Read Online Called to Order by Lydia Michaels - Free Book Online Page A

the now-busy road. The streets buzzed with traffic, and there was an overwhelming hum of angst coming from the drivers. His telepathy was not as honed as his sibling’s, but he could still glean a sense of emotion in some cases. However he had never been able to read others with the clarity he did now. He sensed an almost universal feeling of urgency and dissatisfaction coming off the mortals in waves at this early hour. The slower a vehicle passed him the more specific the emotion. At first these foreboding emotions did not make much sense to Adam, then it occurred to him, these mortals were heading to work and anxious for the weekend.
    Amish did not necessarily have weekends. There were no days of the week that the livestock did not need to be tended to or fed. Their days always started at dawn and ended at dusk. The Order made exceptions of course. Because of their dietary needs, they did not break their fast like the more traditional orders just after the first milking. Rather than resting, they spent the predawn hours readying the stock for chores and worked through the morning mealtime.
    By noon, most farm business was underway, and they typically worked under shade for the hours that the sun was at its strongest. Evolution had gifted them with the ability to walk in daylight. However, they had learned, that the more hours spent under the direct rays of the sun required more blood to sustain their strength. It wasn’t that there was a shortage of blood on the farm, only that it was more efficient for them to work a more adjusted schedule. Typically by four o’clock during the planting seasons they would return to the field.
    Supper was held at dusk and usually consisted of fresh meats and vegetables for the younger members and gestating members of The Order and distilled blood for the elder members. The elders could digest food, but did not obtain as much nutrition from it as the younger members. It was said that the body’s dependency on supplemental nutrition weaned around age one hundred and even in the years before that, their kind could go days without eating so long as they fed regularly.
    Adam regretted not feeding before dawn. He would have to find a donor before he returned to his search that evening. He was anxious now that he had seen her. He was close and pleased with his progress thus far. Perhaps claiming his mate would not be so difficult after all.
    “May I help you?” A woman in a man’s suit jacket asked from behind the counter in the reception area of the hotel.
    “I am in need of shelter for the day.”
    Without looking in his direction, she checked what Adam assumed was a computer as her fingers moved over a tray of lettered buttons. “Smoking or non?”
    “I do not smoke.”
    “Will you be staying with a guest?”
    “No.”
    “Do you require any handicap-accessible amenities?”
    “I do not understand.”
    “Will a standard bathroom be acceptable?”
    “Yes.”
    “I have a king suite, a double king with sitting area, and a double queen available.” Adam said nothing. She looked in his direction without changing the angle of her head. “Sir? Do you still want the room?”
    “Yes. A simple room will do.”
    “I’ll put you in the double queen then. And how long will you be staying with us?”
    “Just the day.”
    “And what credit card will you be using?”
    He had heard of credit cards. They ran tabs for the English. “I will pay cash now.”
    “Well, we will still need a credit card for security purposes. A bank Visa will work. Unless you damage the facility or order room service you won’t incur any charges.”
    “I do not have a credit card.”
    “Sir, it’s our policy that our guests are required to provide—”
    “You do not need a credit card in this instance. Cash will be fine.”
    The woman’s eyes glazed over slightly as she said, “Cash will be fine.” She blinked several times. “That will be one o’nine ninety-nine.”
    Adam reached into his bag and