all the respect that you so half-heartedly show me. Do I make myself clear?”

  Emily frowned and huffed, “God, this is so stupid! What the hell could she possibly teach me? This is fucking retarded,” she muttered as she shook her head.

  “Emily,” Kenneth demanded, quiet as death. The girl found her head turning to her Head of House almost involuntarily. “I know what’s going through that twisted mind of yours. I can’t say I blame you. But if you try anything with Nova, especially in the realm of our House abilities, I’ll know and I swear you will regret the day you were ever born.” His eyes bored holes into hers, “Do I make myself clear.” It wasn’t a question.

  Emily nodded her head slowly. The thought had crossed her mind, she was just thinking how nice it would be to have a slave and servant. But something in Kenneth’s voice, his eyes, his posture, everything told her that he wasn’t kidding. He would find out if she tried anything. She wasn’t ready for a toe-to-toe confrontation with Kenneth yet. One day though.

  Nova rose gracefully from her chair and turned towards the elevator. She moved with a dancer’s balance and easy sway. She looked over her shoulder, “Are you coming, darling?”

  Emily rolled her eyes at the overly familiar address that Nova used. She looked at Kenneth, but he had already sat down and was looking over things on his tablet. She had no choice but to follow the deeply tanned human into the elevator.

  She stood there looking everywhere other than Nova. She was wearing this light color skirt that almost touched her knees, her shoes where heeled but they had a squat short heel, what was that all about? Emily already didn’t like this woman, she looked like a bank teller or a real estate agent. Her blouse was white and folded over and her jacket matched the same light color of her skirt. Her thick black hair was done up in a nice ‘thing.’ It was sorta like a bun but twisted sort of.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Her vampire sense of smell could clearly pick up on the mortal woman’s perfume. She didn’t recognize it, but it was pleasant and not heavy at all, just a soft aroma. Either this girl was super confident in herself, or she understood how well vampires sense things and had applied her perfume to not overwhelm Kenneth. Maybe there was more to this woman than she had first given her credit for.

  “So, what are you getting out of this?” Emily asked suddenly.

  Nova turned her head, “I’m sorry, darling. I don’t take your meaning.”

  Emily scoffed at the other woman, “Oh, please?! Don’t give me that shit! I know guys and I know women like you. So, why don’t you drop the act and just tell me what the hell you’re getting out of this? Apartment upgrade fully paid for? New car? Monthly deposit into your bank account? What are you getting out of all this?”

  Nova listened patiently for the girl to finish her semi-rant. She smiled warmly and allowed the elevator doors to open into the parking garage. She motioned for Emily to exit the elevator.

  Emily huffed at being ignored, “Whatever.” She stalked out of the elevator toward Michael who was waiting next to Kenneth’s Jaguar with the passenger doors open. She walked up to the open door and threw herself into the back seat, folding her arms over her breasts and glared into the back of the seat in front of her.

  Nova smiled and thanked Michael for the door and she calmly lowered herself into the car. Michael didn’t need to be told what to do or where to go. He put on his seat belt and drove.

  Emily was waiting for Nova to talk to her. She had just called the woman a gold-digger and she knew that Nova was full of shit. That serene smile on her face. The calm outward appearance, it was all fake. She knew that this bitch was just waiting for something. Maybe she thought she could convince Kenneth to be turned. Was that her game? Everything about this woman screamed ‘fake.’ It was only a matter of time before she cracked.

  “So, what is it? You never answered my question,” Emily spat at the woman. Nova glanced over at the blonde woman. They were about the same age.

  “I’m sorry that happened to you,” Nova replied instead.

  Emily was a bit taken aback by that. “What do you mean? Sorry, what happened? Hey, I asked you the question, not the other way around. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  Emily threw herself back into her seat staring at the seat in front of her. What did this woman know? She didn’t know her. There was nothing wrong with her and the shit that happened to her was none of Miss ‘real estate’s’ business.

  Nova nodded softly and continued to look ahead as Michael drove.

  “Wait, hey don’t turn away from me.” She pressed against Nova’s shoulder forcing the other woman to look at her. “I asked you a question and I want an answer. What the hell do you mean?”

  Nova looked back at Emily with a serenity that said that she was in complete control. There was no hint of doubt or fear in her eyes. This made Emily shrink back. For the barest fraction of a second, Emily felt like this woman wasn’t human. For just a second this woman scared her, but the moment quickly passed and Emily saw nothing but a mortal girl sitting next to her. She mentally shook herself clearing the image from her mind.

  Nova gazed back into the girl’s eyes and responded, “I’m sorry that guy, whoever he was, hurt you. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, darling.”