Invincible (A Centennial City Novel) by Fionn Jameson Read Free Book Online

drink.”
    “Ah, of course,” he said. “How could I forget? Well, then I hope you will excuse me while I pour myself a drink. Regrettably, I do not have any juice.”
    Was he playing with me? It was an unpleasant idea. "That's fine."
    I watched him as he proceeded behind a large desk and pulled out a small, crystal bottle off a high shelf along with a short glass. The amber inside was golden. “Does Martinez know you could have bought the damn bar?”
    He laughed. “Unfortunately, or perhaps not, you are the only person who knows the truth, Ms. Hwang.”
    “Not Pang?”
    He stopped pouring as the glass became half full. “I do apologize. Jase…as you can see, was a bit of a test. I had to know who they would send. You see, in order to find Shannon and find the vampire who took her, I needed someone strong, but someone unobtrusive enough to be given much notice.”
    I blinked. “Unobtrusive?”
    Bringing the glass with him, he took his seat again and watched me from under hooded eyes. “I have a plan that requires a very specific type of person.”
    I have a plan that requires a very specific type of person .
    “And you think I’m that person…” I began, slowly. “You think I can blend into the background.”
    He nodded. “No offense, but it seems like most women do. Which seems strange, considering just how many women I’ve been betrayed by.”
    “Not all women are traitors.”
    His lips thinned. “That remains to be seen, doesn’t it?”
    I let that go. For now. “Okay. So you have me. What happens then?”
    “I will push myself into vampire society, get deeper and deeper until I find Shannon. Until I find out the truth. But in order to do that, I’ll need someone to watch my back. I’ve heard of your abilities and I think you might be the one I’ve been looking for. You’ve got a special gift, I’m told. I could use it.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said automatically.
    Only two people were supposed to know of my ability. Elder Chang and Adrian.
    How did he know?
    He shrugged and swirled the liquor in his cup, the absence of ice making this a somewhat perilous task. “I suppose I’d think less of you if you copped out so easily. Be that as it may, I know what you can do. The best I could do is hire a vampire and I refuse to trust something I want to bring down. Or I could hire someone else and then get killed a day later through their incompetence. No, it’s better to get such a legend as yourself on my side.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t…I don’t understand exactly what it is you plan to do. You plan on entering vampiric society? With me as your bodyguard?”
    He looked at me approvingly. I wasn’t sure if I liked it. “You can understand, can’t you?”
    So easy and yet… “So once you enter their society, then what?”
    “I will petition to find out Shannon’s kidnapper. I will petition for her life. That’s all I care about.”
    I drew in a deep breath. “You must have loved her very much. You will put your life on the life for a woman?”
    “If that person had once meant the entire world to you, wouldn’t you do the same?” he asked quietly.
    “I’ve never felt that way about anyone, so I wouldn’t know.” I pushed a lock of hair out of my eyes. “This is much more dangerous that simply killing someone in front of Noir’s mansion.”
    “Don’t you think it’s risky, that you could simply kill an assassin in front of Noir’s eyes and expect him to trust you?” Jason finished his drink and stared at the empty cup in his right hand, let it dangle from his fingertips. “Noir is no fool. He’s walked this world for centuries. He has lived through many an assassination and lived to see another moon. If I don’t put everything on the line, then I will fail.”
    I was not quite understanding. “So what is your plan? You can’t just walk into a mass of vampires and tell them you come in peace”
    He rubbed at his brow in a distracted