Forbidden Nights With A Vampire Read Online Free PDF Page B

his fists on his hips. “I’m the Love Doctor. The chicks should be climbing all over me.”
    Howard shoved a small canister toward Phil. “Sugar?”
    Phil shook his head.
    “Not for a long time, man.” Phineas paced across the room. “It’s been months since I had any sugar.”
    Howard offered Phil a canister of Coffee-mate.
    Phil shook his head. “I like it black.”
    “I like ’em black, too.” Phineas suddenly halted. “But I’m not prejudiced, you know. I have never failed to jump a woman’s bones based on her color or religion. The Love Doctor never turns a lady away.”
    “That’s real sporting of you, Phineas.” Phil took a sip of coffee. He noticed on the monitor that Jack and Connor had reached the side entrance. Connor swiped his card, then activated the hand sensor.
    Phineas’s shoulders slumped. “I just don’t get it.”
    “Get what?” Howard poured himself a cup of coffee, then dumped in a huge amount of sugar.
    “All the married Vamps seem really happy.” Phineas resumed his pacing. “With just one woman. When there are so many hot chicks in the world, how can you settle for just one?”
    “She has to be really special.” And of all the women Phil had met in his twenty-seven years, it was Vanda who came to his mind. She didn’t wear the facade of indifferent superiority like most Vamp women. She was raw, passionate, and painfully honest. She was in your face. She’d intrigued him from the start.
    “I think it’s called love,” Howard said.
    Phil flinched. “I wouldn’t call it that. Infatuation, maybe.”
    Howard gave him an incredulous look. “You don’t think Jack loves Lara? Or Roman loves Shanna? Or—”
    “Oh, yeah.” Phil realized he’d lost the trail of the conversation. “That’s definitely love. I—I was thinking about…someone else.”
    Howard eyed him curiously. “Like who?”
    Phil was saved when the buzzer sounded at the door. Connor had activated the security measures outside, causing the door to unlock. Connor and Jack walked in.
    Jack smiled and shook hands as he greeted everyone. “You’re all coming to the engagement party, yes? I want Lara to feel welcomed in the Vamp world.”
    “We’re coming,” Howard said.
    “Where is Lara?” Phil asked.
    “At her apartment,” Jack answered. “I teleported her there first, so she could get some sleep. She’s worn-out from sightseeing all day in Venezia.”
    “I’m glad ye’re back.” Connor stood next to the desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Phil just arrived tonight, too, so I’d like to catch everyone up to date.”
    “Good.” Jack perched on the far corner of the desk.
    Howard sat behind the desk, while Phineas and Phil took the chairs in front. When everyone was focused on Connor, he began.
    “The latest information we have indicates that Casimir has moved to North America. We have no idea where he’s setting up his base of operations, but we do know that he liked to visit his friend Apollo, in Maine. We’re assuming he doesna know that Apollo and Athena have been killed.”
    Phil drank some coffee. Earlier in July he had helped Jack rescue his fiancée, Lara, who was being held captive at Apollo’s Malcontent compound in Maine. Jack had killed Apollo, while Phil had teamed up with Lara to kill Athena. “We left the compound empty. Most of the mortals had their memories erased and were sent back home.”
    “What happened to the girl who wanted to keep her memory?” Jack asked.
    “She’s at Shanna’s school,” Connor replied. “She’s going to be a teacher there. Carlos is doing security. Now my point is, there’s no one at the compound to tell Casimir no’ to come anymore. So Angus figured there’s a good chance that Casimir might return.”
    “Are we setting a trap?” Jack asked.
    “Aye.” Connor smiled. “Angus arrived there two weeks ago to do just that. He has a team of seven with him. That should be enough to capture Casimir.”
    Phil felt a twinge of