Jude Stephens Read Online Free PDF

breathing. I took pity on him and
reached out to pat him on the shoulder. The next thing I knew I was
being hauled up against him and his mouth was on mine.
    It wasn’t an unpleasant kiss, but it didn’t excite
me in the way that Roberto’s or Alex’s had. Damn vampires.
    I pulled away and looked at Mark with sorrow in my
eyes. “Ummm…Mark, I don’t…”
    Mark held up his hand to stop me. “Look I know you
aren’t for me, I’m not anything special like the damn vampires. And
you’re a Sensay. Your destiny is not with a grunt like me. But I
wanted to know what it would be like, to hold you and kiss you just
once.”
    He stopped for a second and looked me directly in
the eye, “I hate what the vampires did to you. How they used you.
You are too good Olivia. You only want to see the good in people. I
may be just a grunt, but even I know with the power you will one
day wield, there will always be people who want to use you. I want
to go with you to help you.”
    I started to speak, but he cut me off, “Don’t worry
about how I feel for you. I know that’s not meant to be, and I’m
okay with it. I just want to be your friend and walk on this
journey with you, if you let me”
    I thought about having a friend. I’d been prepared
to give up friendships while I was out discovering my inner Sensay
or whatever the hell you call it. But it would be nice to have
someone familiar around.
    “ Okay Mark. As long as you
understand that my feelings for you are for friendship
only.”
    Mark nodded his head in the affirmative and we
started walking back to the others.
    “ Are you going to have trouble
telling Roberto that you’re leaving?” I asked Mark.
    “ Already told him I was leaving.
If you decided you didn’t want me along I was going to leave
anyway.”
    He spit on the ground. “Unlike Andy I don’t owe
these fuckers anything”
    He walked away from me then and picked his backpack
up from where he dropped it when he slugged Andy. He then walked
over to a rather old jeep. I was astonished when he called Bullet
and the wolf trotted over and sat down in front of Mark waiting to
be petted. Well, I guess I wouldn’t have to worry about the two of
them getting along. I walked over to stand next to Janel. “I will
write you when I know where I’m at. That is if it’s safe.” I looked
at her and we both got teary eyed and hugged each other hard.
    “ Geez, you guys act like your
never going to see each other again,” Andy said, clearly looking
uncomfortable with the tears.
    Janel walked over to the jeep and leaned in and said
to Mark, “You let anything happen to her and I will hunt you down
and kick your ass.”
    Mark nodded solemnly at
her. Oh brother what a bunch of drama
queens , I thought.
    Mark started the jeep, and with
one last wave at Janel, I leaned back in the seat, my heart beating
fast at the thought of what awaited me.
    Then my heart stopped beating all together when I
saw Roberto standing at the end of the driveway with a look of pain
straining his handsome face. He didn’t wave but nodded his head
slightly before he turned and in a flash was gone.

Chapter 5
     
    I could not stand the silence any longer, “So how
long have you been out of the Army?” I asked Mark. When we first
left I was glad for the silence. Leaving Roberto was not easy. I
wanted to jump out of the jeep and run after him, throw my arms
around him and make love to him all night long just like we had so
many times before. And then suddenly a picture of him looking at
Annika with love shining in his eyes came into my mind and the red
glow of anger ran through my veins.
    In the back seat Bullet emitted a low growl and Mark
reached over and patted my hand. I gave Mark a quiet,
    “ Thanks,” and
thought to myself, I should have a
picture of Roberto and Annika framed so whenever despair hit me I
could get it out and remind myself of what a no good two- timing
sonofabitch Roberto is.
    Beside me, Mark answered, “Navy and two