Alliances (Guardians of White Light, #1) by F.J. Gale Read Free Book Online

demanded.
    “You’re a recipe for overreaction. And you don’t have the age old wisdom to summon a level head.”
    “Because I’m a woman ?” she asked, incredulously.
    “ And , young. What are you, twenty?”
    “Add on another decade and you’re there,” she said, stepping towards him angrily. “Watch your sexist comments around me, vampire,” she seethed.
    To her surprise, she watched a smile creep across his lips. “Good. Your fear has dissipated,” he said, holding out his hand. “Ready?”
    She batted his hand away. “Let’s get this over with,” she mumbled as she followed him into the tavern. She thought she heard a brief laugh but couldn’t be sure as the sudden cacophony of abrasive sounds from inside the tavern assaulted her senses.
    She glanced around the bar. Immediately, all eyes were on her, leering at her, studying her curiously, hungrily . More than two dozen vampires, all wearing their demon faces, sat in booths and tables drinking strange-looking concoctions. Blood fused with alcohol, no doubt. She’d heard the stories of vampire safe houses, but she’d never ventured inside one, for obvious reasons. Seconds after noticing her, all conversation had halted. Everything froze. She stood her ground and narrowed her eyes in a warning as she waited for Mathias to say or do something.
    “Old friend,” Mathias greeted a middle-aged vampire with a protruding beer gut behind the bar.
    The man started at the sound of his voice. His eyes lit up as he saw Mathias. “Long time.”
    He glanced at Jenna and shook his head.
    “I need a favor, Cain. You owe me,” Mathias said off his look.
    Cain leaned closer and lowered his voice to a sound only audible to those with supernatural hearing so that Jenna couldn’t hear, “You bring a human here?”
    “Daylight is coming. There’s nowhere else for miles.”
    “Let her drive.”
    “We’re both tired.”
    Cain looked Jenna over. He noted the stakes protruding from the pockets of her cargo pants, the dagger strapped to her leg.
    “Please tell me you’re kidding. She’s a frigging slayer.”
    “She only kills Immortalia soldiers. I’m sure you’re on board with that.”
    “Like a lot of slayers these days. You’re going after them?”
    Mathias nodded.
    “Good. Those sons of bitches think they can embezzle me and try to take away my inn? They’re like leeches. Cockroaches.”
    “No disagreement here.”
    Cain owed him for blocking Immortalia’s path to him and his tavern. He’d used his personal connections with a certain witch to conjure a powerful Threshold Barrier spell around the establishment to keep Immortalia out. Now, they could not cross the threshold.
    “Fine. But you need to keep her alive while she’s here. I won’t be able to keep them out. The scent of human is overpowering. A lot of the younger ones have yet to master self-control.”
    “Thanks,” Mathias said and moved away from the bar.
    “So, we’re even now?” Cain called.
    Mathias smiled. “Almost.”
    He approached Jenna and wrapped his arm tightly around her. She tensed at his sudden contact. “Just trust me,” he whispered in her ear as they walked down the gangway towards the stairs at the back of the bar. All eyes were on them. On her . Mathias saw the hunger in those eyes.
    They made their way up the stairs and Mathias led them into the first open room. He shut the door behind them and glanced around the dark dingy space. A boarded up window protected those inside the room from the sun’s smoldering rays. A double bed was situated in the center of the room. Off to the far side, adjacent to a small bathroom, was a tattered beige couch pointed at a television. It was luxury compared to some of the places that he’d slept in. He was sure the same could be said for Jenna. The life of a slayer and a vampire. It wasn’t like the movies made it out to be.
    “We should lock the door,” Jenna said.
    “It won’t make a difference.”
    “I’ll just make