Reclaiming Angelica by Zena Wynn Read Free Book Online Page A

hard of heart. She had a tendency to hold
grudges and not let a matter go until she’d extracted her pound of flesh in
return. To my way of thinking those two temperaments don’t exactly mesh, but I
wasn’t the one mated to her. I suppose Paul knew what he was talking about
regarding her having a sweet nature.” Uncle Joey shook his head, his expression
showing he didn’t quite believe what he was saying but was willing to let it
go.
    “Anyway, it took a long time for your momma to pull herself
together, and once she did? Well, we felt it best you remain with us. She
watched over you from a distance, but the sight of you looking so much like
your poppa? She couldn’t handle it. She sent money when she could to help with
your caretaking, came to all your important events, and in general, did as much
as she could handle,” Uncle Joey finished.
    Raul asked the only question prevalent on his mind. “Where
is she? I want to see her.”
    “I’m sorry, son. She died a few years back. Cancer. She
didn’t do much to fight it, feeling it was God’s justice coming to visit for
pushing your father to his death. I tried to get her to let you come see her,
talk to her one last time, but she didn’t feel deserving of you or your love.
Pushing the issue just made things worse, so I had to let it be.”
    At the news, Raul’s wolf threw back its muzzle and howled, a
long mournful note. The man lurched to his feet and stumbled toward the door.
“I need some air.”
    “Don’t leave,” his uncle commanded. “There’s more I haven’t
told you.”
    Raul gave an abrupt nod before heading out the door and into
the night air.
    * * * *
    Sophie stalked past the long line of waiting humans,
ignoring their muttered curses and protests, Angelica trailing behind her like
a little waif. When Sophie reached the door, she hugged one of the big bruisers
stationed there and gave him a long, deep kiss that looked as though it had
plenty of tongue. “Hey, baby. Missed me?”
    “Always,” he answered, cupping her ass familiarly. He nodded
in Angelica’s direction. “Bringing your food with you now?” he murmured so low
a human wouldn’t have heard him.
    Sophie glanced over her shoulder, and her eyes widened.
“Her? No, she’s—”
    Angelica cleared her throat loudly in warning, causing the
bruiser to look suspiciously back and forth between the two of them. The last
thing she wanted anyone here to know was who she was, or worse, who her father
was.
    “—a friend of the family,” Sophie corrected hurriedly.
“Angelica, this is Stephen. Stephen, this is Angelica.”
    Angelica nodded her head but ignored the hand offered. Some
vampires could determine what type of being a person was through touch. She
didn’t need Stephen knowing she was the only child of the head of the North
American vampire council. She liked keeping a low profile, and it helped that
she came across to most paranormal species’ senses as human.
    As Stephen lowered his hand, he told Sophie, “Keep an eye on
her in there if you don’t want her being munched on.”
    Her cousin’s smile looked more like a smirk. “Don’t worry. She
can handle herself, but I’ll stay close in case she needs me. How long you on
duty tonight?” Sophie ran her hand down his shoulder and rested it briefly on
Stephen’s chest.
    The big vampire shuddered, and his eyelids lowered to
half-mast. “To closing.”
    “Aww, that’s too bad. Maybe you can get away for a few,”
Sophie asked suggestively as that hand stroked lower until it cupped him
between the legs.
    Angelica was used to the lack of inhibitions and overt
sexuality of vampires, but still found herself glancing around warily at the
steady stream of customers entering the club. Fortunately they were focused on
the goal of getting inside and seemed completely oblivious to the love play
going on right in front of them.
    “You got it, baby,” Stephen assured Sophie before snatching
her up for another lingering