Silent Bite-A Scanguards Wedding (1001 Dark Nights) Read Online Free Page A

that her parents were old-fashioned as well as superstitious. “It’s really not an issue. I won’t be staying here this week. I’m going to stay at my boss’s house until the wedding.”
    Mrs. Tseng raised an eyebrow. “Your boss’s house? That’s very generous of him to let you stay. Well, then, of course . . . ” She exchanged a look with her husband.
    Ursula’s father nodded. “Thank you, Oliver. That’s very thoughtful of you. This looks very comfortable and spacious.”
    Relieved, Oliver pointed to a door. “You have your own bathroom and sitting area so you can relax. But feel free to use any part of the house. I’ll show you around once you’ve had a chance to freshen up.”
    His sensitive hearing picked up the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Then a human smell drifted to him. He recognized the smell immediately. A moment later, Blake popped his head through the door.
    “Hey!” he said.
    “Hui Lian, Yao Bang, meet my half-brother, Blake. Blake, these are Ursula’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tseng.”
    Blake let a big smile spread over his face as he walked toward them and shook their hands. “So nice to finally meet you. Ursula talks about you day and night.”
    “Day and night ?” her father repeated, aiming a stern look in Ursula’s direction.
    Crap! Oliver thought. Leave it to Blake to say something that could get them in trouble. “What Blake means is Ursula speaks of you whenever she visits. You know, during the day.”
    Oliver felt sweat build on his nape. He tossed a displeased glance at Blake who shrugged, while Ursula’s parents looked at their daughter.
    “Yes, I told you, Dad. Oliver’s family invites me over for dinner quite often,” Ursula added and smiled.
    Well, it wasn’t entirely a lie, only that Ursula had become Oliver’s favorite dinner and that after being invited to stay for the first time, she’d never left. But then, those were only minor details, albeit details they had to keep from her parents. Together with the other minor detail they had to hide: the fact that they were guests in a vampire household, and that their daughter was marrying a vampire.
    What the hell had he been thinking? This would never work! Not his union with Ursula. No, they would be perfect together, but keeping the secret about what he was from her parents.
    “When will we meet your parents, Oliver?” Ursula’s father suddenly asked.
    “They should be back any minute. I believe Rose had some shopping to do,” Oliver replied, glad that the subject had turned to something less precarious than sleeping arrangements and how much time Ursula spent at his house.
    “Rose? You call your mother by her first name?” Yao Bang asked in surprise.
    “Well, she’s my stepmother, so I’ve always called her Rose instead of Mom.”
    “Ah,” Ursula’s mother interrupted. “So, Rose is your mother then, Blake?”
    “Yes, but, uh, well, since Oliver always called her Rose when we grew up, I call her Rose too.”
    Oliver turned so Ursula’s parents couldn’t see his face and rolled his eyes at Blake. Did he have to change the rules of the game? They’d expressly discussed who would call whom what. And now Blake threw a wrench into the whole machinery. Soon, this would blow up in their faces.
    “Uh, I see,” Mr. Tseng commented. “Well, as long as you all get on.” Then he turned to peruse the room once more, his wife doing the same.
    She walked closer to the bed and placed her handbag onto it.
    “Oh, dear!” Mrs. Tseng suddenly said with a start and looked in the direction of his nightstand. Oliver followed her gaze, but Ursula’s father was blocking his view.
    Oliver turned to Ursula next to him, catching her panicked look, while he heard how her heartbeat accelerated. Clearly, she was thinking the same as he was: his mother had spotted Ursula’s bra on the floor.
    He had no choice now. He had to wipe her parents’ memories to make sure that they never remembered seeing Ursula’s