Read Online Enemy Within (Vampire Born Trilogy, #2) by Angeline Kace - Free Book Online

Mirko’s arm. “Could you be any ruder?”
    He raises his lip in the crooked smile that weakens my knees. Some of my anger dissolves.
    “He started it. I was only offering up the facts. I didn’t act differently around you before you made your choice, and I’m not going start now that you’ve made it. It’s not like I’m going to change how I feel for you because you two aren’t sure how everyone else is going to feel about our situation.”
    He has a good point. And that’s one of the reasons I love him. He loves me and keeps me honest no matter the circumstances. And even though we’re in school and no one knows about the situation and would probably think worse of me for doing it, I stand on tiptoes and reach my lips to his. I brush his softly, opening my mouth slightly so he can catch the scent of my tongue.
    He growls and latches onto it.
    In this moment I forget where we stand. My inner beast leaps forward to the part in Mirko that comes out when he fights.
    I prepare to jump up and swing my legs around his hips when someone clearing his throat breaks through my haze. What started out as an innocent sign of affection quickly morphed into an inappropriate public display of Mirko’s fierce passion.
    And all right, mine too, but he started it.
    “Excuse me, Ms. Keller, but I believe you should be making your way to class,” Mr. Kingston admonishes. His words are nice but the tone is clear: I left as the sweet little girl and returned as the town hussy.
    Whatever. Let him try to resist Mirko’s wiles and see how well he does against them.
    ***
    When we arrive back at Garwin ’s—Jaren is with us, thank goodness—Garwin and my mom are gathered with more strange faces in the den.
    My mom meets me with a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, honey, how was your first day back?”
    “Ugh. I don’t know why I thought I was missing anything important.”
    She frowns.
    I change the subject. “What’s going on now?”
    She leads me to the sofa across from the fireplace. “This is Richard Syphis, head of the Društvos in our area. He’s here to go over your provider arrangements and preparations.”
    My jaw drops. “ The Richard Syphis? Governor of Virginia, Richard Syphis?” Wow. These secret society people run high and deep.
    “Yes,” he says as he stands and shakes my hand, then Mirko’s. “Pleasure,” he says when he finally gets to Jaren.
    “Richard has found a family for you to provide—”
    “Wait,” I cut Garwin off, “I thought you said I would only need to feed one person?”
    “You will, but these Pijawikas are a married couple. Both of them need a provider, and your mother has agreed to feed the husband.”
    I peer at her with a mixture of curiosity and gratitude. I’ll be feeding the wife, which relieves me. After feeding off Mirko and knowing how intimate it is, I would’ve been beyond uncomfortable feeding a man. I have to give it to my mom for her foresight on this one.
    “Thank you,” I tell her. Those simple words can’t convey to her how much her sacrifice means to me.
    She smiles.
    “The Tomics will be expecting you Friday night.” Richard looks at Garwin. “Will that give you adequate time to prep her?”
    “Yes, I think we can manage that.”
    “Good. They’re aware of your situation with Zladislov, but they have been without providers for quite some time now and are willing to accept you, anyway.”
    I’m sure that is also why we had to throw my mom into the deal as well.
    The governor studies me. “I know you agreed to this purely because of your predicament, but the Društvos pride ourselves in who we are and what we stand for. Are we weaker physically? Yes, but we will always be stronger when it comes to character and sacrifice. We keep our bloodlines pure to carry forward the pact that saves all humanity from a free-for-all slaughter.”
    Interesting. I guess the Društvos don’t like the idea of my being a melez, either. At least they aren’t lining up to kill me