Read Online Bad Mouth by Angela McCallister - Free Book Online

hand. She dropped it like it was on fire. Apparently it had been
     on fire because her hand burned hot from the contact.
    “Yes, I’m ready.” She scrambled to focus on the task. She’d have to interrogate this
     ancient vampire without freaking out. Couldn’t be too difficult. She’d done similar
     interrogations before. In a secure interrogation room. Next to her, Kade appeared
     utterly at ease. She let go a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
     He comforted her in more ways than one.
    When they entered the sitting room, Val did a double take. A boy of around fifteen
     awaited them. He rose with a thunderous look on his face.
    “How dare you keep me waiting?” He directed his wrath at her.
    Who in the hell? Her mouth dropped open, closed, and then open again as she floundered for words. “Who
     are you? Where are your parents?”
    That kicked the thunder on the boy’s face even higher, but Kade bent over, laughing
     so hard and deep she thought he’d lose his lungs. She glared at him. “What are you
     laughing about?”
    The boy crossed his arms and strode over to Kade. “You have the nerve to laugh at
     me?”
    “Not you,” he said, putting a hand against his flat stomach. He continued to chuckle
     but gestured toward Val. So he was laughing at her. Why on earth? When he didn’t quit, she stomped on his arch with every
     bit of force she could muster.
    “Ow, fuck!” He straightened and focused his dark, intense gaze on her. His surprise
     mirrored hers. She’d never resorted to physical violence before, but he had a way
     of stirring something primal in her. Then the boy started laughing, and she forced
     her attention away from Kade.
    “I’m afraid I have no parents, young one,” the boy said, the laughter clinging to
     the corners of his mouth. He extended his hand. “You must be Valerie Craig. My name
     is Ptolomy.”
    She stared at him, stunned silent. He dropped his hand when she stayed frozen in place.
     Kade nudged her forward, but her movements were stiff as she followed Ptolomy toward
     the sitting area.
    “You could have warned me,” she whispered to Kade behind Ptolomy’s back. Graham hadn’t
     briefed her either, the rat.
    “You know he can hear you, right?” Kade didn’t bother lowering his voice.
    “I-I didn’t know you turned children.” Her wits finally returned to her. “I apologize
     for my reaction, Mr. Keraunos.”
    He waved her apology away and directed her to a bright red, curvy sofa as he sat in
     a similar one across from her. A quick glance around showed her Ptolomy appreciated
     a minimalist environment with slashes of vibrant color rather than cluttered decoration.
     The faint scent of patchouli oil in the air seemed out of place, though not such a
     stretch considering what she’d seen of Ptolomy’s personality.
    “No worries. It’s been a while since I’ve been so amused. Amusement becomes quite
     rare when you’ve been around as long as I have. I enjoy seeing a woman, a human woman
     at that, get a potshot in on Kade here.” He grinned at a scowling Kade. “Aw, come
     on, chap. My thrills are few and far between.”
    “I’ve heard the rumors, squirt. More like thrill a minute,” Kade said. Her gaze hung
     on him first. He was so large, with hard-packed muscle and an easy smile on his face
     that belied his cruel reputation. Sitting next to Kade, Ptolomy formed a stark contrast
     with a short, lean body, bronzed coloring, and surfer-boy, wheat-colored hair, an
     unusual look for someone with a name such as his. He was absolutely not what she’d
     expected.
    The ancient boy focused on her again. “We truly don’t turn children anymore. Thing
     of the past, during the most barbaric eras. My Sire stole me from parts unknown and
     turned me because his love interest at the time desired a child of her own.”
    “At the time? They…broke up?”
    “You could say that. They lasted ten years, a blink of an eye to a vampire, and