To Honor: Vampire Assassin League #22 Read Online Free PDF Page A

justification. No wonder his wits were scrambled.
    He steeled himself to look toward her again. Prepared. Gathered his wits. Fisted each hand. Tightened them. Put the same taut restriction on every muscle. She carried such power within the depths of her green eyes! The ability to weaken. Debilitate. Incapacitate. He turned thoughts of an opening sentence through his mind. They could discuss the flight. Her reason for being here. Her home. Her likes. Ancestry.
    Anything but duct tape.
    Takeshi turned to face her. He took his time scanning the scuffed toes of her hiking boots, along her nondescript trousers. His gaze reached her plain leather belt, then her shirt buttons. She didn’t dress for attention, but it wouldn’t have mattered. To him, she was an addiction. Her throat was exposed. A vein tapped the skin, drawing his eyes along it to her chin. She really did have perfect skin. Rose-shaded lips. A pert nose, dusted with freckles. And...
    Oh. Naraku . Hell.
    He got snagged by those perfect jade-colored eyes of hers again. Something powerful hit his gut, releasing his tautness, while a roar resembling an ocean wave went right through his skull. It made him slightly dizzy. Nervous. He swallowed. And spoke.
    “It has been nice weather.”
    She choked on something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. Takeshi would have groaned, but his throat went dry. His mouth parched. She sobered. A red-tinted brow rose. It appeared that his mate was a natural akage. The brow was proof. It was the perfect match to her auburn-shaded hair. Neither came from a dye bottle. She smiled slightly. His heart gave the strangest flutter in response.
    “What is your name?” she asked.
    “Takeshi.” Was that croak of a voice the best he could manage?
    “Takeshi. Seems...fitting. If I remember correctly that means militaristic. Warrior.”
    “Yes. That is the meaning.”
    “Do you have a last name?”
    “Oh. Hai . Please. I am Takeshi Asourah. Only surviving member of the Aka-sourah Clan.” He nearly bit the tip of his tongue. He hadn’t meant to say the last part. It was automatic. Back when he’d lived, a man carried his antecedent’s name in all matters. To be held accountable. Judged. Respected.
    “Only surviving member?”
    “Oh. Yes.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “It...was a long time ago,” he replied. Centuries of time, actually . He didn’t say a word about that. It was very difficult to think and make words. She had the most amazing eyes. They resembled matching stones of clearest green jade. More mysterious than a lotus-strewn pool.
    Dragon eyes.
    “You are Japanese?” she asked next.
    “ Hai. ” His voice sounded unsure. As if he lied. He’d never lied. Ever.
    “And...uh. Are you really...a – this is going to sound so stupid. You’re a...ninja? A real ninja?”
    He nodded. It was safer.
    “Wow.”
    He didn’t know what the word signified. It didn’t sound awed. It sounded frightened. This wasn’t going remotely like he’d wanted it to.
    “I didn’t think ninjas were real. I guess that was mistake number one.”
    “Mistake number one?” he echoed.
    “Oh. I’m making quite a few of them, it seems. By the way, I’m Christine. From America.”
    “Yes. I know. Christine Diachenko. From New York City.”
    Kuso. Real shit. His ability toward subterfuge appeared to have fled him. Both of her brows went up and her eyes widened. She had way too much power in her gaze. The ocean sound roared through his ears again as she regarded him. This was akin to walking atop hot coals. Being dangled over a volcano. Crossing an abyss on a wire. Each move needed to be carefully considered, every word was a trap. He’d be better off silencing himself with duct tape.
    “How do you know that?”
    He waited some time before answering. Considered his best reply. Discarded most of them.
    “It was...in your paperwork.”
    He couldn’t prevent the flush. He felt it creeping along his jaw line before entering his cheeks. He was