Read Online Tempt (Ava Delaney #3) by Claire Farrell - Free Book Online Page B

suddenly, knocking me off guard. “You won’t be happy until
everyone turns on you.”
    “ It’s not that, and you know it. Look at those people. I told
you Coyle had to have had something to do with that shifter who
committed suicide in Gabe’s bar. I’m positive those shadows are
down to him, and he’s a Guardian, so who knows how far that goes?
Oh, and I met creepy Reuben, the virgin-blood-drinking vampire
diva. Things have gotten a lot stranger than I bargained
for.”
    “ Speaking of strange, what was with the hand-shaped bruise on
your forehead?”
    I
touched my head self-consciously. I had been wearing my hair over
the creepy mark for weeks. It had taken that long to go away.
“It’s… hard to explain.”
    “ Try me. I have time.”
    “ Well, I don’t really want to talk about it. Besides, I’m
exceptionally busy worrying about Carl today, thank you very much.”
I didn’t have a clue how to start explaining the bruise, even less
of an idea since Carl had filled my head with notions of astral
projection and opening Hell.
    Peter
relaxed on a chair, uninvited. “What now?”
    I sat
across from him, my voice rising in excitement. “He’s a filthy
little liar, that’s what now.”
    “ Carl? Yeah, right,” he scoffed.
    “ Seriously. You told me he was going to see his parents, but I
had already followed him here. Then when I called his parents, I
found out he hasn’t seen them in ages. Oh, don’t look at me like
that. I was just curious. Why is he lying?”
    Peter
sat up straight. “That’s odd, but haven’t we talked about
boundaries? Maybe he’s seeing his fiancée again and doesn’t want
you breathing down his neck, keeping him straight. I know it’s not
your fault, but you’re really going to have to find a way to deal
with this leftover possessiveness of your food.”
    “ Oh, ha bloody ha. It’s not like that.” I got up to find a
hairbrush. “I’ve seen him here. Like, in this building. I think
he’s coming here to see my neighbour. I don’t understand why he’s
acting so weird, avoiding everyone. He hasn’t been… all there since
the bond was broken. We need to look out for him.”
    “ And that involves stalking him?”
    “ Oh, shut up. Just trust me when I say there’s something off
about him right now.”
    “ Is that coming from your spidey senses? A miniature vampire
Seer, perhaps? Or maybe you can read thoughts now.”
    I threw
a cushion at him, which he caught effortlessly. “I can’t wait to
say I told you so, Peter. I love how you give me so many
opportunities. What are you doing here anyway? Aside from bothering
me, that is.”
    He
grinned. “Training.”
    I
groaned. “Not today.”
    “ I know you. ‘Not today’ means ‘Not ever, so go away and leave
me alone.’ Not going to happen. We need to build up your stamina so
you can keep up with Becca.”
    “ The only way I can keep up with her is if I drink blood.
Apparently, Reuben knows best. That’s still not on my list of
things to do.”
    He made
a face, but his heart rate remained relaxed. Unlike mine. He
glanced around the room, frowning. “Why are you still living
here?”
    “ Ooh, subject change. Um, because it’s my home.” I moved into
the kitchenette because Peter always made me uncomfortable on my
own territory.
    “ It’s a shithole. You should get a nicer place.”
    “ I happen to like it here. This place was the first thing I
ever did for myself. It’s been my home for a long time, and if you
don’t like it, you’re free to leave at any time.”
    A grin
spread across his face as he followed me, leaning on a counter, far
too close for my liking. “The things that get you to open
up.”
    My
entire body tensed. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
    “ Then come hit something. I promise it feels better than
talking.”
    It was
my turn to grin. Peter had strange methods when it came to dealing
with my moods, but they sometimes worked. “How could I turn down an
offer like that? Fine,