“For your second question, no, we haven’t eaten our previous maids. The reason we have gone through so many is that each and every one of them couldn’t keep their noses in their own business or were so enamored by my brothers that they would sneak into their beds. It really became quite a problem. My brothers would fight over them, and all sorts of chaos would be unleashed.”
I could totally see that. The brothers were something to behold. If I didn’t need the job so bad, I would have jumped on them the moment I could. Thinking about it now, it seemed my money troubles were the least of my worries. Not getting eaten was pretty high on the list now.
Antoine pursed his lips in thought. “You, however, have yet to cause any fighting.” I frowned a bit disappointed in my lack of sexual prowess. “Do not be mistaken. All of us are quite taken by you, Miss Billings.” He paused, and his eyes bored into me as he purred my name. “Piper.”
That word wiggled through my ears, through my veins, and settled deep between my legs. I pressed them together tightly and forced back my reaction to him and his words. Fucking hormones.
“I have to say you are the most frustrating human I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my household, and I’ve had quite a lot over the last few hundreds of years.”
I gaped at the admittance.
“Don’t look so surprised.” Antoine lifted his chin, an arrogant sneer on his face. “Looks can be deceiving, especially when vampires are involved.”
He’d said it. He’d actually called themselves vampires.
“What else is true then?” I couldn’t help but ask. “Do you have a reflection?”
Antoine’s eyes glittered with amusement. “Of course. Hard to shave without one.”
My confidence built as I realized he was going to answer my questions. “What about garlic? Beheading? Stakes through the heart?”
Clucking his tongue, Antoine cocked his head to the side. “Are you looking to kill me, Piper?”
“Don’t say my name like that,” I snapped back, shifting from one foot to the other. For some reason, just hearing my name on his lips unsettled me, made my guard slip, just a little.
“Why?” Antoine flashed a fanged grin. “That is your name, is it not?”
I licked my lips and swallowed, nodding.
“Don’t you like it?” Antoine’s eyes bore into me. “You could be very happy here, Piper, if you just let go of your prejudices and allow us the same rights as you give other humans.”
Scoffing, I let out a nervous laugh.
“Something funny?”
Shaking my head, I rubbed my arm, trying to remove the goosebumps that had appeared. “You obviously don’t know me well enough if you think I rate humans very high on the list. They’re just as bad as you.”
“I see.” He peered at me beneath those pale lashes, trying to figure me out. “And will you stake me in my sleep?”
“Not if you let me go.”
He slid a hand through his hair and gave me a knowing smirk. “And where would you go? Back to living in your car?”
“It’s not that bad,” I admitted, dropping my eyes to the oriental rug.
“You don’t really want to go now, do you, Piper?” Antoine stood from the couch and moved closer to me. “Not when you have a debt to pay.”
I knew he was taunting me with the broken vase, but I didn’t take the bait. I stared up at him, my mouth going dry. I shook my head, unable to come up with an answer.
“I didn’t think so.” Antoine cupped my face with his hand and leaned down until his lips brushed mine. When he pulled back, his face had returned to his usual superior smirk. “Now, take your bag back to your room and clean this place up. It’s a pig sty.”
Gaping at what had just happened, I didn’t have a chance to argue before Antoine had disappeared to God knew where. As I took my bag back to my room, I thought about why I was staying. Was I really that hung up on these guys that I would risk my life to stay here?
If I were truthful with myself, that would be a resounding yes. However, I wasn’t that self-aware. I told myself it was to keep an eye on them. If I knew their secret, then they would be held accountable at least by someone.
Dropping my bag on the floor, I changed into my work clothes. I didn’t know what the future held for me if I ever became useless to them. Most likely, I’d be turned into one of their meals. What I did know was that I couldn’t leave them, not just because of what Antoine said. I did owe them, but I wouldn’t just roll over to save my own ass.
If I left, they would get a new maid, and that one might not be as smart as me. Also, the thought of another woman being around the masters made my skin crawl. I still hadn’t come to terms with my feelings for them, especially now that I knew what they were.
I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt. At least, if I were here, I’d be able to keep them in line. Maybe save a few lives and hopefully not lose my own in the process. So much for not being a hero. I was gunning for the spot of the dumbest one of the year.