Blood Secrets-Valorian 1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

stop any more accusations. “Although I find this matter as difficult to swallow as you do, I do not hate—”
    “Excuse me?”
    The soft, feminine sound came from the doorway. Caine swore under his breath and turned toward the voice. Eve stood framed in the doorway, her white-blond hair falling in her eyes. He wondered how long she had been listening to their conversation. He hoped not long.
    However, by the look of anger and hurt on her face, he assumed she had been standing there long enough.
    “Yes, Eve, hello. Has Lyra got you up to speed?” He walked toward her, hoping to defuse the situation.
    “I need a computer.” She brushed a stray hair from her forehead and lifted her chin, but avoided meeting his eyes.
    Caine had to admire her. She had likely heard everything they had said, and she still had the guts to walk in here and rise above the insults.
    He’d been worried when he first saw her, looking like a Malibu Barbie doll. Long white-blond hair, dark blue eyes, blemish-free tanned skin, little pert nose with a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge. Thankfully, she was not rake thin. No, she definitely had curves. She filled out her navy pinstripe suit jacket and skirt very well. Not that he was trying to notice, it was just one of those things a man couldn’t help but observe. For a human, he had to admit, she was attractive.
    When he had taken her hand, he had felt something jolt through his skin. An energy of some sort. She wasn’t psychic, but she possessed some kind of gift. And given the fact that his hand tingled after, remarkably with pleasure, she had certain sexual potency as well. Something, he believed, she had no idea that she possessed.
    “Yes, of course,” he answered, giving her his best diplomatic smile.
    “I thought since the rest of the team is processing evidence, I would get a jump on IDing the victim. I can access AFIS, CODIS and missing persons reports.”
    “You have complete access to all the systems in San Antonio?”
    Arching a brow, she smiled back at him. “What I don’t have access to, I can hack.”
    Gwen whooped. “A girl after my own heart.”

    Caine’s lips twitched. The woman had guts, he’d give her that. More than he expected from a human woman. Now, if she could back that up with skill, he’d be one happy crime investigator.
    “You can use the computer in the analysis room.” Still carrying his clipboard, Caine exited the lab and led the way down the hall to another small, enclosed area.
    When he walked through the doorway of the analysis room, he stopped in his tracks, and Eve nearly collided with him. The computer was being used. Lyra was happily going through magical symbols and spells that she had archived in their system years ago.
    Lyra glanced up at him and smiled smugly. “Why don’t you let Eve use the computer in your office?”
    Caine wanted to reach over and strangle Lyra. She knew how much he detested people being in his office, in his space. It wasn’t that he was possessive about it. He just didn’t like when others touched his things. Working as an OCI, he knew how germs could spread just by opening one’s mouth.
    “How long are you going to be?” he asked.
    “As long as it takes to figure out these symbols, Chief.” She raised her brow. “You do want me to figure that out, don’t you?”
    As Eve sidled up next to him curiously, he cleared his throat and nodded to Lyra, his little troublemaking witch, who he was tempted to write up under some insubordination charge.
    “Of course.”
    Turning toward Eve, he motioned toward the door. “We’ll use my office.”
    Without a word, she followed him out and down the hall to his sanctuary.
    Once through the door, he showed her where his computer was and motioned toward the chair for her to sit. Instead, she looked around his office, seeming to take everything in.
    She particularly eyed his book collection with intense scrutiny.
    Before she could take a step toward his extensive and