Shift of Time (A Rue Darrow Novel Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

embarrassed I wanted to slink away. He was just being nice saying I hadn’t looked like an amateur. Even I saw that I did, but short of getting lessons, there wasn’t a solution, and I couldn’t imagine myself joining a gym. I might break the equipment or kill the personal trainer.
    “Yes, never stick your thumbs inside your fist, or you’ll break them as you did tonight. You heal fast, but I bet it hurts like heck.”
    “Does it ever,” I agreed.
    He started to stroke my skin, and I drew out of his hold. I didn’t have to be a hundred years old to see when a man was putting the moves on me, and I wasn’t looking to date.
    “Next, the demons.” Milo lowered his voice to avoid the humans overhearing. I heard him fine, but by habit, I ducked my head closer to his. He grinned and followed suit. I didn’t know yet if Fae had better hearing than humans. He continued the topic in discussion rather than volunteer that information. “The demons weren’t multiplying. More of them were showing up.”
    “Out of nowhere?”
    “Not nowhere. They’re around. There might be some here, but they live on a different plane than we do. Their effect on us physical beings is limited. It takes a lot of energy to appear, and if they appear before you, it better be for a good reason.”
    “Interesting. So, you said they weren’t actually dying.”
    “They’re not physical beings, so they don’t die. They can be pushed out of this physical world, and the trail they leave…” He waved a hand before his nose.
    “They become invisible again, when they are ‘killed’?”
    “No. They’re banished to wherever it is they come from, their world. It’s not this realm as we know it, but I’m thinking it’s not a different planet either.”
    “That’s all very confusing. Where I come from, most of the folks have never heard of such things. Oh, I mean we’ve heard of demons, but appearing in dark alleys and attacking, disappearing in a cloud of sulphur…it’s mindboggling.”
    “There is a lot more about Nawlins than you can dream of, cher .”
    His pronunciation of the city and the endearment reminded me of the various dialects I had heard since arriving. I had even caught the use of French Creole once by a shop owner, but perhaps it was for affect. This was another enjoyment I found that I didn’t mind a bit.
    “Milo?”
    He’d gone back to eating, and a twinge of jealousy washed over me. Could I chew the meat and then spit it out? I would try one night when I was alone.
    “Yes?”
    “Why were they attacking you? I assume all kinds of beings live here alongside the demons. Do you have something they want?”
    “Very astute.” He wiped his hands and dragged a napkin across his mouth. “I work in shipping. Sometimes I bring in very valuable items that others want, and they will do what they can to get their hands on it. The demons may have been hired to try to get it from me.”
    “Hired? Demons can be hired?”
    “That’s not what’s important here, Rue.”
    “Was there a part to your story I missed? The jumped in a back alley part seemed pretty serious.” I pressed a knuckle to my lips and gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, I sometimes…”
    “Don’t worry about it.”
    “Come to think of it, do you know what I am?”
    He smirked. “A tracker.”
    “Excuse me?” I blinked at him. Maybe my brain was turning to mush.
    “You’re a natural born tracker, Rue, and if you’re willing, I’ll pay you.”
    I was bewildered. “Pay me for what?”
    Milo touched a fingertip to the end of my nose. “Your gift. In short, your sense of smell. Listen, as soon as you told me your name I knew who your were.”
    My suspicions rose, and he laughed.
    “Don’t get your hackles up. Some of us in the”—he scanned the restaurant—“nonhuman world like to know who’s living with us. I happen to know there’s a baby vamp living with Almonester.”
    “I’m not living with him!”
    He chuckled again. “I’m