Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology by Amy A. Bartol, Tiffany King, Raine Thomas, Tammy Blackwell, Sarah M. Ross, Heather Hildenbrand, Amanda Havard, C.A. Kunz Read Free Book Online Page A

family," comes his deep, rumbling voice. He scratches his beard; he's a beast of a male who looks like he lives at the gym. "It's tragic how your uncle sold you into servitude—he probably wasn't aware of just how entertaining you can be."
    Clyde receives the comment with a grin. "It's sad, eh, Milligan, to be so misunderstood? He's a serious Willa. No sense of humor." He squints at the males next to Milligan. "Did you bring the whole gang with you? It's Joplin, Tellico, Ellis—FLOYD!" He points at the enormous one who looks like he regularly chews on nails. "I see the arm grew back, Floyd! You can't still be mad about that—you dared me to rip it off—"
    Milligan puts up his hand as Floyd takes an aggressive step toward Clyde. Floyd stops, but he watches Clyde with a vicious snarl on his lips. Rain drips off Milligan 's woolen hood. "This isn't a social call. We're looking for something. Maybe you can help us out with it?"
    " Maybe I can, but can you answer me a question first?"
    " What's that, Clyde?" Milligan asks with a sinister smile.
    " Why do you guys always have such shit timing? Can't you see I'm on a date here?" Clyde gestures to me in the truck.
    " She must not know who you are," he smirks. "Or does she like slaves?"
    " Sweetheart," Clyde calls, reaching out his hand and gesturing for me to join him. "Come here."
    I feel my heart speed up and beat out of sync. My eyes follow the length of Clyde 's outstretched arm to his eyes. He squints at me silently, his blue eyes communicating the weight of his request. I square my shoulders and emerge from the truck. Rain wets my hair as I try to plaster a sensual kind of smile on my lips.
    I walk to his side. Clyde gathers me to him when I 'm within reach; his hand cups my butt as he draws me to his strong chest. The caress causes my skin to alight with a new awareness of him. His other hand threads in my hair, holding my head still so I can't pull away as his lips move to mine. He kisses me deeply, and I groan in surprise, not only because I didn't expect him to kiss me, but also because the heat of it sends shivers through me.
    Slowly, Clyde ends our kiss, pulling back and biting his bottom lip for a moment as he gazes into my eyes, like he felt something, too. "She doesn't know what I am. She only knows that she likes it. Isn't that right, Brie?" Clyde calls me by the wrong name with a wicked smile. He pretends to look me over with lover's eyes.
    I twirl a piece of my hair around my finger as I smile softly. "That's right, baby."
    Clyde acts like he can 't look away from me as he says to Milligan, "I know you're not here to see me—an untouchable. I haven't seen Matt around lately. He doesn't check in with me."
    " We're not looking for Matteyo. We're looking for his human."
    " His human?" Clyde's eyebrow rises in question as he glances at Milligan. "Matt has a human?"
    Milligan sounds amused. "He does. Or did. He doesn't have much of anything now." Deep rumbling laughter comes from the Gramercies behind Milligan. I stiffen and Clyde pulls me tighter to his chest in warning, rubbing my back.
    " I haven't seen Matt in over a year. He doesn't check in with me. Tell him to call me when you find him, there's a bunch of shit I need from him." Clyde's arm shifts to my shoulder as he turns and walks us back toward the house.
    " Where are you going? We're not done here, Clyde."
    Clyde doesn 't stop, but moves toward the front door of the house. "Fine, just let me get rid of Brie so we can talk more openly. I don't want to have to censor her because you've said too much."
    Headlights from the dark part of the driveway turn on, illuminating us all. I look over my shoulder at the feminine form emerging from the vehicle. I recognize May instantly. The hood of her scarlet coat covers her long blond hair and most of her face, but I 'd know her anywhere because of her bearing. She walks with the poise of one who expects the world to bow at her feet.
    " That's her," May growls behind