Bite Me (London Undead) by PJ Schnyder Read Free Book Online

up her new... Was he a friend? Perhaps not yet. Still, sending him off into the night might be a problem. And she didn’t particularly want to. However, explaining where home was might pose a difficulty.

Chapter Four
    Seth studied Maisie’s face as she cheerfully waved after Brian. Her friend headed out into the night armed with a cricket bat, ready to defend himself.
    Unorthodox, that. At least innocent bystanders were less likely to be injured.
    Anyway, Seth was more interested in why Maisie lied when she’d promised to go straight home.
    The corners of her mouth trembled as she fought to maintain her smile. Her eyes darted to the left—no one was standing there.
    She’d perked up once they’d come into the clinic, and he’d known better than to try to hold her off from treating him. She’d already demonstrated she put the good of others over her own well-being with a stubborn determination that bordered on mad.
    But she was done now and the urge to get her off her feet and find something to feed her took over with surprising force. Since it was as likely common sense as instinct, he decided not to analyze it too closely.
    “Sit down before you fall on your arse.” Well now, that hadn’t come out in any sort of genteel manner, but he’d managed to keep the growl out of his voice. Mostly.
    “Shove off,” she shot back at him as she set about putting away the supplies used to patch him up.
    Fine. He let the growl rise from his chest and roll through the room with a touch of power behind it. Most humans wouldn’t have understood, only trembled in fear.
    “You can cut that out too.” No fear, only weariness and a bit of temper. Grumpy, in a cute way. “You’re all patched up, so we’re even now. You can go home if you’d like.”
    Oh no. Getting him to leave was not going to be as easy as all that. Her limp was more pronounced, and fine tremors shook her hands even as she tried to hide them. Besides, the color was quickly leaching out of her face.
    Work in an animal clinic might be messy and all, but did her old clothes have to be threadbare as well? Surely she had sturdy clothing that’d provide her more warmth in the cold months.
    “I’ll buy you dinner on the way to your home.” He could have made it more of an offer, but it came out mostly as an order.
    She turned from the storage cabinets, then leaned against the counter. The wan smile she managed tugged at him. “Thank you, but really, you said this would make us even. I’d like to keep it that way.”
    “Freely offered.” He was aware of debts—the pack took them seriously. She couldn’t possibly know what an offer of a meal meant to a werewolf, not unless she’d dealt with any of the pack or with fae folk. He’d have heard about the former and hadn’t noticed any sign of the latter about her. She wasn’t fae-struck, as far as he could tell. Maybe just a coincidence then.
    “There’s not any particular place to get food along the way.” Her gaze darted to the door and down to the floor.
    Anger flashed. Was she afraid to go out into the night with him?
    As quickly as he bristled, her gaze lifted to meet his. Sense washed away the heat of his temper in the face of her obvious awareness. Not afraid. Nervous then, but about what?
    “Where is home?”
    A blush spread across her cheeks.
    Then her knees buckled.
    He shot across the room and nipped her off her feet before she hit the floor.
    “Oh, I...”
    Her eyes were unfocused for a moment and she had to blink several times before she pulled herself together.
    “Food first, then you can explain what the fuss is while I take you home.” The words were garbled with his growl but he knew she could understand him. She’d done it before, right after the fight.
    The feel of her in his arms warmed every part of him, right down to his core. She weighed next to nothing. So fragile. He gathered her closer.
    “It isn’t anything to worry over.” Her voice sounded even fainter.
    He lifted his