The Death Seer (Skeleton Key) Read Online Free PDF Page A

busy looking around to answer. I wasn’t from New York and didn’t know the area. Kord led me into a little boutique corner store. The traffic sounds were immediately muffled by the closed glass door. The shop was small and intimate, but had everything from formal-wear to jeans. There were no other customers inside. The proprietress came forward, a pretty woman with big, white teeth and sparkling eyes.  
    “Welcome!” she said. “Is there something I can help you find?” She looked me up and down. I suppose if we’d been in the real city she’d have been more startled at my nineteenth century garb. As it was, she looked merely slightly disgusted. Then she turned her eyes to Kord. Her lips parted, her hands flew to her heart. “Kord? Is it you?”
    “The one and only.”
    She launched herself into his arms and took his mouth with hers, kissing him like a starving person. She climbed his body and wrapped her legs around his waist, making animal noises the whole time.
    Not sure what to do, I stepped a little further from his side. He certainly wasn’t pushing her off of him. Although, he did manage to calm her down, stroking her hair and slowing her kiss. At last, she set her feet on the floor, though she continued gazing longingly up at him. “This is my friend, Brenna,” he said. “Brenna, this is…remind me?”
    “Sharon,” the woman said, clearly not offended in the least.
    “Sharon.”
    “Nice to meet you,” I said. I couldn’t tear my eyes from Kord’s, though. The disgusting display had put me off him. Maybe he wasn’t the dashing hero I’d assumed him to be.
    “Sharon, would it be all right if Brenna got herself a new wardrobe?”
    Sharon slid her hands all over his chest and shoulders. “If you give me something in return.”
    “Of course,” he said. He looked to me and gestured to the store. “Help yourself. Take what you need. Perhaps a couple days’ change of clothes and a bag to put them in. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    He led Sharon to the back of the shop. I jogged after them, catching up to them in a short hallway that led to the backdoor and a set of stairs. “Wait. Where are you going?”
    “Upstairs,” Kord said. “I’ll be back shortly.”
    He followed Sharon up the stairs. I heard a door open and shut. Apparently I was supposed to shop while he was upstairs making whoopee with the saleslady.  
    The sick feeling in my stomach cast a pall over what might have otherwise been a pleasant experience. After all, I had free rein in a clothing store. I found bras and panties, jeans, t-shirts, a cute denim jacket, and the perfect boots—functional yet adorable. I changed there in the store. I’d have liked a shower, but I sure wasn’t going upstairs to ask Sharon for hers. She was likely going to need it herself, soon.  
    After I dressed, I gathered a few more articles of clothing and put them in a small, leather overnight bag I found next to the handbags and boots. As I was situating the strap over my shoulder, Kord reappeared, without Sharon. “All set?” he asked.
    “Yes. Do we need to pay, or was that what you just did?” There was no avoiding the bitterness in my tone.  
    His lips quirked into a half-grin. “Jealous?”
    “Hardly. I just think it’s completely inappropriate. And a little disgusting.”
    He frowned and nodded thoughtfully. “I can see how you might feel that way. Let’s go to my place.”
    “What? No way. I don’t know what you think this is, but I’m not interested in whatever it was you gave to Sharon.”
    He barked a laugh. “Good to know where you stand. But we need to go to my place so I can pack my bag. We’ve got a journey ahead of us. Besides, I need to check my maps. I haven’t been to see my mother in a long time, and things change.”
    My shoulders sank. “Okay,” I said, deflated.  
    He took my hand to lead me out, but I pulled away. I didn’t think it was such a good idea getting too close to him. I followed him out