Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(3)

Yep, Ryland and Kingsley are almost officially emperors. They've also been my next-door neighbors for a very long time-my hot next-door neighbors. But that's a completely different problem for another time.

The real problem is Rhyland and Kingsley are straight up cocky douchebags, something that's been proven during many incidents. Take for instances the time they locked me in the attic so I wouldn't, as Nadine put it, "ruin my glamorous party with your freaky pastiness." They also once stole some of my underwear and hung them up all over the school, which double sucked because it was back when I was still clueless about sexy underwear and was sporting granny panties.

Around the age of seventeen, I started buying cute, boy-cut panties, though. Not that it matters, since only I have ever seen my underwear. Still, wearing them makes me feel like I have a cute butt, so yeah, there's that  …

Anyway, those are just two incidents on a very long list of times Rhyland, Kingsley, and Nadine tried to break me. There are many more, and I'm sure many more to come.

My mom sighs, drawing me out of my thoughts. "Raven, stop frowning. Getting your reading is supposed to be a good thing. Most vampires are excited to find out what they're going to become."

"But I already know what I'm going to become," I point out. "It's what I've been since the day I was born-plain and ordinary Raven."

"At least you know you're a loser." Nadine smirks then lifts her goblet of blood to her lips.

"She's not a loser." Mom gives Nadine a harsh glare. "Don't ever say that to your sister again."

"Sorry, Mommy." Nadine gives our mom a fake smile. "I really didn't mean it. I was just messing around."

Mom huffs out an exasperated breath-a breath that's only taken instinctively and not necessary-like she's so over this.

That makes two of us.

Fortunately, for the sake of mine and my mom's sanity, Nadine gets up from the table and goes upstairs to her bedroom. Moments later, a pop song starts playing from her stereo.

"When is she moving out again?" my dad jokes. Well, mostly jokes. I think, deep down, a part of him is ready for Nadine to leave the lair.

"She'll leave in a couple of months for her training," Mom replies, filling up her goblet with more blood. "Well, that is, if the empress power does manifest on her birthday."

"If? I thought her reading said she'd become one," I say, then down the glass of blood in front of me. The wonderful metallic taste makes me feel sparkly inside, like I'm glowing.

That's some good quality shit right there.

"No, her reading said she probably would." My mom reclines in her chair. "But until her birthday, we won't know for sure." She dismisses the conversation with a flick of her wrist. "Enough talk about your sister. I want you to promise you won't assume anything yet about your future, okay?"

"Why?" I dab the blood from my lips with a napkin. "It's not like I don't know what I am." When her lips start to part in a protest, I hold up my hand. "I know you hope I'll be read that I'm going to become an empress, but I really don't believe that's going to happen. I don't show any of the signs. And I don't want you to get your hopes up only for them to get staked."

"Just because you don't show any of the signs, doesn't mean it won't happen," my dad intervenes, getting up to clear the table. "Your grandmother was one of the most powerful empresses there ever was, and she had the same black raven hair and eyes as you. And her powers developed slowly." He gathers the dirty plates in his hand. "In fact, you're pretty much the spitting image of her when she was around your age."



       
         
       
        

"That's not true," I say. "I've seen photos of Grandma, and she's gorgeous. Like, vampire star gorgeous."

"Oh, Raven." My mom tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, something she's done since I was a kid. "When are you going to start seeing yourself how everyone sees you?"

It takes every ounce of my vampire strength not to snort a laugh. I want to point out that I see myself exactly how everyone does-everyone except my parents-but I don't want to sit at the table for the rest of the night, listening to them attempt to convince me otherwise. Not after all the work I put into accepting who I am and being okay with it. It took a while, but I'm getting there. And I've been happy lately. I want to hold on to that happiness. Savor it.

So, instead I say, "I'll try." Then I push up from the table and rise to my feet. "I'm going to go take a nap."