Valcour- Enchanted by a Demon (Hunted by Hellfie- Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

cherry flavoring just right. She took another sip from it and then mentally laughed at herself for overthinking things, again. She was meeting an interesting, cute guy for the first time. That was all. No need to be nervous.
    “You know,” she said to him, making an effort to be herself instead of the jittery teenager he kept turning her into, “you can eat your food before mine comes. I don’t mind.”
    He picked up the plastic ketchup bottle from the table and squirted a small pile of it next to his fries. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” He swirled a fry into the ketchup and then popped it into his mouth. “Mmm. Those are good. So, you didn’t answer my question. What brings you out here?”
    “College,” she answered him. “I was going to college in Seattle.”
    “Oh yeah?” He put another and then another fry in his mouth, then picked up his knife and fork to cut pieces off the steak sandwich. “Which college?”
    “The Art Institute.”
    His fork paused with a speared piece of cut steak halfway to his mouth. “Really? An artist? No way. What kind of art?”
    “I was studying to be a graphic designer.” She realized how very, very boring that sounded. “But really what I like to do is paint portraits. Just, there’s not a lot of money in that, you know?”
    “Yup. Money: the root of all evil.” He nodded as if he really did understand and then took the bite of steak. Judging by the way his eyelids lowered, he was really enjoying it. Then he put his silverware aside and rested his arms on the table. “An artist. That’s a rare gift.”
    She laughed. “I don’t know if ‘gift’ is the right word. I paint. It’s just something I do.”
    “I doubt that. Are you any good?”
    Good? She was top of her class and one of her professors had even asked if she might student teach next semester. That was almost unheard of for a sophomore. She knew she was good. In fact, she knew she was great. “I’m okay,” she answered him. She never felt right praising her abilities. It made her feel conceited.
    He looked at her in his keen way and she knew he was measuring her answer. Knew he could see the truth behind her words. “Okay, yes, I’m good. But seriously, it’s not a big deal.”
    “Some things,” he said, “are bigger deals than we realize.”
    The waiter brought her Caesar salad just then and she was glad for the excuse to do something that kept her mouth closed.
    The salad was pretty good. The chicken was a little dry but the dressing was tangy and creamy and she had eaten half of the huge bowl of it before she knew it. She pushed at the rest of it with her fork and tried pacing herself.
    “See?” he said to her as if she’d made some point without realizing it. “You have an artist’s soul. You savor everything life offers you, whether it’s a good salad or soda flavored with cherry syrup or painting the world you see around you. And that is a gift.”
    “A gift? You mean, like from God or something?”
    He shrugged, but didn’t answer.
    She regarded him for a long moment. “Are you trying to butter me up so I’ll agree to give you that ride?”
    “If I was, would you say yes?”
    “Maybe,” she said, slowly.
    “Then yes, that’s what I’m doing.”
    They both laughed at the same time. Though she was slightly disappointed that he said that, even if he was just joking. She’d rather that Jake had told her that he had no ulterior motives, and that he truly thought she was talented. Brianna gave her head a small shake to clear her thoughts. This was supposed to be harmless flirting, nothing more.
    Jake went back to cutting his steak, Brianna watching him. A few bites later he pointed at her with his fork without taking his attention off his food. “But I’m also serious. You have a gift. Gifts are meant to be used, not hidden.”
    She rolled her eyes at him and reached across the table, stealing a fry from his plate and biting it in half before he could object. “You know,