The Vampire Next Door by Ashlyn Chase Read Free Book Online

put him in the awkward position of refusing.
    “So, Samhain—I mean, Halloween—is only a couple of days away. Y’all won’t forget to tell me soon, right?”
    He smiled. “No, I won’t forget.”
    As soon as he closed the door after her, she stuck out her lower lip. “Chad,” she whispered, “I swear y’all ruin everything.”
    His voice followed her up the stairs . “I didn’t ruin anything, but you were about to.”
    “What are you jabberin’ about?”
    “Your relationship with Morgaine. You know how competitive you two can be.”
    “I don’t know what y’all are talkin’ about.”
    “Yes, you do. I remember a couple of world-class fights between you two only a few months ago. It’s a good thing Konrad was here to lift you off Morgaine and suspend you in midair by your macramé belt.”
    Gwyneth chuckled. “We was just scrappin’. Nobody got hurt.”
    “Well, he’s not here now, and I can’t very well keep you two from killing each other if you go at it again. Of course, if one of you murdered the other one, I’d have some company, wouldn’t I?”
    “Probably not, since witches believe in reincarnation, but y’all don’t have to worry, Chad. Nothin’s gonna happen.”
    “Famous last words.”
    *   *   *   *
    Morgaine had some appointments for readings the following day. This woman wanted a palm reading. Not the best for giving loads of information so she didn’t do it often, but it was good to keep her skills sharp. She traced the heart line of her female client.
    “Now this is a good, strong line. There are a couple of partial lines dropping down from it, which means you’ve had a couple of heartaches, but in general your love life is—”
    A rap on her door interrupted her thoughts. The energy is familiar—oh, it’s Sly! Now, how to get rid of this client so she could spend some quality time with him?
    The woman leaned forward. “My love life is…”
    “Oh.” Morgaine patted the woman’s hand. “It’s just fine. You’ll meet the man of your dreams soon, have two children, a house in the suburbs, and a minivan.” She craned her neck to face the door and yelled, “Be right there.”
    The woman got the hint and pulled out her wallet. “How much do I owe you?”
    “Fifty.”
    Her eyebrows raised. “Fifty bucks for a ten-minute palm reading?”
    Morgaine sighed. “Okay, twenty. But you’re only getting the discount because I hurried the end.”
    The woman seemed appeased, paid her bill, and opened the door just as Sly looked like he was about to leave.
    Morgaine hurried over. “Sly, come on in.”
    “If you’re busy, it can wait.”
    “No, it’s fine.”
    The woman turned to Sly and whispered in his ear, “She’s good, but her appointments are booked too close together. If she rushes you at the end, ask for a break in the price.”
    “Uh, thanks,” Sly said. He watched her go.
    “What was that about?” Morgaine asked.
    Sly strolled into her apartment and waited for her to close the door. “Apparently you give discounts if you kick someone out before they’re finished.”
    She felt her cheeks heat. “Uh, well. There was really nothing…”
    He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you had your reasons. I just hope it wasn’t because I was outside your door.”
    She waved away his comment as if it was ridiculous. “Nah. I told her everything I had to say. Have a seat. Can I make you some tea?”
    “No, I can’t. The incense smell in here is kind of overwhelming.”
    “Oh! Sorry. It’s all part of the atmosphere. I can run a fan and open—”
    “No need. I just wanted to ask you one question and tell you something else.”
    Disappointed that he wasn’t planning to stay long, she sank down on her sofa. “Okay. What did you want to ask and tell me?”
    “First I’ll tell you what I overheard. The super, Jules, is concerned with the increase in foot traffic. He knows you do readings from the apartment and seems concerned about the number of