Shadowglass Read Online Free PDF Page B

power’s source.” Akash stretches, blood coursing warm through new muscles, and strokes her pretty new hair with a smile. “Do not be afraid, my love. I have a plan.”

3

    S ome indeterminate time later, I wobbled back to the bar for another drink, my beer-stained diamonds flashing like drunken stars. Blaze was long gone, no doubt up to his boy-whore eyeballs in sparkle and moonshine, shagging some hot babe into next week. Azure jived it up on the dance floor, sharing kisses and breaking hearts. I couldn’t see Indigo. Probably home in front of the mirror, polishing those sexy blue muscles and feeling superior. Bastard. I’m so over him.
    Me? I was dead thirsty, me. Sweat and spilled drink blotted my clothes, and the world shone starbright with poison-pill euphoria. My thighs ached sweetly from limboing about on the dance floor, my nipples stung permanently erect and I was skidding rapidly from horny as hell toward I’ll screw anything from thinking too much about Indigo’s thighs and rubbing up against that pretty emo vampire boy.
    Pity about him. Terrific kisser, even if he tasted of meat, and he did this amazing thing with his tongue on my collarbone that melted my knees to custard. But our romance came to an abrupt end when we established that anything deeper than a love bite was out of the question. Sorry, cutie. I’m horny, but I’m not suicidal.
    I scrabbled in my bag for more stolen cash—no point just leaving it there—and paid for two more vodkas. Down with one, sugar hurting my throat. Alcohol hit my stomach and burst like a firework, stoking the unrequited heat inside me. I’d also pushed away a hard-eyed human boy with a scary smile who stroked my wings far too accurately for someone who wasn’t supposed to see them, and a grinning green spriggan who tried to chew the point off my ear.
    Sulkily I crunched the ice, muttering to myself as my vision swayed. Always it’s the blood, the memory trade, the nasty games. God, doesn’t anyone just have sex anymore?
    The second drink went down smoother and hotter than the first. My skin sizzled for contact, my fingerpads itching. A few more of these and I’d be fair game.
    Well, good. I wanted to be fair game. I wasn’t asking for much. I just wanted to go home with someone who thought I was cute, who didn’t want to swallow my blood or finger through my memories or chew my ears off. Who didn’t care that I’m not gorgeous like Azure, that I can’t dance and always say the wrong thing or that I’m only a petty thief.
    Who didn’t think he was better than me. Not pointing any fingers or anything.
    I wiped a sticky pink smear from my lips and stretched lust-swollen wings, indignation cooking a fine fat pudding in my guts. Fine. He can be like that. Screw being the sensible one, always trying to impress with how smart and cool and with it I am. Screw not wanting to be laughed at. I believe I’ll go back out on that dance floor and make a screaming idiot of myself. That might get me laid.
    White dust like snowflakes lighted on my arm. I shook it off, but more fell, and when I brushed at it, it smeared black.
    Ash.
    The rich scent of wind and thunder dizzied me, and I turned, reeling.
    Black eyes, shiny like gems. Golden hair tumbling on a perfect brow. Soft cheekbones, gentle red lips.
    Indigo’s sinister client, he of the ashen lashes and kill-you-cold glance.
    Cute, except for that smell. That smell was beyond cute. It did things between my legs I thought you needed a showerhead for. I wanted to squeeze my thighs together, rub my wings in his gilded hair and purr.
    And he hadn’t even spoken. Usually it’s the sweet talk that gets me all gooey. Shoulda known Indigo wouldn’t work for just some boring banker.
    I swallowed, dry. Too much to hope I’d come up with something supercool to say. “Umm . . . Hi. Indigo’s friend, right?”
    “Indigo needs more friends than he knows.” He shifted on his stool and gave a tiny smile. Perfect teeth, no