Read Online Suckers Bite Back (San Francisco Vampires #5) (Vampires of San Francisco series) by Jessica McBrayer - Free Book Online

met Lilith. Again, another chain lifted. I am soaking up the energy and sunshine, people watching when the glimmer from a silver bangle catches my eye. I lazily look for its source. What I find makes me lower my sun glasses.
    An ebony goddess.
    Her energy is pure and sparkles with good intent and faith and love and honesty. A lot of what had drawn me to Lilith. She has beauty inside and out. What a marvel. Human too. But do I want to engage in conversation let alone anything else with a mortal? Their lives are so short. It’s tragic but powerful.
    I taste her energy and almost fall off my seat. It’s so pure.
    I get up and walk to her table. She’s sitting alone drinking some tea. My shadow falls across her and she looks up. I take my sunglasses off so as not to be rude.
    “My name is Aidan, may I join you this morning?”
    “Aidan, you’re in luck. I’m feeling a little self-conscious sitting here by myself so, yes please join me,” she answers in a honey-sweet drawl. Atlanta maybe.
    “Georgia?”
    “Yes! That’s very good,” she says smiling wide showing off a stunning smile. I sit down next to her so that we both face the street. A fleeting image of Lilith flashes through my mind. Guilt fills me and I almost make my excuses.
    “I’m sorry, I’m not so good that I can guess your name,” I say and wink at her. She blushes.
    “Where are my manners? My name is Manda Hightree, but for work I just go by Manda.”
    “What do you do for work?” I ask, intrigued that she would only need one name.
    “I’m a model. But what I really want to be is an environmental lawyer. I have a degree in biology and I’ve been accepted to a few law schools but the modeling gig is fun for now and I’m saving money to pay for tuition,” she says and grins showing me her sweet, sweet dimples. Something I never knew I loved before.
    “Amazing,” I say, eating up her energy and conversation. I must look like a golem. “You have some strong ambitions for someone so young.”
    “How old are you? You can’t be much older than I am, which is twenty-five.”
    “I am as old as time,” I say wistfully and then grin at her myself. She laughs. A hearty, rich, colorful laugh, just like the woman. Gods, it is refreshing to hear someone laugh. That makes me feel guilty again. I’ve been a part of Lilith’s misery. I have no right to be as happy and intrigued as I am right now.
    “Manda, would you mind if I call you sometime?” I ask. I have to get out of here now but I want to explore these feelings.
    “I think that would be okay. Here’s my card. I’ll write my cell number on the back.”
    I take the card and slip it into my pocket.
    “Thank you, I have a meeting so I need to go now. But be sure that I will call you.”
    “That’s what they all say,” she says. Her lips are pulled down at the corners.
    “I’ll call you,” I say and kiss her hand when she offers it to shake. Her gasp of surprise buffs my melancholy away. “Until later?” I raise an eyebrow, challenging her to change her mind.
    “That would be great, Aidan,” she says and smiles again.
    “Ciao, bella Manda.”
    “Ciao,” she says while blushing. She’s lovely.
    I walk down the street and into an alley before transmanifesting to my home. I throw myself into my favorite chair and brood. Why can’t I be attracted to someone else, dammit? Because I left the last woman so damaged she felt the need to try and destroy herself, that’s why.
    She also gave me love and taught me how to love. I never thought I would have such feelings. They have shattered the self-indulgent, self-centered djinn that I was. For that I will always owe Lilith. But I think it is time to move on. Sebastian is trying too. Maybe if we both stop pursuing her she can heal.
    I make my decision to call Manda. I know it’s soon but I suddenly feel like there is hope at the end of this self-induced prison sentence. I dial the number she gave me.
    “Hello,” she says tentatively. She