Haunted Honeymoon Read Online Free PDF

and scooped kibble into his bowl. “Someone has earned my displeasure,” I told my dog. “Not you. You’re an excellent dog.”
    There was a bottle of dark crimson calf’s blood in the fridge. I poured about a quarter cup into a tall glass, filled the glass with icy water, and squished in some lime juice.
    I was thirsty and the drink was cold and mineral and savory.As I tipped back the glass to catch the last drops, warmth suffused my body, making me feel both relaxed and revived.
    It was tasty, but animal blood didn’t have the effect on me that Ian’s blood did. Nothing did.
    As I was pouring coffee beans into the grinder, Mrs. K came into the room. “Please allow me to take care of that for you. Would you like espresso or filter coffee?” She glanced around at the appliances as she came to stand beside me.
    I held on to the canister of coffee beans. “I can make it myself.”
    “Miss de Los Santos, it’s my pleasure to help.”
    I sighed and let her take the canister. It was no use arguing with someone determined to serve. “I’ll have a cappuccino, please.”
    I got my laptop and went outside to the bulky stone table and adjusted the white canvas umbrella over it to shade my screen. There were dozens of new letters from Paws to Reflect subscribers on the current controversy. I began choosing those to be included in the next issue of the newsletter, and Mrs. K brought my frothy drink out to me.
    Ian came out a little later, now dressed in slacks, a French blue twill shirt, and a Panama hat.
    Looking up from my work, I said, “You could have told me you were hiring thralls.”
    “Have you forgotten that I said I would have household staff?”
    “I thought you meant a cleaning service. The kind that comes in once a week and vacuums, not indentured servants.”
    He had the nerve to laugh. “Really, Young Lady, they earn far more than you do and are assured lifetime employment with many benefits.”
    “I would earn more at my writing if that sneaky little nut job Don Pedro had paid me properly and given me credit for my fauxoir. Which is beside the point, because I love what I do.”
    “As do my employees.” Ian reached out to cover my hand withhis own. “Milagro, I may disagree with some—or many—of your decisions, but they are yours to make. Let others decide how they want to live their lives.”
    “It’s the duty of those who think clearly to protect the vulnerable against self-destructive behavior.”
    “Spoken like a benevolent dictator, which I believe you are at heart. Thralls would find it insulting that you think yourself more capable of determining their lives than they.”
    I closed my laptop and said, “I’ve got to get back to the City. Thanks for every—” I began, and then remembered the beautiful books and the delightful earrings. “I’ll consider what you said. It just goes against my ideas of an egalitarian society. I know you think it’s silly that everyone should be treated equally.”
    “Everyone should be treated well, but many don’t want to be treated equally and some don’t deserve it.”
    I kissed him and just the taste of him made me want to stay.
    “I don’t see you enough.” He ran his fingers along the inside of my thigh and upward. “I’ll be here for a few days. Come back tomorrow. Mrs. K is a graduate of the Cordon Bleu.”
    “I’ll try. I really do have work.” My girly parts were clanging as madly as wind chimes in a storm. “Bye, Ian.”
    “Adieu, Young Lady.”
    I got my things together, and Rosemary and I headed back to the City. Once we got to the bridge, the fog began rolling in. The day was gray and chilly by the time I arrived at my place.
    My fourth-floor loft had been one of the early conversions in the eighties. I liked the cheesy pink, gray, and black color scheme and the glass block partition by the kitchen space. The pièce de fabulousness on my pink granite counter was a professional-quality, lime green Margaritanator 3000.
    Nancy,