Hannah Jayne Read Online Free PDF

down at Kale, whose cheeks were a heady red.
    “You said she was seeing Mrs. Henderson.”
    Kale looked up at me, dark eyes a combination of horror and embarrassment. “You were supposed to be seeing Mrs. Henderson.”
    I crossed my arms, and my eyes scanned the living room, littered with blood bags, a tipped glass of something sticky-looking dripping onto the carpet and—I cocked my head to listen—Barry White crooning softly on the stereo.
    “Are you kidding me right now?”
    Kale stood up, dressed now, eyes wide. “Please, Sophie, don’t tell Lorraine about this.”
    I felt my left eye start to twitch.

    “Just go, Kale.”
    Kale gathered her purse and turned to Vlad, pink lips in midpucker.
    “Now,” I groaned.
    Kale hurried out the front door and I kicked it shut behind her and then got to work blowing out what remained of my last Pottery Barn mulberry candle.
    “You were supposed to be at work,” Vlad grumbled from his spot on the couch. “You’re not going to tell anyone about this, are you?”
    I spun to face Vlad. “First of all, it doesn’t matter if I was in Timbuktu. You were schtupping Kale on the couch. My couch! I watch Maury on that couch. Now I’m going to have to burn it.”
    “If it helps, we hadn’t actually gotten to the schtupping part.”
    I glared. “It doesn’t.”
    “So ... you’re not going to say anything to anyone?” I thought of Vlad’s flock of Bela Lugosi–dressed VERM members and their anti-mixing stance while I looked at Vlad, right now more teenaged boy than broody immortal. I couldn’t be entirely certain, but I’m pretty sure that trading whatever vampire’s passed off as spit with the finance intern/receptionist (a witch) was probably frowned upon by the Count Chocula set.
    “No, I won’t say anything.”
    Vlad grinned, relieved, his fangs showing the slightest tinge of blood-stained pink.
    “Thanks.”
    There was an uncomfortable beat of silence. “By the way,” I stated, “congratulations on your promotion. How did it go over at the staff meeting?”
    Vlad beamed. “Really well. People seemed really excited—I mean, most people.”
    Vlad’s eyes held mine and I could feel myself shrink.
    “I’m really excited for you, Vlad, I am.” I forced a smile almost bigger than I could stand.
    “But?”
    “Nothing.”
    Vlad’s eyebrows remained high.
    “You’re sixteen,” I finally relented.
    “I died when I was sixteen.” Though his voice had a determined, dark edge, there was still something in it that was soft and vulnerable—something that I wanted to nurture and protect.
    “I am really proud of you, Vlad. It’s just going to take a while to put two and,” I said, pausing, “one hundred and twelve together, okay?”
    Vlad rolled his eyes, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I know, it’s the best you can do. You’re only mortal.”
    “The expression is ‘you’re only human.’”

    “Whatevs.”
    And he was back to being sixteen again.
    There was a quick rap on the door and Vlad yanked it open, grinning at Will.
    “Hey, mate,” Will said.
    Vlad sucked a leftover splatter of blood from his fingertip and pointed at me. “Sophie’s over there. I need to get ready for my meeting.”
    Vlad disappeared into Nina’s room, shutting the door softly behind him. Will looked from the door to the torn blood bags still dripping on the coffee table. The alarm was evident on his face. He held me by the shoulders and looked me up and down, finally tilting my neck. “You okay, love? Did he, uh”—Will bit his lips, trying to choose his words—“hurt you?”
    Oh! My guardian angel!
    I crossed my arms. “Some Guardian you are. I could have been fang food and you’d come sauntering in here asking if I was okay, love.” I feigned Will’s English accent.
    Will narrowed his eyes. “I’m a very good Guardian, which is why I didn’t embarrass us both by rushing in here all ‘good angel’ on you. I knew you weren’t in any real danger.”
    The