Bitten 2 by A.J. Colby Read Free Book Online Page B

clear chairs, his blood dried into a dark crust around his nose and mouth. I noted with no small amount of satisfaction that Baseball Cap remained silent, settling for just glowering at me.
    “I’ll get to you in a minute,” Officer Nelson said, giving Mike a look that made him clamp his lips together in a frown. “You were saying?”
    “I had just met with Mr. Cordova and was returning to my car when I found these two trashing it.”
    “What was the nature of your meeting with Mr. Cordova?”
    “We were discussing an employment opportunity.”
    “God protect us, the beasts of Satan are conspiring together!” Mike shouted, leaning forward in his chair as if he intended to leap up and body slam me. Chuckles clamped a pale hand on his shoulder, forcing him back down into his chair with apparent ease. “Get your hand off me! Don’t touch me you damn corpse!”
    “I advise you, Mr. Lewis, to keep your mouth shut,” Officer Nelson said, turning narrowed eyes on the protester.
    Mike fell silent under the police officer’s gaze, but didn’t look at all happy about it. Beside him, his partner continued to glare at me, and I shuddered at the thought of what he might try to do to me if he got loose.
    “Had you met either of these men before?”
    “Not before today. I saw that one earlier,” I said pointing at Baseball Cap. “He was part of the Humans for Humanity protest going on when I arrived.”
    “And did anything happen at that time?”
    “He got in my face, but that’s about it,” I said, shrugging. “Just the usual ignorant bigot babble.”
     
    * * *
     
    It was nearing midnight when I finished explaining the events of the evening to Officer Nelson, the buzz from Cordova’s exquisite coffee having worn off long ago, leaving me tired, grouchy, and fighting the resurgence of my headache. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and go to sleep, but home was still another two hours away, and that was only if I figured how I was going to get there. My Jeep sure as hell wasn’t going anywhere unless it was on the back of a tow truck.
    Some of the tension eased out of my shoulders as I watched the Idiot Twins being marched out in handcuffs, wearing matching scowls. Turning to Katarina, who somehow looked as bright eyed and fresh as the moment I’d first set eyes on her, I asked, “Do you have the number for a tow truck?”
    “Oh, that has already been taken care of. Mr. Cordova arranged for your car to be taken to his personal mechanic.”
    For a moment I just stared at the pretty brunette in surprise, trying to decide if I should be pleased or outraged that the master vampire had swept in and cleaned up the mess without consulting me first. “I see. Well, then I guess I need a cab.”
    “Mr. Cordova has arranged a car and driver for you.”
    “That won’t be necessary. A cab is fine.”
    “I insist,” Cordova said, sliding up beside me. I hadn’t realized how much the pervasive smell of vampires had muddled my sense of smell until he appeared as if out of thin air. Restraining myself from leaping out of my skin by force of will alone, I couldn’t stop the small squeak of surprise that escaped my lips. Turning narrowed eyes on him, I was disappointed when rather than wilting beneath my glare, he simply smiled wide enough to show fang, his unnaturally green eyes sparkling with amusement.
    Undead prick.
    “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
    Expecting to have to traipse back through the club and out to the packed parking lot behind the club, I was surprised when I was instead herded towards a small elevator concealed behind one of the beige panels hanging from the rafters. I wasn’t keen on the idea of being crammed into the small space with the master vamp, and was even less enamored of the notion when Chuckles joined us, but I was too tired to make a fuss about it. Retreating into the corner of the elevator, I tried to get as far away from the two vamps as possible, which wasn’t very