From Fear to Eternity: An Immortality Bites Mystery by Michelle Rowen Read Free Book Online Page A

glint of humor in Sebastien’s eyes anymore. “Spiking his drink to bring out his dark side is the very least I wish to do to dearest Daddy this evening. And if you’re smart, I’d suggest you stay out of myway.”

Chapter 4
    S ebastien walked off without another word, and all I could do was watch him go since I was busy picking my jaw up from the floor where it had fallen.
    Thierry had described him as a complication, taking attention away from his assignment regarding Atticus.
    A complication
was definitely an understatement.
    No way this could be true. Not a chance. I knew Thierry had done some shady things in his life, but locking a fledgling in a tomb and forgetting about him for three centuries? No way.
    Sebastien had to be lying . . . although, he sure hadn’t looked like it. No, he’d looked as serious as a heart attack.
    There had to be another explanation for this and I was going to find out what it was.
    I quickened my steps as I moved back toward the parlor to find Thierry. At the very least, I knew Sebastien was responsible for spiking Thierry’s drinks with blood tonight. What exactly had he expected would happen? That Thierry would have killed me?
    He hadn’t. He’d stopped.
    One day he might not be able to stop,
a little voice said quietly inside of me.
    I liked to call her my “sliver of doubt.” She was small but insistent, especially when I had fresh fang marks on my neck.
    When I spotted the blond server approaching just outside the parlor doors, I stopped her.
    “Can I help you?” she asked.
    I eyed her with more attention this time. She wore a strong perfume that smelled pleasantly of vanilla. She was medium height with a shapely body—pretty, but not overly Hollywood-looking, despite our current location. “What’s your name?”
    “Melanie.”
    “Can you do me a favor, Melanie?”
    “Of course, ma’am. What is it?”
    I tried very hard not to raise my voice. “Stop putting blood in my husband’s drinks.”
    Her eyes widened. “But I—I—”
    “Sebastien told you to do that, didn’t he?”
    Confusion crossed her face. “Yes, but . . . your husband is a vampire. Didn’t he appreciate the addition to his drink?”
    She knew we were vampires and didn’t seem remotely fazed by it. To me that indicated nonhuman. “Are you a vampire, too?”
    “No, I’m a . . .” She hesitated. “A werewolf.”
    Huh. I wouldn’t have guessed that at all, but I hadn’t met very many werewolves before. “Okay. Then let’s put it this way. If you spike Thierry’s drinks again tonight I’ll have you permanently leashed.
Capiche?
”
    “Yes, ma’am.” She didn’t say it with attitude or snark; she said it as if she legitimately felt bad about what she’d done. Maybe I’d scared her. It would behard to scare a werewolf, so I felt rather accomplished. And maybe a little guilty.
    “Good,” I said. “Thank you.”
    She nodded and turned to move away from me, balancing her full tray of drinks as she entered the parlor. I gave her a moment before I followed and scanned the busy room for any sign of Thierry.
    Who, of course, was nowhere to be seen right when I needed to talk to him the most.
    I groaned with frustration. This was turning into the longest cocktail party ever. Seriously.
    Still searching, I threaded through the throng of auction guests, nodding and smiling until my face felt strained as I made my way toward an unoccupied corner where I could catch my breath.
    But then someone stepped right in front of me to block my path.
    “Finally, we have a chance to meet,” he said. “I’m Atticus Kincade, an associate of your husband’s with the council.”
    My heart and stomach sank in unison like a pair of synchronized swimmers.
    Be cool, Sarah,
I told myself.
    “Sarah Dearly.” I took his hand and he squeezed mine rather than shaking it. “A pleasure.”
    “The pleasure is mine.” He bent his head and brushed his lips against the back of my hand.
    I pulled it back