Bitten: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance Read Online Free PDF

spitting stones and dirt everywhere. There had to be an explanation.
    My heart… this heart had stopped beating over three hundred years ago.

Nova
    “ I ’d like to pick up Steffie’s shifts.”
    Mr. Walker stared at the schedule and frowned. “I’m sorry, Nova. I’ve got an extra three hours on Saturdays and that’s it. I wish I could do more. Between us, I wasn’t going to replace Steffie, just close one more register at night.”
    I nodded and stared at the floor. “I understand. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me. I’ll take those three hours, if that’s okay.”
    His smile was weak. But there was nothing weak about his heart. “Of course. If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know.”
    The warm touch on the back of my hand took me by surprise. “You’ve been working here for two years now, child. I hope you know you can come to me if you have a problem.”
    His hands felt so soft, so comforting. The brush of his thumb reminded me of my mom. She used to do that just before, motioning me to follow her into the kitchen where we’d bake cookies and eat them hot out of the oven. I missed that so much. We’d sit at the kitchen table and talk for hours about everything.
    I blinked away the memory. “Thank you, I appreciate it, Mr. Walker, but I’ll be fine.”
    “That’s good to hear, love. The offer still stands, at any case.”
    The way he said love conjured memories of another voice. I wrung my hands and muttered, “Well, I’m off, call me if you need.”
    I hurried out of the room, untying my apron strings. I’d done everything to keep him out of my head, busying myself with washing counters, using the sharp sting of bleach to counteract the memory of his scent.
    But there was no scrubbing my mind. No changing how the stainless counter reminded me of his cold, stony body pressing me into the wall—and no changing how my pulse sped. My breasts grew heavy and my nipples puckered, rubbing against the lace of my bra as I moved. I closed my eyes and tried to force the feeling aside.
    I’d washed and scrubbed until the deli gleamed and still, I wasn’t spent—I wasn’t done—I needed…. I needed to walk. I needed to rid myself of everything he was.
    The automatic doors opened and I was hit with an icy autumn headwind. My teeth chattered. This was good. I needed this.
    One step after another, cars blurred, as did the buildings as slowly the beaten, overcast sky turned black and blue. A touch across my mind had me turning to scan the parked cars over my shoulder. That caress continued, growing heavy until my slow thoughts finally recognized the feeling.
    Someone was watching me.
    I turned back, quickened my pace until my thighs burned. The feeling intensified. I crossed the street, trying to get away from it. Three more blocks and I’d be home. Three more blocks and I’d be safe…. How safe were you the other night?
    I could blame the frigid bluster for the chill in my bones, but I’d be lying. The caress on the back of my neck turned into an icy grip that tightened with every step.
    Whoever it was wasn’t just watching me… they were following me.
    My big brown building hunkered like a guard dog. The thud of boots behind me forced me to balls of my feet as I pushed into a run. My heart thrashed inside my ears. Get to the building. Just get to the building and everything will be okay.
    I stumbled up the steps. I stabbed the buttons, swore when I missed, and tried again. The loud buzz and click of the lock did little to comfort me.
    I slammed the door shut behind me. The entrance was empty. Safe. The cool air burned in my lungs. Still, I sucked and swallowed like a fish fresh out of water. I waited. Maybe they hung back when I started to run? And maybe there was no one there at all?
    The streetlights flickered on, bathing the pavement in an ugly yellow hue. I clenched my jaw. “Come on, show yourself you sneaky bastard.”
    Inside, my mind was racing, ticking off names on my