“Yeah,” one of them says. “Dad!”
Stella’s father appears at the top of the stairs and heads down to greet me in the foyer. “I thought I heard you, Boz. Would you like a drink?”
“That sounds good, thank you,” I say, following him to the kitchen.
Stella’s mother goes out the back door with Sadie.
“What can I get you?” her father asks. “We’ve got wine, of course, beer, lemonade—”
“Actually, while it’s just the two of us, I’d very much like to talk to you about a serious matter.”
He takes a seat on a stool at the kitchen island and gestures for me to take the seat next to him. “Of course. We’re so grateful to you and Neli for all you did for us. If there’s anything we can do to repay—”
“With your permission, I would like to marry your daughter.”
His mouth gapes open.
Has Stella not spoken of me? Of our fated bond? “I mean Stella,” I add, in case he’s shocked, thinking I want one of his young twin daughters.
“I see,” he says. “Sorry, I’m just surprised. I wasn’t aware you were seeing each other.”
“She is my destiny.” I wait for him to understand the way of things. His eyes are wide, staring unblinkingly at me.
“Have you spoken about this with Stella?” he finally asks, blinking again.
“I went to you first, as is proper. Of course, I am prepared to cover her dowry. It is my grand gesture to prove my sincerity. I would like to make an offer to buy your land and combine our vineyards in one large estate. Five million dollars.” This is above the market price because I take care of those my mate loves.
At his silence, I continue, hoping he will see the greatness of my plan soon. “My award-winning vines could be planted here as well. If you would be willing to stay on as full partner in the entire operation, your wife and Stella included, I would greatly appreciate it.” It is the best way I could think of to preserve the family’s pride and dignity while saving what is clearly a failing business.
His mouth opens and closes several times, resembling a fish.
Stella’s mother returns. “I’m back. Will Neli be stopping by later?” She takes a seat next to her husband, suddenly seeming to notice the silence between us. I am waiting for an answer. Her husband appears to be in shock.
Is this not how it’s done in modern times? I should have read up on marriage proposals for the modern woman. Perhaps you don’t ask the father’s permission. He seems to be caught on that part, as he hasn’t granted it. By all that’s unholy, there’s only so much time in a night to research modern customs! Where is Neli when I need her most? Sleeping the night away. Again. I can only forgive such laziness for a short time. I’ve been too lenient with her.
“Are you okay?” her mother asks her father.
“Five million dollars,” he mutters. “Marry Stella.”
“What?” she asks. “You’re not making sense.”
“Tell her what you told me,” her father says, gesturing to me. He stands and pulls a whiskey bottle out of a cabinet, pouring a generous amount in a glass.
Her mother turns to me. “You want to marry Stella?”
“Very much so.”
She beams a bright smile. “Wow. I had no idea you two were serious. I mean, I saw the way she looked at you and vice versa, but…” She looks around. “Where is Stella?”
“I am waiting for her father’s permission before asking for her hand,” I say.
Her eyes go soft. “That is so nice. What a gentlemanly thing to do. You certainly have my permission.”
“Thank you.”
We both turn to the man who still hasn’t answered the most important question of my eight-hundred-year-old life.
Her father turns wide eyes on me, but he speaks to his wife. “Irene, he wants to buy our vineyard and merge into one larger estate. Five million dollars. And we could still be full partners.”
“Oh my gosh!” Her hand flies to her chest. “Now I understand. I was so caught up in the marriage part, I missed that.” She leaps from her seat and hugs me and then hugs her husband. She looks at me over his shoulder. “This is wonderful news! Of course we accept your offer!”
I cannot join in their excitement because her father has not granted me permission. I stand and make my case once more. “Mr. Baker, I will take great care with Stella. She will never want for anything. I will do everything in my power to make her happy. Whatever she wants or needs, I vow she will have it.”
He pulls away from his wife, walks over to me, and gazes directly into my eyes. He doesn’t flinch at the power there, like most mortal men, and I am glad to see he’s a man of great strength too. “Boz, you have my permission to propose to Stella. We would be honored to welcome you to the family. And I look forward to our partnership in the future.”
Joy fills me so powerfully I have to fight not to levitate. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Baker. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to see Stella.”
Before I can go, her mother hugs me again. I pat her back gingerly, unused to affection. She looks up at me, her eyes shining with happiness. “Thank you, Boz. Just thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.” My heart beats proudly. I am a changed vampire, a better one, all because of my love for Stella.
Her mother releases me, and I make my way swiftly to the stairs. I catch her excited whisper to her husband. “We can send Mabel and Eliza to culinary school,” she says.
I smile to myself. Stella’s family is pleased with my plan. Now I simply need to inform my mate.
“Stella, my love,” I call.
Her bedroom door opens, and she walks to the top of the stairs. “I am not your love.”
It is a dagger to my heart. My knees actually go weak. I lock them and pull my shoulders back to display my manly form. “Stella, we must talk. Alone. It is important.”
She walks downstairs, her gaze locked on mine. “Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my family. They deserve to know the truth.”
“I have already—” I turn, shocked to find her sisters hugging me.
“Thank you, Boz!” one of them exclaims.
“Mom just told us! You rock!” the other exclaims.
I pat their heads. “Which one is Mabel? And which one is Eliza?”
They giggle.
“I’m Eliza,” the girl with the cupcake T-shirt says. “You can tell because I have a scar right here.” She lifts her chin, exposing her delicate neck.
“Eliza! No!” Stella exclaims, putting herself between us.
She believes I am a monster. That I would destroy her sister because she offered me her neck. But I do not dine on children, and that goes double for my mate’s siblings.
“What is wrong with you?” Eliza asks Stella. “I was just telling him how to tell us apart.”
Her mother appears in the foyer. “What’s all this yelling?”
Eliza turns an affronted look on Stella. “Stella’s acting all possessive of Boz. I wasn’t flirting, I swear! I was just explaining how to tell Mabel and me apart.”
“Okay, girls.” Her mother gestures them toward her. “Let’s give Stella and Boz some privacy. He has something important to ask her.” She winks at me.