Animal Attraction Read Online Free PDF

unflappable front desk clerk chuckled as
we walked away. Wanting to maintain my stern demeanor, I kept my
gaze pointed forward as we moved down the hall. Dan was smart
enough to keep his mouth shut until we entered the office that had
Patricia’s name on the door.
    Because Patricia wasn’t known for her warmth
outside her inner circle, I’d inherited her business space that
showed few hints of personality. Since not everyone was aware she
no longer walked among us in spirit, I’d done nothing to change
that. The opulent but sturdy desk held a computer, landline phone,
calendar, and little else. The chairs were comfortable but still
obviously office chairs. The cabinet held several cases of BP9, a
stock replenished quite often because I am determined to feed on
the living as little as possible.
    With that in mind, I glared at Dan as I took
the seat behind the desk. He had the grace to look uneasy,
something self-assured Mr. Saling didn’t do too often.
    “I take it you didn’t appreciate Levi’s
presence?”
    I noted a hint of apology in his tone. I
thought I also heard a trace of smugness. He was sorry, but he
wasn’t.
    I decided to make him head in the regret
direction. “Did you think it would be? Especially considering I’d
just taken my measure of blood and other bodily substances from my
babysitter.”
    Kapow. Dan made a face, one that creased the
lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth deeper than usual. His
broad forehead furrowed. He’d been creeping up on forty when he’d
died, and he had one of those faces that only gets better with age.
Those creases added character in all the right ways.
    Other than the eye candy, I did not enjoy
getting my digs in after all. Our relationship had never been an
easy one. Until I’d gotten myself trapped in Patricia, we’d been an
unhappy threesome with Tristan. Dan and Tristan had been friends
until I showed up. The men fell in love with me, and I was
ridiculous enough to fall in love with both of them. We knew it
couldn’t continue. The jealousy came close to tearing us all
apart.
    I’d finally made my decision between the two
men. Before I could announce the unlucky winner of the Brandilynn
sweepstakes, fate came in and took the choice from me. Tristan
couldn’t handle a relationship with me stuck in his sister’s body
for obvious reasons. Even during the day, when my ghost left the
physical behind and I was all me again, he couldn’t bear to look at
me.
    I wanted to be true blue to Dan. I really
did. I loved the man. But as I’d demonstrated earlier with Gerald,
staying faithful in the form of a feeding vampire was impossible.
Blood and sex went together, inseparable for even the oldest of the
fanged population. Dan didn’t have to share me with Tristan anymore
... but he still had to share me. I hated that because it hurt him.
He said it was okay while I made the adjustment, but I knew it
wasn’t. Not for him or for me.
    As I tried to form an apology for my curt
words, Dan said, “If it will make you feel any better, you don’t
look ready to chew a neck right now. You’re getting excellent
control over your glamour.”
    I caught the condescension. My plan to make
nice evaporated in a wash of hurt. I snapped, “Eyes not glowing,
fangs not showing. I guess that’s something. Give me a gold star.”
I scowled. “You knew what Levi would probably walk in on. Why did
you do that?”
    He shrugged. “I thought maybe if Wolf Boy was
present, you’d be able to control yourself better. Behave with an
audience, that kind of thing.”
    I gave him my best cold Patricia look. I had
always envied her ability to appear above petty human stuff ... but
then, she hadn’t been human for a long time. I remained human, even
while dead and playing undead. I was still petty, especially when
others acted that way. “I do the best I can under the
circumstances. Shaming me isn’t helping.”
    Dan once more showed the good person he
really was. Guilt clouded his face,