Read Online Demon's Kiss by MAGGIE SHAYNE - Free Book Online Page A

it’s supposed to work, huh?” Seth asked. “I mean, don’t vamps ordinarily watch over the Chosen?”
    â€œThere’s nothing ordinary about me, young man. And you’ll never meet one of the Chosen who’s anything like me.”
    â€œI totally believe you.”
    That comment brought a quick smile to her lips. Full lips. Moist. Nice white teeth behind them, too. Little laugh lines appeared at the corners of her eyes when she smiled, and when her expression turned serious again, he could still see the tiniest traces of them.
    â€œI’m going with you on this mission, Seth,” she said. “Raphael is a loner, and he’s going to fight us. But he has two partners now, and we aren’t going to take no for an answer, are we?”
    â€œI owe him my life. And this mission is leading me someplace I need to be. So, yeah, I’m in.” He thrust out a hand. “Shake on it.”
    Roxy smiled slowly, and closed her hand around his. She squeezed, and said, “Mmm. Strong. I like that.” She released his hand, handed him a glass and said, “Come on, Seth. I’ll take you to bed now.”
    He thought his feet would be glued to the floor, but they moved to follow her as she pushed open a door and descended a set of stairs down into the dark basement. He watched the sway of her hips, the play of her long thick hair over her shoulders, and he wasn’t sure whether he was hoping for or fearing whatever might happen at the bottom. Sure, she wasn’t his dream woman. But she sure as hell was something.
    It didn’t matter, though. She simply pushed open another door, flipped on a light and stood aside to let him pass. He walked into the room that was to be his. She said, “Good rest, Seth. And don’t worry about Raphael. I’ll see to it he’s safe until sundown.”
    â€œGood night,” he said, out of long habit. He was going to have to stop doing that, he thought. A vampire should say good day or good rest or something, not good-night, not when he was forever going to sleep in the morning.
    Roxy stepped out of the room and closed the door. Seth thought she had to be old enough to be his mother. He also thought he could develop a serious case of lust for her, if he let himself.
    He got undressed and slid into the bed. But as the day sleep came in like a dark wave to claim him, it wasn’t Roxy’s face he was seeing in his mind’s eye.
    It was that other face, that frightened, innocent face with the exotic eyes pleading for his help.

5
    R eaper was lying in the bed, as instructed, surrounded by the freshly laundered scents of the white sheets and leopard-print comforter, when Roxy returned with his sustenance. She handed him the glass, and he drank and prayed she didn’t want to stay and talk until the sun came up.
    She sat down on the bed, though, so he figured he was doomed. Still, it wouldn’t be more than a few minutes before dawn came and saved him from her knowing, probing mind.
    â€œYou’re fuming,” she said.
    â€œI don’t like being attacked by my own kind.”
    â€œBullshit. You relish a good battle. You’re fuming because you needed help tonight.”
    He slid her a look. “Don’t go there. I didn’t need help.”
    â€œNo? You know you would have died in that car, Raphael. You were bleeding out, unconscious and about to go up in flames. Your stubborn fledgling hunk refused to leave, even though he could have been toast.”
    He nodded. “You don’t have to sing his praises to me, Roxy. I know he has the soul of a hero.”
    â€œReally?” She seemed surprised to hear him say something nice about Seth.
    â€œYou think I would make a vampire out of an ordinary human? Even one with the antigen? No, he’s special.”
    â€œI agree. You, um, might wanna think about telling him that.”
    â€œAnd let it go straight to his head?