Read Online Incubus Dreams by Laurell K. Hamilton - Free Book Online Page B

himself tight. It reminded me of the way that Ronnie had been holding herself. “If it had been you, she would have just come out into the parking lot and fed.”
    â€œNot willingly,” I said.
    â€œYes, you would,” he said, and his eyes held the anger his voice had held. I’d never seen those lavender eyes angry before. Not like this. It was strangely unnerving.
    â€œI would not have sex in the parking lot of Larry and Tammy’s wedding reception, if I had a choice.”
    That angry gaze searched my face as if trying to find something. “Why not feed here?”
    â€œBecause it’s tacky. And because if Zerbrowski ever got wind of it, I would never, ever, live it down.”
    Jason patted his arm. “See, it isn’t you she turned down, it’s that she doesn’t want to fool around at Larry’s wedding. Just not her style.”
    Nathaniel glanced at Jason, then back at me. Some strange tension that I didn’t quite understand seemed to flow away from him. The anger began to fade from his eyes. “I guess you’re right.”
    â€œWell, if we don’t want to be fooling around in the parking lot, then we need to get going,” Micah said. “The ardeur doesn’t like being denied. When it does come back tonight, it won’t be gentle.”
    I sighed. He was right. That bit of metaphysical bravado on the dance floor would have all sorts of consequences later tonight. When the ardeur rose again, I would be forced to feed. There would be no stuffing it back into its box. It was almost as if, being able to stop the ardeur in its tracks, to completely turn it off once it had filled me, pissed the ardeur off. I knew it was a psychic gift and that psychic gifts don’t have feelings and don’t carry grudges, but sometimes, it felt like this one did.
    â€œI’m sorry, Anita, I wasn’t thinking.” Nathaniel looked so discouraged that I had to hug him, a quick hug, more sisterly than anything else, and he responded to my body language and didn’t try and hold me close. He let me hug him, and step away. Nathaniel was usually almost painfully attuned to my body language. It was one of the things that had allowed him to share my bed for months without violating those last few taboos.
    â€œLet’s go home,” I said.
    â€œThat’s my cue to part company,” Jason said.
    â€œYou’re welcome to bunk over if you want,” I said.
    He shook his head. “No, since I’m not needed to referee the fight, or for sage advice, I’ll go home, too. Besides, I couldn’t stand listening to the three of you get all hot and heavy and not be invited to play.” He laughed and added, “Don’t get mad, but having once been included, it’s harder to be excluded.”
    I fought the blush that burned up my face, which always seemed to make the blush darker and harder.
    Jason and I had had sex once. Before I realized it was possible to love someone to death with the ardeur , Nathaniel had collapsed at work and been off the feeding schedule for a few days. Micah hadn’t been in the house, and the ardeur had risen early. Hours early. It had been interference from Belle Morte, the orignator of Jean-Claude’s bloodline, and the first, to my knowledge, possessor of the ardeur . It only ran through her line of vamps, nowhere else. The fact that I carried it had raised very interesting metaphysical questions. Belle had wanted to understand what I was, and she had also thought it would raise some hell. Belle was a good business-y vampire, but when she could take care of business and make trouble, all the better. So it hadn’t been my fault, but my choices had been limited to taking Nathaniel and possibly killing him, or letting Jason take one for the team. He’d been happy to do it. Very happy. And strangely our friendship had survived it, but every once in a while I couldn’t pretend it