Blood and Destiny by Kaye Chambers Read Free Book Online Page A

tea with a disgruntled comment about priorities to Peter. Listening, I learned more about the

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    behind-the-scenes workings than I wanted to know. When the last bite was gone, I pushed the plate away with a contented sigh.
    Peter was watching. The speed with which he swept it up and put it in the sink told me how eager he was to get on with the unpleasant business at hand. I graciously thanked him for breakfast and headed back upstairs. Marcus strolled casually behind me without an invitation.
    He followed me to the bathroom door and lingered as I brushed my teeth. His gaze kept straying to the toothbrush holder conspicuously missing the blue one that used to be his. In fact, there was a shiny red one in its place. He wanted to ask about it, I could tell. But he didn’t. I was glad because he would have heard the lie.
    And I would have lied. There was absolutely no reason for the man to know I hadn’t replaced him in my affections.
    “Shouldn’t you go ahead and get dressed, Marcus?”
    His gaze met mine in the mirror as I rinsed. If I hadn’t been looking for it, I would have missed the flash of power there. It was the only indication to how badly he wanted to reinforce his place here.
    I shivered.
    He saw it and guessed the cause. His answering smile let me know he knew how close to winning the battle back into my bed he was. With a significant swagger, he turned and strolled away. I watched him in the mirror until even his shadow disappeared.
    Calling myself all kinds of names in my mind, I swept a brush through my hair and tied the tawny mass into a ponytail. My hands froze at the two pink pinpricks of new skin made more obvious by the flush of excitement our little battle of wills had caused.
    For several heartbeats, I debated using makeup to cover the marks. My hand even reached for the compact on the glass shelf beside the sink, but I didn’t pick it up. He was a vampire who had spent the night with me. If I covered the marks, the poor fledgling downstairs would probably read all sorts of things into it and carry gossip to whoever would listen.
    With a final check in the mirror, I strolled into the bedroom hoping beyond hope Marcus had already dressed. He had taken pity on me and was buttoning the silk shirt as I moved to my walk-in closet and closed the door behind me.
    His laughter called me a fool, but I stuck to my guns as I settled on a pair of dark slacks and a wine-red-colored shirt. I told myself I didn’t care that it set off my tan and made the flush look natural, but even I knew how big of a lie it was. Polished black loafers finished it off. A glance in the mirror hung against the back wall proved me fit for company.
    Marcus stared out the window as I exited the closet. His gaze broke away to take me in from head to toe before settling back on my face.
    “You look lovely.” The sincerity in his voice caused the heat from my flush to multiply.
    “Thank you. Let’s get on with it. Betsy Vincent is counting on me.”
    Marcus was enough of a gentleman not to contradict me as he allowed me to precede him back downstairs to a clean kitchen.
    We found Peter leaning against the archway that led to my waiting room with a very nervous

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    young man so new he still had acne scars. Give him time and he would be as pretty as the rest of them. I found comfort in the detail nonetheless. The poor boy jumped when we stepped past Peter.
    At the sight of Marcus, I thought he was going to break down and cry.
    “Hello,” I said with the warmest smile I could muster. “I’m Destiny St. George. I understand you might be able to help me. Let’s go into my office, okay?”
    The young man’s gaze latched onto my neck and never rose to my face. He turned even paler if that was possible. He nodded jerkily and moved to follow me, giving the two male vampires an