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Antoine took my dad’s hand with his own and gave it a firm shake before answering. “All over. Mostly from Eastern Europe, but the twins have family in Brussels.” He glanced back at Darren for a moment as if to confirm.
Darren nodded curtly. “Yes, Master Durand. Master Allister and Master Drake come from Brussels, Belgium.”
My mom fluttered her lashes at the twins with a coy grin. “Well, you wouldn’t know it, I can’t hear an accent at all.”
“We pride ourselves on being able to integrate into the American culture.” Ever the flirt, Drake gave her a bashful grin. “We find it much easier to get along with others when we sound like we belong here. To hear you say that you couldn’t tell is a great compliment from an even greater beauty.”
As she giggled at Drake’s words, my mom shot me a happy wink. “I like them. You should stay here.”
I laced my fingers in front of me and pressed my lips together to repress a laugh as I met Antoine’s eyes across from my dad. “I plan to. As long as they’ll have me.”
Antoine’s brow lifted before he inclined his head in understanding, then he turned and quirked a finger at Darren.
“Please, have a room prepared for Miss Billings’ parents and have dinner served in the dining room.” He paused and watched my parents expectantly. “You are staying, aren’t you? I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself for sending you home without at least a full belly.”
“Of course, Master Durand.” Darren gave a slight bow before giving me a meaningful look that I think meant he wanted to talk to me in private, but I promptly ignored it. No way was I leaving my parents alone with vampires.
“Mom, Dad.” I placed a hand on my dad’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable at maybe a hotel? Or... oh!” I clapped my hands together once. “Aunt Doris. She lives in town. Maybe you could stay with her?”
“Miss Billings, I’m surprised at you,” Antoine purred as he stepped into our little circle. “Why should your parents put up money for a hotel room when they can stay here? I’m sure they will want to spend as much time with their daughter as possible, and the added drive would take away from that.”
As I gritted my teeth, I felt my eye twitch as I stared Antoine down, knowing that I couldn’t outright say why I didn’t want them to stay with them. Of course, Antoine didn’t know that my parents and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye, but I wasn’t going to bring that up now either.
“But Master Durand,” I bit out with a tight smile, “we are in the middle of preparations to leave tomorrow. I’m sure my parents don’t want to be in the way.”
Antoine placed his hands behind his back with a twinkle in his eyes. “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. I’m sure you and Darren have it covered, but you do bring up a valid point.” Antoine turned his gaze to my parents with an apologetic smile. “The whole household is going out of town tomorrow. So, we won’t be able to host you but one night.”
“Even Piper?” My mom glanced to me the first hint of worry on her face. Me working for hot guys in this big old house wasn’t a problem, but God forbid I leave the state with them. Sometimes, I wondered if my mom had her priorities straight.
“Yes.” Drake stepped in with a reassuring air. “Piper is pivotal to our trip. We are going to see the head of our... company.” Those blue-green eyes met mine with a quirk of his lips before returning to charm my mom. “She not only takes care of the household but each of us individually as well. Usually, Darren only comes, but it’s so much easier for us to have two for the five of us than one.”
“Five?” My dad about choked on the word. “There are five of you?”
“Oh, yes.” Drake beamed, clearly getting a kick out of messing with my dad. “Antoine is the oldest, and then there is Marcus, Allister and me, Wynn, and then the youngest Rayne.”
“And you all live here?” My mom circled her finger in the air between us. “Together, in one house?”
I think my mom was just two seconds away from having an aneurysm right after my dad had a heart attack or worse, beat them within an inch of their lives. Or at least try to. Vampires versus my fifty-year-old dad? Now that would be a sight to see.
Ever the diplomat, Antoine nodded. “We are a very close-knit family. Private as well,” he said as his eyes slid my way. “We like to keep things in the family as much as possible.”
If the ground could swallow me up now, it wouldn’t be soon enough. I swear the masters really wanted to drive me to an early grave. Forget meeting the sire or dealing with Valentine, they’d kill me with their teasing before my parents even left the house.
Darren, thank his beautiful head, appeared in the doorway of the dining room. “Please, this way. Dinner will be served shortly.”
My mom and dad seemed to put aside their concerns for the moment with the announcement of food. They let themselves be led into the dining room with Antoine in the front and the twins behind them. I brought up the rear, trying to calculate the odds of them figuring out the masters’ secret and if they would try to kill my parents if they did.
“Relax.” Allister trailed back to clasp my hand in his. He gave it a squeeze as he leaned over to whisper in my ear. It wouldn’t keep the others from hearing, but at least, my parents wouldn’t. “We’ve played human for years. A few hours will be a piece of cake.”
I rolled my eyes up to him. “Them finding out isn’t the biggest concern I have right now.”
“Oh?” Allister asked almost laughing at me. “Then what is?”
I stared straight ahead as I said, “That my dad will think you have less than honorable intentions toward his only daughter.”
“Oh, but we do, little maid. We do.” Drake barked a laugh as he winked over his shoulder and entered the dining room.
I let out a little whimper. “Can I just go back to hiding in my room? It has to be better than this?”
