The Vampire's Curse, A Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #2) Read Online Free PDF

Groaning, I glanced over at the bright red numbers on my nightstand alarm clock. It was already eleven a.m.
    What had he said as he was leaving? It seemed imminently important. A crucial little whisper of words that meant something serious, but I could not grasp them in my sleepy head. So many things needed to be done. Feed Sadie, my recently neglected Golden Retriever, feed Whiskers, my arrogant black cat who thought she owned the world. I would bet money her litter box desperately needed cleaning as well. Then the horses. Muck out the stalls, throw down hay from the loft, fill up water buckets, and ration out grain. Check on the whereabouts of Messenger.
    Dragging myself out of bed was an exercise in torture. And while the rest of my body protested, I was surprised to see that my ankle looked and felt much better. The swelling had almost completely disappeared. I gingerly put both feet on the floor and tested my weight on the bad ankle. There was still a little tenderness, but at least I would not have to use the crutches.
    Then I looked up and saw my reflection in the mirror over my dresser. Bruises, strikingly dark against the pallid tone of my skin, were peppered along my arms and shoulders. Fingerprints of the undead. I drew my hair away from the left side of my neck. There were no bite marks. A vision of Alex’s face, as I remembered it from the night before, swam in my head. The desperation. The sorrow. Then I recalled my inevitable downfall. I had cast off my fear and anger and reached out to him with everything I could think to offer. He had taken it all and given in return. Confusion flooded me, as dark and glossy as the silk scarf lying across my dresser. I touched the scarf and then pulled it through my fingers slowly.
    Alex. A little smile began to pull the corners of my mouth up. I may have felt battered on the outside, but inside I felt… happy. Content. Instinct made me want to question it, turn it over and look for the crack, read the manufacturer’s warranty. I shook my head, tossed the scarf back down on the dresser, and looked at myself again.
    A tremulous smile was there in the mirror. My eyes were shining. Luminous .
    While I stood under the often-unreliable showerhead in my little bathroom and let the warm water trail down over the bruises, I tried not to think about it too much. I went over the chores I had to do, thought about a shopping list, whether I should repaint my bedroom. Simple things. By the time I was done with my shower, I felt energized and ready to face the day.
    When I came downstairs and stepped into the kitchen, I came to an immediate halt.
    The coffee was made. Whiskers was lapping at her water bowl, which had been filled. Her food dish was half-full of food. Sadie pranced in from the den, her tail waving madly. I sank my fingers into the soft golden fur around her neck and scratched.
    “ Sorry I’ve been so busy, sweetie.” I gave her a quick hug and went to check her food bowl and Whiskers’ litter box. The bowl was full of kibble and the litter box was clean. Coming back into the kitchen, I heard Nelly’s familiar voice calling out.
    “ Good morning, honey.” She walked in from the den smiling, but when she got a good look at me, she lost the smile and shrieked.
    “ Sarah! What in the world happened to you?” Her gaping eyes darted over me as she held out one of my bruised arms, “Who did this to you?”
    I could not look her in the eye. How could I possibly explain what had happened between Alex and I? There was no way to say it delicately, and I knew she would not relent until she knew. I took a deep breath.
    “ Alex.”
    Her eyes grew wide and the expression on her face was one of stunned horror, “Oh, Sarah. No. How? Alex really did this?”
    “ He wasn’t trying to hurt me. It was… consensual.” It sounded so lame. And it did not come close to describing anything that had occurred. Only that he had not forced me. I shook my head and went to grab a coffee