Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson Read Free Book Online

together.”
    “But you aren’t wære …”
    “I took the self-defense classes along with them and I even acquired some conflict experience.”
    “Conflict experience?” He almost chuckled. “Sounds like a code phrase girls use for slumber parties or brownie points earned for returning home alive after shopping on Black Friday.”
    I poked him in the ribs again. “That’s sexist.”
    “No, that’s witty. Was this before Celia and Erik were turned?” Celia had been my roommate in college. Later, after they were married, Erik had started drumming for Johnny. That connection was how Johnny had originally started kenneling at my place.
    “Yeah. Michael and I were supposed to join them on that trip, but we broke up.”
    Peering sidelong at me, he asked in a sly tone, “He broke up with you or you broke up with him?”
    Giving my heart a quick re-examination in terms of that relationship, I decided it was all healed up. It didn’t hurt to talk about it. “The former.”
    “Ouch. Let me guess—he was an ass.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Duh. Standard post-breakup verbiage.”
    “Anyone that would hurt you must be an ass.”
    He was playing with my hair again. My cheeks began to warm.
    “Can I ask why you broke up?”
    With a heavy sigh, I gave myself over to the idea of sharing all my history. “Michael opened a second center in downtown Athens, without a word to me about it. I told him it bothered me he would do that. I just wanted to be kept in the loop, but he took it as if I meant he needed to clear things with me. One thing led to another. Within a few weeks, we not only broke up, but he fired me. He wound up with the woman he hired to replace me.”
    Johnny didn’t say anything, just gave my hand an affectionate squeeze.
    “I’ve always thought that if he and I had gone camping with Celia and Erik, perhaps with our training we could have saved them from being turned.”
    “Or you might have become wære too.”
    That wasn’t a thought I’d even entertain; I could have made a difference.
    “If that were the case,” he added, “you wouldn’t have a kennel in your basement and we’d never have met.”
    I didn’t say anything. It was true, but I couldn’t be glad Celia had been turned wære so that, years later, my path and Johnny’s could cross. Celia had wanted to be a mother so badly and being infected forced her to give up her dream of having children. I knew how devastating that was for her.
    “So,” he went on. “When were you gathering your ‘conflict experience,’ exactly?”
    Ignoring the taunt, I replied, “About four years ago.”
    “Have you kept up with this training?”
    “No, but ‘out of practice’ isn’t the same as ‘untrained.’ ”
    Johnny leaned forward, face close to mine, eyes smoldering. “I say we should go upstairs. You can show me your moves and I’ll evaluate your strengths and weaknesses.”
    My reply mocked innocence. “There’s no room for sparring upstairs.”
    “Combat can happen anywhere,” he whispered seductively, sliding his body closer to mine.
    His wære libido howled to me, my stain, and any part of me that would listen. Heat flared all through me. My breathing sped up. I wanted him to kiss me, to take me upstairs.
    Get a grip on your hormones, girl! I scolded myself, but it didn’t work. Better yet, get a grip on his—
    “Anywhere,” he repeated. “On … hard … surfaces and soft ones. In wide open spaces, or … tight … places. You always need to be ready for an encounter.” He made an “encounter” sound like a lifetime of bliss.
    My resistance was kitten-weak. The only way to resolve it was to give in and see if it was me or the stain.
    I could almost feel his lips on mine—
    “Beverley is sleeping,” Nana announced, shuffling in wearing the thick terry robe that matched her pink fuzzy slippers. Erik came in behind her.
    Johnny rose quickly and in seconds, he and Erik began filling their plates.
    Nana sat in the spot Johnny