Steal the Day Read Online Free PDF

calling me names could lighten his mood. I slammed the door, cursing when I realized the grass in front of us was wet. My heels were going to make it feel like I was walking through quicksand.
    Daniel checked the clip in his gun and settled it in his holster. Before I could protest, he scooped me into his arms. “You should have worn boots. It’s this or you’ll slow us down.” He bent down and kissed me swiftly before I could stop him. “I’m sorry, Z. Be patient with me.”
    “Hey, friends don’t kiss,” I said disapprovingly, even as I relaxed in those strong arms. He could carry me all day and never notice the weight. It felt so good to be in his arms.
    Daniel started across the lawn. “They do in Europe. I’m trying to be more continental.”
    I snorted but held on. Danny was the least continental person I knew. He had that slow Texas drawl I found comforting. When he was alive, he liked beer and burgers. He was not a man of sophisticated tastes. He set me on my feet when we reached the steps but took my hand.
    “I don’t want you to break an ankle,” he said before leaning close to my ear. “And just for the record, if I had twelve hundred dollars to blow, I would totally buy you flooring, hand-scraped hardwood in Brazilian cherry.”
    “That’s romantic,” Neil huffed behind us.
    But it was. I really wanted that stupid flooring. I hated my carpet. If I knew Danny, he would have installed it, too. When he wasn’t playing D & D or working on mysterious jobs for the Council, he was usually at my place fixing something. I bought my house for a song, but it would have been a money pit without Daniel’s free labor.
    “Ah, you’re here.” The voice came from the steps above us.
    I looked up and put a name to the voice I had only heard over the phone so far. Father Francis had been the one to set up this mysterious meeting. He’d called this morning and insisted we be here at the church at midnight. He said he’d been contacted by people who could solve my little problem. He’d tried to convince me to come alone, but I didn’t do alone. Alone was stupid. Alone would get my ass killed.
    “And you’ve brought company.” The good father stared down, shaking his head.
    The trouble with clients is they often try to get the upper hand. The motto “the customer is always right” might work at Macy’s, but I’m not selling handbags. I’m an artisan, and far too often, I suffer for my art. I get shot. Sometimes I get shot by things that aren’t guns, and I’ll take a freaking bullet over an arrow any day of the week. The client is paying for a service they know nothing about, so while I am willing to listen to a client whine and complain, I will not allow a client to dictate how I run my business.
    The first line of my mission statement, to put it in terms the good father can relate to, goes something like this—thou shalt not go into the night alone.
    I knew what was out there, and sometimes the sweetest face turned into something with a bunch of teeth really fast. The good news was I had a vampire and a werewolf on my side, and like an American Express card, I didn’t leave home without them.
    “This is my crew, Father. We’re a team, and if you don’t like it, I’m sure you can find someone else.” I was really hoping he wouldn’t just refuse us entry.
    The father shook his head and sighed. “No, I’m afraid they’re very insistent. It must be you, but I don’t think they will be happy about the men. Come in.”
    I started up the steps with Daniel at my side. He didn’t look happy, like some supercool vampire sense was tingling, but he remained silent. Neil took the steps two at a time and got to the door before we did. Neil’s senses were even sharper than Daniel’s, so he was our reconnaissance man. Father Francis held the heavy wooden door open but stared at Neil suspiciously as Neil did his thing. He let the air around him wash over his senses.
    It was the first time a client