BloodSworn by Stacey Brutger Read Free Book Online Page B

they’ll do it.”
    Silence descended with a heaviness that pressed on her
chest. Breathing became difficult, and she fidgeted, wishing this whole, awful
evening was over.
    Being hunted the last few weeks had left her on edge for too
long. She was exhausted. All she wanted was a night of sleep, a few days without
the fear of discovery hanging over her.
    “Then we’re good? Negotiations are settled?” She thrust out
her hand, self-conscious when he made no move to reciprocate.
    His smile was all teeth. “Not by a long shot.”

 
     
     
     
     
      Chapter Eight
     
    “ I ’ll
stay in the shed.”
    Leo just shook his head in the implacable way she was coming
to associate with him.
    It pissed her off.
    “You’ll stay in my apartments.”
    Trina wanted to deck him. They’d been arguing for the last
twenty minutes, and he wouldn’t budge his stubborn ass an inch. Any nerves or
self-doubt had long since been burned away by his arrogance.
    “I need to do my research. I need a lab.” What she needed to
do was rescue her sister. Getting to Eden would be the easy part. She could
walk through the front door, and the vampires would welcome her. But first, she
had to formulate a plan to get them both out alive.
    She’d rejected dozens of scenarios. How did one sneak into
the vampire king’s lair, steal his most precious jewel and leave again all
without being caught?
    But she’d managed to live nearly two weeks under the
watchful eye of the Den with no one the wiser.
    Well, anyone but Merrick…er, the Leo.
    She mustn’t forget his title. It would help to remind herself
who he was and that she needed to keep her hands to herself.
    “If you can’t use the lab in the basement then I’ll knock
down a blasted wall and build you another, but you will not set foot outside
this Den.” The prospect of working in a fully functional lab again nearly made
her drool, but his answer gave her pause.
    She wanted to stay hidden and under the pack’s protection,
but why did he want her to stay so badly? He was suspicious, his second-in-command
was even more so. They didn’t have a Familiaran, so her famous family name
would remain secret longer with no one to out her.
    He leaned over the massive desk that dominated the room and slammed
his palms down. Everything on top jumped and clattered, and she was
half-surprised the solid form held under the assault.
    His anger in no way frightened her, only serving to ignite
her own. Not willing to concede so quickly, she leaned over the desk until their
faces were inches apart. The scent of wildness and fresh air invaded her lungs.
This close, his hair appeared to stand on end, tempting her to reach out and
test the texture. It couldn’t be as soft as it appeared.
    She narrowed her eyes as an insidious suspicion smacked her upside
the head. Once the thought entered her mind, she wasn’t able to rid herself of
it.
    His eyes were shaded golden, a bit on the wild side.
    “You’re enjoying this.”
    He only blinked.
    She sighed, and the events of the day caught up with her.
She was running on steam and in no condition to be negotiating. “You’re not
going to concede, are you?”
    “No.”
    “So, I would be a prisoner.” Trina shoved away from the desk
and paced to the window.
    Only to have a perfect view of the shed taunt her. She
wondered how long he had known she’d been there. Probably from the very
beginning, if she had to guess.
    Part of her mind whispered that he’d planned the whole thing
to trap her, but that was ridiculous. When he looked at her, she saw no
recognition of who she was in his gaze.
    What could he hope to gain?
    She turned away and crossed her arms. “That’s unacceptable.”
    “You would be protected.” The speculation in his eyes sent
her stomach flip-flopping. She had to offer him something so tempting that he couldn’t
say no to her. Something so big, that he wouldn’t notice what she really wanted.
    Just protection.
    She had to throw him off. She