On the Far Side of Darkness Read Online Free PDF

of tears in her eyes tells me that’s a lie. She turns and hurries away from us.
    “I’ve got to go too,” Mandy smirks. “Nice dealing with you again, prof.” She drags her paramour away. Christy looks back for a moment with a silent apology, and fear. That fear is for what may happen to me if I continue to oppose her dominant.
    I stare after them and rage boils inside me, pushing at the restraints I keep it under. My right fist is clenched and I can feel the tips of my claws dig into palm as my fingernails start to transform.
    “Georges…” a voice cuts into my dark emotions “…you’re doing that scary thing again.”
    Just like that, my mood evaporates. Relief replaces it as it strikes me how close I was to letting lose that which lurks within me. I turn my head and smile down at Diane. “ Je suis désolé , cher. I’m afraid Mandy Richardson is starting to get under my skin.”
    “ De rien ,” she replies with an answering smile. “I’m hoping that’s never directed at me.” Her smile weakens as a touch of unease wafts across her features.
    “I’ll tear my own face off first,” I tell her without thought. For it’s true. I’ll hurt myself before I hurt my darling Diane.
    In response her smile changes from amused to warm, and she reaches up to caress my cheek. I take her hand, holding it against me, marveling in the tenderness of her gesture.
    “I think I’ve had enough of hobnobbing,” I tell her. “Let’s, as the saying goes, ‘Blow this pop stand.’”
    Diane snorts. “Sometimes you speak so archaically, Georges.”
    “It comes from learning English as a third language, and from books at that,” I tell her. The first part is true, although the second is not. Vampires can learn languages and dialects at ridiculous speeds. A week, two at most, of exposure to a new language and we can’t be distinguished from a native speaker. We are predators and predators need to be camouflaged.
    “I see you’ve learned a little of my language,” I note as I lead us through the crowd.
    “It seems fair,” Diane returns. “You use those charming French phrases so often, and they add such flavor to your speech, that I had to learn a little myself.”
    “I’m flattered.”
    “So am I, Georges. I’m just an obscure archivist. That some one like you would be interested in me is a little bewildering. You’re well known in your field and so well read.”
    “ S’il vous plaît, cher. Do not sell yourself short. You are more interesting and beautiful than any woman I have met in a very long time.” Since the middle of the 19th Century is what I don’t tell her.
    We smile at each other. There’s so much emotion communicated in our expressions and no more to be said.
    Then we bump into the back of a man talking with several other people, since we hadn’t been watching where we were going. We apologize profusely. Diane laughs and I chuckle the rest of the way to the car.
    Ten minutes later Diane stops the car in front of her building. We look at each other and I can see her fingers tighten on the wheel while uncertainty wafts over her sweet face. “Would you like to come in for a few minutes, Georges?”
    I don’t hesitate. “I’d love to, cher .”
    So she finds a spot in the lot next to her building and we go inside. A quick climb to the second floor and we’re at her door. Diane unlocks the door and asks me, “Won’t you please come in?” I do while thinking I’m glad that piece of mythology about vampires is untrue. We can go where we please.
    Diane’s apartment is much like I expected. Indeed much like places I’ve lived. It’s just a touch above Spartan yet comfortable. There’s no ostentation but also no lack of beauty. As all I’ve discovered about this wonderful lady, it warms me.
    She looks at me, and I can see she worries a little about my opinion of her residence. She needn’t be concerned. “It’s lovely,” I tell her and she turns away, pretending to be only pleased.