My Heart be Damned Read Online Free PDF Page B

somehow, and you’re lucky someone just quit on me. I suggest you work off the payment. I’ll give you a couple shifts here after school during the week, and you can quit when the payment is done, or you can keep going after if you want spare cash in your pocket.”
    “You can’t force me to work here,” I said, glaring at him, though, part of me realized having a part time job might be a good thing. At least I could help Dad out financially, and I had the spare time since I’d quit Hunting.
    “You’re right. I can’t.” He picked up a small phone from its cradle. “So maybe I should phone the police and see what they say...”
    I jumped up, rushing over to take the phone from him. “No, please don’t.”
    He let me put the phone back in its cradle, leaning back with a satisfying grin. “What’s your name? I’ll need it for your name badge.”
    “ Amerie .”
    “I’m John. I’ll be your boss.” He held out his hand, and I shook it. Probably a little harder than normal.
    His eyes widened. “Nice firm shake. I like that.”
    “What do you want me to do?”
    “Waitress. I’m guessing you’re too young to drink let alone serve behind a bar.” I nodded, and he continued, “Clean tables, take orders, bring out food. Make money in tips.”
    I scoffed. “Are you kidding me? Tips? Students fund this place. I’ve got no chance of getting a tip.”
    “Ah, but when the waitresses are pretty, the rich students who go to that swanky school half an hour away from here like to tip real big as a way to impress you. You’ll do just fine.”
    By ‘swanky school’, I knew he meant my school. I sucked in a deep breath and took a step away from his desk. “When do I start, boss?”
    “We’ll need to train you. Come down tomorrow after school.”
    “Fine. Am I free to go now?”
    “Give me your phone number and you can leave.” As I bent over to scribble it down on a notepad on his desk, he added, “But don’t think about giving me a fake number. You’re on CCTV.” He pointed to a camera in the corner that I hadn’t noticed. “Smile!”
    I ignored him and slammed the pen down. With a bitchy smile, I turned and stormed out of the door I’d entered. This was going to be a flipping joke.

    Instead of heading straight home, I took a detour to the graveyard. The Samuel crypt had a new lock, and I suspected the caretaker to keep me from trespassing had also installed other devices.
    So I avoided it.
    As I walked, I contemplated my new job, thinking about the help I could offer Dad, and even the spare cash I could have for myself. Maybe working at The Hut wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
    I stopped when I reached a towering oak tree. When I wasn’t in the crypt, then I usually hid out in these thick branches; waiting until the urge wasn’t so strong to be here. With strength not many could match, I hoisted myself up and began the climb to the top. I found a sturdy branch and bounced on it a few times, making sure it’d hold my weight.
    I sat and pulled my knees up to my chest, gazing across the graveyard below me. From my position, I could see for miles. Not just the graveyard, but the town surrounding it too. The bright building lights, cars rushing past. Nothing up here moved except debris the wind picked up and scattered. It was stupid to come here. I don’t know why my body still demanded it. I’d quit this life. No patrolling the streets in search of the Damned.
    Damned.
    I played with the word for a few moments. I wondered who thought of calling them that. The Damned were evil souls, living like parasites, using someone’s body to cause havoc and mayhem. Even unspeakable things. I guess the human host was the Damned one. Damned until I came along and set them free.
    I thought about the dude in The Hut. The gorgeous one who, may or may, not have been Damned, and tried to make him fit into what I understood about them.
    I’d lost count of how many books my mother had made me read about them. She’d