Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton Read Free Book Online Page B

on me wearing.”
    Jason grinned.
    I shook my head. “I don’t want to see it.”
    â€œMaybe you’ll get lucky,” Jason said. “Maybe they’ll try to kill you instead.”
    I frowned at him. “You’re just full of happy thoughts.”
    â€œMy speciality,” he said.
    Nathaniel turned his head and looked at me, hands clasped across his bare stomach. “I can lift the coffin, but it’s not balanced right for carrying. I need help.”
    â€œYou certainly do,” I said.
    He blinked up at me, one hand raised to block the sun. Imoved until my body blocked the sun and he could look at me without squinting. He smiled up at me.
    â€œWhat’s with the coffin sunbathing?” I asked.
    The smile wilted around the edges, then faded completely. “It’s the scene in the crypt,” he said as if that explained everything. It didn’t.
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    He raised just his shoulders and head off the coffin like he was doing stomach crunches. His abs bunched nicely with the effort. “You really haven’t watched my movies, have you?”
    â€œSorry,” I said.
    He sat up the rest of the way, smoothing his hair back with both hands in a practiced gesture. He slipped a silver clasp around the hair and flipped the tail of auburn hair behind his back.
    â€œI thought silver jewelry burned when it touched a lycanthrope’s skin,” I said.
    He wiggled his hair, settling the silver clasp securely against his neck. “It does,” he said.
    â€œA little pain makes the world go round, I guess.”
    He just stared at me with his strange eyes. He was only nineteen, but the look on his face was older, much older. There were no lines on that smooth skin, but there were shadows in those eyes that nothing would ever erase. Cosmetic surgery for the soul was what he needed. Something to take the terrible burden of knowledge that had made him what he was.
    Jason limped over to us, loaded with suitcases. “One of his movies is about a vampire who falls in love with an innocent young human.”
    â€œYou’ve seen it,” I said.
    He nodded.
    I shook my head and picked up a suitcase. “You got a car for us?” I asked Jamil.
    â€œA van,” he said.
    â€œGreat. Pick up a suitcase, and show me the way.”
    â€œI don’t do luggage.”
    â€œIf we all help, we can load the van in half the time. I want to see Richard as soon as possible, so grab something and stop being such a freaking prima donna.”
    Jamil stared at me for a long, slow count, then said, “WhenRichard replaces you as lupa, I won’t have to take shit from you.”
    â€œFine, but until then, hop to it. Besides, this isn’t giving you shit, Jamil. When I give you shit, you’ll know it.”
    He gave a low chuckle. He slipped his jacket back on and picked up the trunk. It should have taken two strong men to lift it. He carried it like it weighed nothing. He walked off without a backward glance, leaving me to get the last suitcase. Zane and Cherry picked the coffin back up and walked after him. Jason shuffled after them.
    â€œWhat about me?” Nathaniel said.
    â€œPut your shirt back on and stay with the coffin. Wouldn’t do to have someone make off with Damian.”
    â€œI know women who would pay me to take the shirt off,” he said.
    â€œToo bad I’m not one of them,” I said.
    â€œYeah,” he said, “too bad.” He picked his shirt up off the ground. I left him sitting on the coffin in the middle of the Tarmac, shirt wadded in his hands. He looked sort of forlorn in a strange, macabre way. I felt very sorry for Nathaniel. He’d had a rough life. But it wasn’t my fault. I was paying for his apartment so he didn’t have to turn tricks to make ends meet, though I knew other strippers at Guilty Pleasures who managed to make ends meet on