Shattered (the Spellbound Series Book 2) by Rene Lanausse Read Free Book Online Page A

things out.”
                  After a few minutes of wandering around Gramercy, Nick and I happen upon the right building, a beautiful red brick townhouse standing in the middle of the block. I ring the doorbell, and almost immediately, the door swings open, seemingly of its own accord. Nick closes it behind us while I inspect the building’s interior. The first thing that catches my eye is the wrought-iron spiral staircase leading up to the second and third floors, as well as down to the basement. Surrounding the staircase are bookshelves, lined with encyclopedias and novels alike, as well as artifacts from all over the world. The shining mahogany floor creaks a little as I step closer to the staircase, and I can hear Nick’s sharp intake of breath as he realizes how perfect this place is. “I knew Navarro was loaded,” he says, “but this is amazing.”
                  “You think so? I’ve been considering downsizing a little.” I look over my shoulder at the man that appeared behind us, casually leaning against the doorframe. I can’t tell if vampires can teleport, or if he somehow managed to move faster than the human eye can see, but either way, I’m impressed. These days, it’s hard to sneak up on me. “Thanks for closing the door on your way in,” the man says. “Not a lot of people care enough to do so.”
                  “Are you Navarro?,” I ask.
                  “I am.”
    “Why did you have us come here? Why not meet us somewhere public, or-“
    “Heather, all you need to know for the moment is that you don’t get to where I am today without making a few enemies. Come, have a seat in my office. I’ve been expecting you two.” Navarro leads us up to the third floor, and gestures for Nick and I to sit in the leather chairs positioned in front of his desk. He sits across from us, and folds his hands together, studying us carefully. Navarro looks like he’s in his thirties, or at least, has been in his thirties for a long time. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was just an average, human businessman, judging by the black suit and white collared shirt. There’s a tie around his neck, but it’s undone, and I can’t tell if he’s on his way to work or coming from it. “So, I’m guessing you two have a lot of questions,” Navarro says as he leans back in his chair.
                  “You bet we do.” I sit up straight in my chair, and glance at Nick, whose arms are folded across his chest. I raise my eyebrows, and he shrugs, which I take as my sign to do the talking. “For starters, how do you know what you know about us?”
                  Navarro laughs at that, and replies, “I’m in the government. It’s my business to know your business, sometimes even before you do.”
                  “So, the Vampire Senate is an actual part of the U.S. government?”
                  “Aside from the supernatural world at large, the VSA is one of the best kept secrets there is. They’re both right up there with what really happened at Roswell… spoiler alert, it’s not what you think.”
                  “Wait,” Nick interjects. “What you’re saying is, the government knows that metahumans exist?”
                  “Who do you think covered our asses last year, after someone pretty much blew up Grand Central?” Navarro looks pointedly at me, but I stare him straight back in the eye without a hint of guilt. If we’re being technical, most of the damage to the building itself was mostly Alyssa’s fault. He continues, “The short answer is yes, they know. And for the most part, they leave us alone. Most of the officials are well aware of humanity’s tendency to make life torturous for anyone different. They’re also aware that trying to wipe us out would cause a lot more problems than keeping us swept under the rug.”