The Pursuit Read Online Free PDF Page B

light from a pole illuminated the vampire who had saved Jean Luc’s life countless times.
    The deep voice caused memories to rise up and swamp him. A time of blood and battles and not knowing if they would live to see another day. Even though Leo’s long hair and beard were now replaced by a buzz cut and bare face, Jean Luc would have recognized his friend anywhere.
    Leo stepped forward, pulled Jean Luc into his arms, and crushed him against a hard chest, then held him back and gazed at him. “God, it has been too long, my friend.”
    Jean Luc nodded, his throat closing as words failed him. “How…why…”
    “It is a bit of a story. Instead of telling it in an alley, let’s find a more comfortable spot to converse.”
    Ten minutes later, they sat in an empty bar at a corner table, pretending to nurse beers.
    “Why are you here, Leo? I thought you were still in Europe.”
    “I followed a group of vampires. There has been some issues in the past few months, and I was sent to make sure nothing happened here.”
    Jean Luc’s eyebrow shot up. “You work for La Société ?”
    “ Sí. ”
    “Why have I not heard your name in connection with them before?”
    Leo hesitated. “I’m not your standard employee.”
    Was he one of the elite vampires who worked in secret? “You are an enforcer now?”
    He flashed a grin. “I didn’t say that, now did I?”
    Jean Luc frowned.
    “Hey, why the long face? It’s a job that isn’t boring, and I get to travel.”
    “What sort of trouble are you investigating?”
    “There have been some attacks on humans.”
    Jean Luc let out a hard breath. “Well, now we have a dead human here in Vegas. The contingent of vampires staying at The Cosmopolitan work for Renato, correct?”
    “Yes. So you haven’t seen him yet.”
    “No, he was not in attendance at the event we visited tonight. And you are following him? We should have killed him when we had the chance centuries ago.”
    “He is not all bad, Jean Luc. He was thrust into The Wars, just as we were. He did not turn us.”
    “He was one of LeBlanc’s lieutenants. Standing by and doing nothing is not much better. He was not blameless back then. How do you know he is not the one killing humans?”
    “More than likely, it is one of his contingent.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “We have all changed since those dark days.”
    Jean Luc nodded grimly and thought back to the vampires with human women draped all over them. Maybe they had not changed enough.
    “I have not forgotten, Leo.”
    Leo’s eyes narrowed on him, and he shook his head. “Jean Luc—”
    “I owe you my life.”
    “You are so noble, dear friend. I told you at the time that you didn’t need to swear a blood oath to me.”
    “I will not forget about it. And I will not rescind it.”
    Leo inclined his head slightly. “I hope to never have use for it.” He leaned back in the booth. “Do you like working for the BSR?”
    Jean Luc was grateful for the change of subject. “ Oui .”
    Leo ran his fingers along the glass rim in front of him. “I saw you leave the hotel with a female. She is on your team?”
    “She is a member of the BSR.”
    “Is she yours?”
    Jean Luc frowned. “No one owns her.”
    Leo held up his hands. “I meant no offense. From what I could see, she was quite striking.”
    “Yes.”
    Leo stared hard at him. “She may not be yours, but you want her all the same.”
    “It does not matter what I want. She is taken.”
    “Is she mated?”
    “No.”
    “Then all is not lost.”
    Jean Luc wanted to argue, but he let it go. Leo would not understand. Mon Dieu , truth be told, he did not understand himself.
    * * *
    Jean Luc sat on his hotel balcony, watching the sun rise. After leaving Leo, he had not bothered to go to bed. There was no point to it. His memories were not going to grant him respite. It had been almost four hundred years, but he still vividly remembered that first time waking as a vampire. Sitting up and looking