Tempted by Rebecca Zanetti Read Free Book Online Page A

tense. She had been attracted to him. Her body called her a liar. Lying to herself was perfectly acceptable.
    “Well.” He ran a hand through his thick hair, leaving it sexy and rumpled. “I’ve been upfront, honest, and have no interest in your money. I just haven’t told you everything.”
    “You’re a vampire”—or she’d suffered a psychotic break at Brancrest and was in some odd coma—“which is probably why my gift doesn’t work. Why I can’t get images from things you touch.”
    “Yeah, sounds right to me.” He glanced down at the rips and tears in his dark shirt. “I’m a vampire and we’re at war with the Kurjans.”
    Thoughts zinged around her head like a ball in a pinball machine. “But, you have scars. Aren’t you immortal?”
    “I’m immortal—except I can be beheaded or lose all my blood and go brain dead.” His eyes sizzled as he met her gaze. “The scars. Well, we can scar, but it takes some serious effort. I was young.”
    Sadness washed through her. She steeled her spine. It was not the time to waver or feel sorry for him. “You’re a vampire .”
    “Yeah. We are the good guys, Sarah—and we need your help.”
    Oh no, he didn’t. “I helped you already. You have my loony bin records.” Thoughts zinged through her mind until she gasped. “Wait a minute. What did you do with Dr. Robard?” He’d drugged her and had refused to believe her, but the guy meant well. He’d probably helped a lot of truly crazy people. The vampires wouldn’t have killed him to keep their secret, right?
    “The doctor is fine.” Max stalked over to a polished dining table and began removing his weapons, dropping them with soft plunks.
    She eyed a gun. If she could get past him—
    “Don’t even think about it.” Irritation and warning filled his tone.
    “Promise me you didn’t kill the doctor.”
    “I promise.” His weapons removed, Max yanked the shirt over his head. A nearly healed wound marred his right shoulder. Tanned skin covered hard muscle, his abs tapering to a trim waist. So male.
    Sarah’s abdomen heated. Her thighs softened. She shook her head. Her body might want the man, but her brain knew better. “Did you turn the doctor into a vampire?” God, were they going to turn her into a vampire? The idea of tasting someone’s blood made her want to hurl.
    Max snorted. “You can’t turn someone into a vampire. We’re born, not made. Just another species on earth.”
    Well. That was a new one. “Are vampires and Kurjans related?”
    “No. We have the same number of chromosomes, but we’re too different. We must be different races.” He growled the last, as if maybe trying to convince himself as well as her.
    “Chromosomes?”
    “Yeah. Both vampires and Kurjans have thirty chromosomal pairs.” Max poked at the wound. “Sit down, Sarah. We need to talk.”
    She eyed the stack of weapons and sat. “You drink blood?” Was he going to drink hers?
    “We need blood like you do. But we only drink blood once in a while, either in battle ... or sex.”
    Her body reacted to his low voice, her nipples sharpening into hard points. Sex and biting. Who knew? She sucked in air. “The sun doesn’t kill you?”
    “Nope. We’re fine with the sun. But it does kill the Kurjans. Now, we need to talk.”
    The man wanted to talk, did he? “My entire reality has come crashing down, numerous times. What bizarre facts do you want to hit me with now, Max?”
    “ ‘There are no facts, only interpretations.’ ” He dropped onto the matching love seat.
    “Seriously? You’re quoting Nietzsche?” Good looking, tough, and well learned. Who the hell was Max?
    “Sorry.” He sighed, rubbing a hand over his chin. “I’ve been studying to teach Janie—the educational television shows aren’t enough. I’m not doing a good enough job with her. Besides, I like Nietzsche.”
    “Are your eyes metallic brown or pink?” The question slipped out before Sarah could bite it back. Damn