A Hunters Promise Read Online Free PDF Page B

But her life was still changing and evolving. Being a Liaison—a true Liaison that shared blood with her Ancient—was something Joelle was still getting used to. The exchange of blood was only part of the bond between them. She could sense his emotions, his thoughts, and he could do the same to her. In fact, upon occasion, it was as if they could read each other’s minds.
    “Hey,” Joelle said softly as she approached the bed, “how are you?”
    “Thirsty,” she rasped out.
    Joelle stepped into the bathroom and filled a cup with water. Bringing it out, she sat on the bed and helped the woman take small sips. She was thin, but muscular, and Joelle was a bit jealous since no amount of working out had ever made her body look that way.
    At that moment, Talon invaded her thoughts, letting her know that she was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. He wanted her. Now. Joelle shivered, damn the man. He could make her want him without even touching her. She idly wondered if one day he could make her come without touching her. Before the thought was finished, the sensation of fingers brushing her nipples and clit washed over her. She shivered involuntarily as growling washed through her mind. Stop it, she thought, not now, you big jerk . Low laughter rushed through her and left her shaky and a little breathless.
    “Are you okay?” the other woman asked.
    Joelle gave a small laugh. “I think I should be asking you that question. How’re you feeling?”
    “Fuzzy. Weird. Where am I?”
    “Charon brought you back with him,” Joelle said, purposefully not answering her question. She didn’t know how much the other woman knew and wasn’t about to spill the beans. “Do you remember what happened to you?”
    She nodded slowly. “Yes, but you won’t believe me. No one ever does.”
    Joelle could almost feel the despair the other woman exuded and wondered what had happened to her. Obviously, her life had been as difficult as Joelle’s own.
    “Vampires,” Joelle said.
    The other woman blinked and turned to stare at her. “What did you say?”
    “Vampires,” she repeated. “You had some kind of a run in with a vampire.”
    “You know about them?”
    “Oh yeah, ever since I was fourteen. Oh, I’m Joelle by the way. Joelle Quinn.”
    “Aislinn Flaherty.” The redhead tried to push herself to sit higher up in the bed and Joelle leaned in to help her. “How did you find out about vampires?”
    Joelle gave a smile. “I was nosy and decided to investigate an abandoned house. It wasn’t. I found Talon chained in the basement. These vampires were holding him and drinking from him. I let him go. I’m sure they didn’t see that coming.”
    “What happened?”
    “He killed them and got me out of there.”
    “Who’s Talon?”
    “Oh, he’s the man I’m in love with. He’s a Hunter just like Charon.”
    Aislinn shook her head. “I don’t understand. What’s a Hunter? How did he kill vampires?”
    Joelle tucked her hair behind her ears as she contemplated how much information the woman had. Aislinn knew of vampires, but didn’t know about the Hunters. “Let me ask you what you know of vampires?”
    “They’re evil,” Aislinn said. “One killed my roommate when I was at boarding school. We were twelve. It snuck in, and it was horrible. He told me not to remember, but I do. Everything. But no one believed me. They convicted some janitor for the crime. I told them he didn’t do it. I even described the thing that did, and still, no one believed me.”
    “So, how did you meet Charon?” Joelle asked, gently since she didn’t want Aislinn getting any more upset.
    “He appeared about six months ago and started training me. There are…things at the hospital. They prey on the patients. I wanted to stop them. He showed me how.” As she spoke, she looked down at her arm. Cautiously, she ran a hand over the fresh scars on her left wrist. “I don’t understand. The vampire bit my wrist, it was bleeding, and now,