After the Fall: A Vampire Chronicle (Book One) by Mary Ellen Gorry Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t really see much point to religion and didn’t think he’d be able to help anyway.
                  God, he was impressed by her strength. The very fact that she was managing to function at this point, after everything she had gone through, was a testament to how strong Caroline Gallagher was. Still, as she attempted to avoid his eyes, he could practically feel the loneliness emanating from her. He knew how horrible it felt to feel alone in the world. He found that he really didn’t want her feeling the way he did.
                  “Do you have someplace to go?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
                  “Not really,” she answered. “I’m probably going to hang around here for awhile until the police investigation turns something up or the trail goes cold. Until they can tell me something concrete, either way.”
                  Christian knew the police investigation would turn up nothing. He knew the detectives in charge of the investigation were the best in the city at what they did, but what they didn’t know was that they were in way over their heads. When Caroline left the city, she’d be as in the dark about her family as she was at the moment. It was unfair, but there was nothing Christian could do about it. He was beginning to realize it wasn’t going to be easy getting Caroline to open up.
                  “I’ve been doing this for some time, this whole counseling thing, and I’ve found that more often than not, it helps people to talk about what they’re feeling,” he said, trying to push without pushing her too hard.
                  “Why? It can’t change what happened,” she said bitterly.
                  “No, it can’t,” he agreed, and she thought she heard a trace of anger and sadness in his voice. “But it’s a lot for one person to go through by themselves. Talking can help, psychologically.”
                  “I really am going to be okay,” Caroline answered, standing her ground. “I mean, I’m not okay, but I will be.”
                  “I really think I can help,” Christian insisted. God, she was stubborn. He should have known this wouldn’t be easy. His job was never easy.
                  Caroline frowned. This Chris guy, good-looking as he was, was starting to really get annoying.
                  “Really,” Caroline said through clenched teeth. “Thanks, but no thanks.” She never talked to anybody about anything. People had their own problems without having to be burdened with hers. And even if she felt like talking – which she didn’t – she wouldn’t unload on a virtual stranger. She might have talked to her mother…. Not anymore.
                  “How’d you know I was going to be here anyway?” she asked, annoyed and suddenly suspicious again.
                  “I followed you,” Chris reluctantly admitted. “From the cemetery.”
                  “So, this was basically an ambush?” She felt her temper rising. “What, do you get paid for every person who agrees to spill their guts to you?”
                  “I don’t get paid, period,” he answered, a hard edge coming into his voice. Christian could understand her anger. He could even understand it being directed at him, but it made him angry that he couldn’t defend himself, clear up her misplaced - well, mostly misplaced - ideas about him. Lorenzo had sent him to talk to her because he, theoretically, should have been able to relate to her the best. The truth was, he was relating to Caroline all too well. He was getting personally involved, which he couldn’t afford to do. And because it was she who was causing him to feel this way, he was becoming angry with her, as well.
                  “This is not something I like to do. I hate seeing pain, misery, anger, grief, confusion - I