Nocturnal Urges (Nocturnal Urges, Book One) Read Online Free PDF

great coffee,” she said.
    They were seated quickly and Isabel ordered a sandwich, although she wasn’t very hungry. Freitas ordered a ham-and-cheese omelet with extra onions while stirring sugar into her coffee.
    The waitress left, and Isabel stared at Freitas for a moment before speaking. “I suppose I’ll find out eventually, but is there something you want to talk to me about?”
    Freitas sipped her coffee. “Maybe I just wanted to see how you were doing. You didn’t look so hot at the club.”
    Isabel cast her eyes down. “I was tired.”
    “You didn’t look that thrilled to be there,” Freitas said.
    Isabel shook her head. “Is that what this is about? You think someone made me go? I was there of my own free will, and I had a good time.”
    “Whatever you say,” Freitas said.
    Isabel couldn’t help asking. “So that guy, the one whose picture you showed me…”
    “Yeah. Sorry about that,” Freitas said.
    Isabel waved her hand dismissively. “No, I just wanted to know if you caught the guy who did it.”
    “What makes you think it was a guy?” Freitas said, glancing at her.
    Isabel blinked. “I don’t know, I guess it could be a woman,” she said. “Did you catch him? Her? It?”
    “Nope,” Freitas said. “No hims, hers or its. Third body this month at Nocturnal Urges, and I’m starting to get itchy about it.”
    “Three!” Isabel said, shocked.
    “Yup.” Freitas swirled her coffee in her mug. “All three, male patrons. At this point, I’m a step away from consulting a psychic. Don’t suppose you have ideas?”
    Isabel shook her head. “They steal your soul,” she murmured.
    “What was that?” Freitas asked.
    “I’m sure it’s nothing,” Isabel said.
    “No such thing as nothing, what are you thinking?” Freitas asked.
    Isabel hesitated then remembered the man in the photograph, and the blood. “It’s just…if it wasn’t vampires…”
    “And that’s a big if,” Freitas interjected.
    “If it wasn’t the vampires, it could be someone trying to make it look like the vampires,” Isabel said. “There were these protesters…”
    “Yeah, the Students Against Vampires,” Freitas said. “Call themselves SAV, spelled ‘save’ without the E. I think they ought to learn how to spell before they try to save my soul.”
    Isabel giggled a little, and Freitas smiled with her. Then for no reason, they were both laughing, and in that laugh, some of the tension eased. The food arrived while they were laughing, and Isabel found herself laughing all over again at the incongruity of their conversation in this light, airy café with French art prints on the walls and white wicker furniture.
    “They’re mostly harmless,” Freitas said when the laughter faded. “Wave their signs, bother the clientele. They don’t cross the line, at least not that Fiona’s been able to prove.”
    “There was this one guy,” Isabel said. “Dark hair, beard. Real intense. He came over to talk to us on the other side of the street.”
    “Legal, if annoying,” Freitas said.
    “Yeah, but he was really intense. Said the vampires would steal my soul,” Isabel said, and her voice faltered a little.
    “Yeah,” Freitas said, looking rather intently at Isabel. “That’s a common line. Along with, ‘Fucking animals’.”
    Isabel dropped her eyes. “That was rude of him,” she said softly.
    “But it’s what he thinks, isn’t it?” Freitas said. “That’s all the vamps are, animals.”
    “Aren’t they?” Isabel asked. “No, I’m really asking. I don’t know any vampires, but…”
    “You were at the club,” Freitas said, spearing a chunk of ham with her fork. “You saw them. Are they animals?”
    Isabel suddenly saw Ryan’s eyes turn black, felt that jolt between her breasts, the shivers down her spine. “I… I don’t know,” she said.
    “Uh-huh,” Freitas said. “Let me tell you what I know, Miss Nelson. Vamps have minds and bodies, just like us. They live and work, have