Blood Bond (Anna Strong Chronicles #9) by Jeanne C. Stein Read Free Book Online Page B

our life together will be into that kiss.
    I must have done a good job because the way he kisses me back makes my face flush, my blood heat and my toes curl.
    * * *
    DAVID, TRACEY AND JOHN-JOHN ARE SITTING ON A bench watching a mime, big double-dip cones melting in the bright spring sunshine. John-John spies us and thrusts his cone out toward Frey.
    “Want some,
Azhé’é
?” he asks.
    Frey leans his head down and takes a lick. “Good stuff.”
    David looks over his head at Frey and me. “How’d it go?”
    Tracey rises from the bench, digs a hand into her pocket and pulls out a dollar. “Why don’t you put that in the mime’s tip jar?” she tells John-John.
    He happily complies. While he’s gone, Tracey says, “I’ll take him to see that clown over there. Give you three a chance to talk.”
    David gives her cheek a kiss. “Thanks, Trace.”
    John-John bounces back and he and Tracey leave to visit the clown making balloon animals farther down the boardwalk.
    David moves over so Frey and I can take a seat. “What did Harris harangue you about this time?”
    “The same,” I reply. “Warren Williams’ death. Judith Williams’ disappearance. Things Frey and I know nothing about.”
    I wonder how Frey feels about the easy lies that spew from my mouth. At the same time, lying to mortals is what our lives as supernaturals are all about. I know he understands that.
    Frey has his arm around my shoulders again and he squeezes. “Harris has two major open cases that he can’t close. It’s no wonder he’s grasping at straws.”
    David is like me—not so generous in his appreciation of Harris’ predicament. “I told you, Anna, you should file a harassment suit against him. He has no right to keep bothering you.”
    “Well,” Frey says. “Maybe this is the end of it.”
    David takes my left hand and holds the ring so he can examine it. “This is one beautiful ring. You’ve set the bar high for the rest of us bachelors.”
    “Are you thinking of asking Tracey—?” I stop in mid-sentence, remembering what David said yesterday, remembering that Gloria may still be in the picture.
    “No.” He lets my hand drop, fixes me with a steely gaze. “Just saying, if I was thinking of asking anyone to marry me, I’d have to go some to top this ring. How many carats is it—two, three?”
    “Two and a half,” Frey answers.
    I look at my ring again. I knew it was a good-sized stone but two and a half carats?
    “The stone was my great-grandmother’s,” he continues. “I had it reset for Anna. The original setting was pretty ornate.”
    I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask about the ring. Frey is a schoolteacher and it never occurred to me to think how much a ring like this would cost. “Your great-grandmother’s stone? Frey, I’m honored. I’ll treasure it always. And when John-John finds someone to marry, we’ll pass it to him.”
    David chuckles. “What about when you and Frey have children? There may be a daughter you’ll want to have it. Or another son.”
    Of course, David would assume there might be children in our future. It’s obvious Frey can procreate and we’re certainly young enough. It’s the other biological imperative, that I’m vampire, that makes it impossible. Something unknown to David.
    Frey picks up the thread smoothly. “Maybe. We’ll have to let nature take its course.”
    David stretches his arms over his head. “Well, judging by what a good kid John-John is, I’d say you’re a great father.”
    I see a subtle shift in Frey’s expression, sadness clouds his eyes. “I can’t take much credit for that,” he says. “John-John was raised by his mother.”
    David’s expression changes, too, sobering. “I’m sorry. I know Anna told me that John-John lost his mother recently.”
    Frey shrugs. “Yes. An accident. But Anna and I hope to make a good life for John-John. No one can take the place of his mother, but he’ll always know he’s loved.”
    There’s a brief