Last Blood by Kristen Painter Read Free Book Online Page A

vampire.”
    “Interesting. I can tell you she found someone else to do it.”
    A muscle in his jaw jumped and his eyes lit with anger. “She is
not
getting her hands on my child.”
    Creek nodded. “The KM shares your sentiment on that.”
    Preacher twisted to stare at the altar. “The mayor was just here not long ago. She wants me to come see her at her office. Says she has information on Mariela.”
    “That’s your daughter’s name?” Creek asked. “I didn’t know.” He leaned forward. “Go meet with her. See what she has to say, but don’t let her know that you and I talked. She’s not a big fan of me anyway. We know she wants Mariela for herself, but let’s see what else we can find out.”
    Preacher nodded without looking at him. “Will do.”
    Creek stood. “I’ll be back when I have information to share. Until then, keep a low profile.” The guy seemed all right. Not entirely normal, but not bad for a vampire. “If you need me, I live in that old machine shop.”
    “I know the place.” Preacher rose. “And don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid. I have a daughter to live for.”
    “I didn’t think you’d show.” Lola didn’t get up as the housekeeper brought Preacher into her office. She glanced at her watch. “You’re almost four hours late.”
    “I said I’d come. I didn’t say when.” The dog tags around his neck gleamed against his dull green T-shirt and camouflage jacket.
    “But you were too busy earlier? When I came to you?”
    He sat, his expression neither pleased nor displeased. A hard man to read. “Yes. Too busy.”
    “Doing what?” Because honestly, she couldn’t imagine what filled his schedule.
    “I see you got what you wanted. Found someone to sire you.” He snorted. “Can’t sense you, though, so I’m guessing you must be some kind of vampire I don’t know about.”
    Fine. Play it that way, don’t answer. Once again, his loss. “House of Paole,” she told him. “It’s the inherited power all nobles of that house receive. We are undetectable to others.”
    “Can you daywalk?”
    “You know very well that is a gift you and you alone possess.”
    He stared at her, a hint of impudence in his eyes. “What did you want to speak to me about?”
    “I thought you might want to know. I had a team go after Mariela.”
    He sat forward. “Why wasn’t I brought in? I’m trained for that kind of thing. I could have been an asset.”
    She held her hand up. “This was more of a diplomatic exercise than a military one.” She lifted the prepared letter. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t successful.”
    “They didn’t bring Mariela home?”
    Lola pushed her tongue against the tip of one fang until the pain made her eyes water. “I am very sorry to inform you that Mariela perished during the mission.”
    The muscles in his neck tensed and his eyes seemed to grow slightly brighter, more liquid. “What do you… mean… perished?” His voice was throaty and rough.
    “You know what I mean.” Even as she imagined Mariela really being gone, she bit down, tasting blood. The combination was enough to cause her eyes to well. She let the emotions fill her voice. “She was killed in the escape.” She held the letter out to him. “It’s all right here. You can keep this copy, if you like.”
    He took the letter, folded it up without looking at it, and tucked it into his jacket. Then he stood, his body rigid with military stiffness. One nod to her and he turned sharply and walked out.
    She waited until she heard the front door open and shut, and then she leaned back in her chair and nodded with satisfaction. That had gone so much easier than she’d anticipated. Now Mariela would be truly hers.
    If she could just find out how to get ahold of the ancients Dominic claimed had taken Mariela. They would be harder to deal with than a crazy daywalker who lived in a church, but how much harder?
    She flexed her hands into claws, wishing she had something to grab hold of.