Day of Sacrifice (Day of Sacrifice #1) by S.W. Benefiel Read Free Book Online

let me go.”
    Oh, Gods. He immediately let go of her hands and sat back on his heels. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have even--”
    “Don’t you dare say you shouldn’t have been fooling around with me. We both wanted it. There just wasn’t time to set up ground rules.” She put her bra back on and reached for her sweater. She had grass in her hair.
    Julian’s groin ached something fierce. “Ground rules?” He stood, hoping that would help circulate the blood away from his crotch and put some feeling back in his legs.
    Flora stood too, tugging her sweater down. “You know. One: I won’t use any fire because I can’t control it when I’m distracted.” She wiggled her fingers at him. I hate that rule. “Two: no holding my wrists and ankles down. Three: my virginity stays intact.” She grinned and tossed him his shoes, then started putting hers back on.
    He bent to tie his laces. “Well, the virginity thing goes without saying. Your use of fire...not scary in the way you thought it was.” He cleared his throat. “Holding your hands down? That didn’t occur to me, but of course that would cause you to panic. I’m truly sorry for that.”
    “I know,” she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the gravel road to town, looking back at him over her shoulder. “We’ll do better next time.”
    “Next time?” he asked, his legs going wobbly. May the Gods have mercy on my reinstated soul .
     
     
     
    Julian had been right about town, it wasn’t much. There was a survivalist store that sold guns and ammunition, knives, water filtration systems, and other things required for life in the Outer Territory. A gas pump sat outside the storefront, not a single vehicle around for it to fill. On down the road was an outdoor market where the more permanent residents of the area, like Julian’s family used to be, sold local produce.
    A gruff looking man with a beard that hung down to the middle of his chest greeted Julian with a powerful back slap. “Good to see you. It’s been a while. Seems your color has improved since leaving the city.” He gave Flora a once over that made her skin crawl. “Or maybe it has something to do with this fine young woman. I don’t recall you ever having company in all the years you’ve been in the Territory.”
    Julian put his arm around Flora’s shoulders and moved her away from the older man’s fervent gaze. “Daniel, this is my friend, Harmony.”
    Flora nodded her head and smiled her sweetest smile, figuring that Julian had good reason for lying about who she was. Anyone out here could be working for the Fitzgeralds, after all. She dared a glance at two scraggly men standing behind Daniel giving her an eye-full.
    “What do you say, honey, does any of the fruit Daniel’s selling appeal to you?” Julian asked, his eyes pleading for her to play along.
    Flora perused the stand. Everything looked good. She hadn’t realized she was so hungry. “I’d like a couple of apples, sugarwings, if that’s okay with you.”
    “Sure,” he squeezed her shoulders hard. What? Was sugarwings too much? “Two apples for Harmony and I’ll take some pears for myself.”
    Shit . Angels didn’t need to eat and she’d unwittingly just given away Julian’s true identity. She smiled even harder at Daniel, hoping she could distract him from the conversation. He leered at her chest and stroked his beard. Her tactic seemed to be working.
    “The apples and pears?” Julian said, sliding his hand down Flora’s back and grabbing her ass. “We’re in kind of a hurry.”
    Daniel grinned lasciviously, showcasing his mouth full of rotten teeth. “Gotta keep yer energy up.” He winked at her. “I get it.” He plucked the fruit from the wooden crates it was stored in and put it in a brown paper bag. “Have fun. Do everything that I would, ya hear?”
    Julian took his hands off of Flora long enough to pay for the fruit and then steered her away from the stand, his arm around her