Evernight (The Night Watchmen Series Book 2) by Candace Knoebel Read Free Book Online Page A

recognize myself. The curves and the length are so different wrapped in matte black material. So womanly. Fierce.
    I grab my jacket and slide my arms through the material. It’s close fitting, and the zipper runs from the bottom left to the top right of my shoulder. Over my heart, there’s a spot for my name tag, so I pin it, slide my shoes on, and step back. With my hair gathered in a tight ponytail and fully dressed as an Elite, I think maybe I could take on the world, perhaps even stop Bael and find my parents. I feel so… so different. So much more official.
    I look like the deluxe version of a Night Watchman, ordered right off the war preparation assembly line.
    I jump when I hear a knock. The screen by the door shows Jaxen on the other side, dressed in his Elite uniform. I nearly lose the air from my lungs at the sight of him. The material hugs him in all the right places. His name tag glints under the fluorescent lighting. Gramm. I don’t know why, but just the name causes my heart to do somersaults. Makes me want to scribble it all over a notebook with hearts, arrows, and dates of all our firsts together.
    He smoothes a hand through his still-wet hair, then looks from side to side before glancing back at my door. I could watch him all day… get lost in all that is him. He leans forward and knocks again.
    I palm my forehead. Idiot.
    When I press the button, the door slides open. His eyes widen the moment they settle on me. He bites his bottom lip as his eyes drift over my chest, past my midsection, and down my thighs. I can almost feel his gaze caressing me, taking in every inch and memorizing them.
    “Wow,” is all he says. He takes a step toward me, and it seems like he has to force his gaze back to mine.
    “It’s so official, right?” I say with a forced laugh, trying to ignore the electric charge between us.
    His energy is just so… so tempting. So alive. I want to dive into it. Swim in his essence.
    “Yeah,” he says distantly, still taking me in. “Official. Sexy. Tempting.” He pulls me into his arms, pressing his lips against mine. I think my knees have forgotten how to work, and I’m grateful for the support of his strong arms. “Damn, you make it hard to be respectable,” he whispers against my ear, sending a wave of heat all the way to my core. “I could curse the man who made this suit. You’re going to turn heads, for sure.”
    I drop my gaze, laughing a little. “I won’t be the only one turning heads.”
    He looks down at himself, and then back up at me with a furrowed brow. “Who… me?”
    I run a finger down the center of his abs. Bat my lashes up at him. “Yes, Jaxen Gramm. You.” I kiss the compliment onto his lips. It’s so easy to get lost in his kisses, to forget the real world and all its unfair expectations.
    But it’s anything but easy when there’s always someone there to bring us back down from cloud nine.
    Jezi clears her throat, and I think all the blood in my body has decided to congregate in my cheeks. “Seriously?” she asks. “Do you not know how to shut your damn door?”
    Jaxen spins around. “Jezi, I—”
    She holds her hand up, halting his words. “Save it. Excuses aren’t your forte.” Placing her hand on her hip, she glances off to the side, swishing her perfect dark brown hair, and then looks back at us. Her chin is raised when she says, “I uh-I only came to tell Faye the others are ready. And I kind of figured it’d be…” She swallows thickly. “Nice,” she drags out painfully, “to walk together. But I can see you both are busy so…”
    “We’re not busy,” I rush out. Stepping around Jaxen, I ignore his questioning stare. “We can walk together. I-I’m sure Jaxen would like to catch up with Weldon anyhow. Right?” I ask over my shoulder.
    “Yeah, of course,” he says without hesitation. He kisses the top of my head and then stops by Jezi.
    She doesn’t look up at him, even though he’s looking down at her. I think they