Expiez: Redeem Your Blood Lust Read Online Free PDF Page A

on a stake-out…
    By the time she uncovered the box containing her personal documents, some sentimental sketches she'd drawn in high school, and the tiny amount of family photos she'd managed to save, she was on the verge of having a panic attack.
    Pushing aside the photos haphazardly scattered in the box, she paused when she came across the last family photo taken before her mom died. Unable to resist, she picked it up. The picture was taken Christmas break her senior year. Julia was back from college. It was their first reunion since she'd gone away and Clare had been overjoyed to see her. Everyone had.
    They all looked so damn happy in that picture. Who knew only one month later everything would change. Looking at the picture, it was hard to believe what a tool her dad would turn out to be.
    After their mom died and their dad responded by removing himself entirely from the situation, Clare wanted to believe it was because he couldn't deal with the death. That he was so in love with her he couldn't bear to be in the house they'd shared for twenty-five years. But knowing the reality now—how he had two young kids, a new wife, and a strong aversion to his older children—she was pretty sure he'd been a dick hiding in awesome dad clothing all along.
    Tossing the photo into the box, she dug to the bottom, grabbed her portfolio, shoved her things back into the car, locked the doors, and made a bee-line back to the garage/soon to be art gallery.
     
    Nikki oohed and ahhed over Clare's illustrations, which was a great ego boost. Chris' constant barrage of insults had given her confidence a work out.
    "Well I love your work," Nikki said, sliding Clare's portfolio back to her. "And if you want a job..."
    "Yes. Definitely."
    "Great." Nikki rose. "Come in Monday and we'll work out the details."
    A job. It looked like she had a job. Packing her stuff and driving to New Orleans had been the first step to making the city her new home, getting a job would make it even more real.
    A celebration was in order. After dinner and a little plotting with Julia, Clare changed into something worthy of a night out and made her way down to Luxure .
    She joined Kate sitting at the bar. "Are you working tonight?"
    "Not unless it gets really busy. Why?"
    "Julia and I are going out. You should join us."
    Kate glanced at Slade. "Don't look at me," he said. "I'm not getting in on that vagina party."
    "Don't worry, you aren't invited," she told him. "I was only looking at you to see if you thought you'd need me."
    He placed both hands over his heart. "Only to fill the empty holes in my soul."
    Kate rolled her eyes and turned back to Clare. "Where are you headed?"
    "Just Bourbon Street. I need the type of drunken debauchery only Bourbon can offer."
    "I'm not much of a drinker."
    "That's okay. I'll drink enough for both of us."
    "Well…"
    The door opening interrupted her. It was a bar, not a living room, so it wasn't like people coming in was some big surprise. Clare turned to see whose entrance would make Kate stop talking.
    It was Angel. On the arm of a very good-looking, very masculine, very normal looking guy. He looked nothing like the men Clare had seen decorating Angel's arms the last time she met her. Broad-shouldered in a button-up shirt and jeans, he had tousled brown hair that looked like it belonged to a 1980s movie jock—the kind that stood up on its own without an ounce of product—and bright blue eyes that did a sweep of the bar like he was looking for snipers. Clare did not care for the way he looked at her, like she might be the enemy.
    "Sorry, Miss Miller," he said to Kate. "No word on Lohr yet."
    "I'm sorry to hear that, Detective."
    "Trust me, I hate having to tell it to you."
    "Hey Copper," Slade said. "I got those papers for you to sign. Want to come back to the office?"
    The detective gave Clare a wary look before turning to Angel. "Go ahead," she said, kissing his cheek. "I'm just going to say hello to Clare, Julia Laroque's