Read Online Touch the Dark by Karen Chance - Free Book Online Page B

around her body, which I found pretty distracting. It looked tame, but I kept an eye on it anyway. The vamps tend to forget that what would be annoying for them, like a bite from a poisonous snake, would be a bit more serious for the mortals who worked with them. Those of us who survived long enough learned to be real observant.
    â€œThe woman is delusional,” Tony was protesting, spreading his chubby white hands innocently. “She has always been dangerously unstable.”
    â€œThen I am surprised you relied on her predictions.”
    The Consul’s voice slithered around the room, almost a tangible presence against my skin. I shivered just from the overflow of her power, and was thankful it wasn’t directed at me. At least not yet. She didn’t dress in flowing white linen and gold headdresses anymore, but I guess when you’re that strong, you don’t need to show off. I wasn’t disappointed, though, considering that her outfit consisted mostly of multicolored snakes slithering and twining over her so thickly that only occasionally a patch of bare skin showed. Their scales caught the torchlight and shimmered like she was clothed in living jewels: onyx, jade and emerald, with the occasional flash of ruby eyes. It was more than the outfit that commanded attention, though; the authority in her voice and the intelligence in those dark eyes showed that, in some ways, she was still a queen. I hadn’t recognized her and no one had bothered to introduce themselves, but Rafe, at my back for moral support, I guess, had whispered a name in my ear as we approached the table. At my startled look, teeth had flashed in his dark beard as he gave me his usual rakish smile. “It wasn’t an asp that bit her, mia stella .”
    â€œI did not rely on her,” Tony was lying smoothly. “She was a convenience only.”
    Rafe’s hand on my arm tightened, and I bit my lip. Repeated outbursts might annoy the Consul — not a smart move — but it was hard to stay silent. I had no idea how much money I’d made the little toad through the years, but it was a lot. I knew for a fact that he’d cleared at least ten million when he bought citrus futures right before a series of natural disasters wrecked the California orange crop and caused the price to skyrocket. That didn’t happen every day, but it wasn’t an isolated incident, either.
    Tony’s money grubbing had never been my main problem with him, though. The thing that caused me to snap, besides finding out about my parents, was his decision to let fire ravage a city block because he wanted to buy some real estate in the area cheap. I had told him about it a week in advance, plenty of time for him to have called in a warning, but of course he hadn’t. I’d stared in horror at newspaper photos of charred children’s bodies and had one of those lightbulb moments. Some checking had confirmed what I already suspected: he’d used my talent to help him plan assassinations, mastermind political coups and successfully run drugs and illegal weapons past the authorities. And those were just the things I knew about. The day I finally put all the pieces together, I’d promised myself that, somehow, I would make him pay. He had, too, but in my opinion, not nearly enough.
    â€œThen she should be no great loss. You will be remunerated for your claim.”
    â€œConsul, with all due respect, the only thing I want is for her to be returned to me. I am her rightful master, as I am sure my own will agree.”
    â€œNo.” The dark gaze slid to me momentarily, and I suddenly knew what a rabbit feels when it looks up and sees a hawk. “We have plans for her.”
    Tony blustered on, and I began to notice that Alphonse wasn’t making any effort to help his beleaguered employer. My estimation of his intelligence took a hike. If Tony argued himself into a belated grave — permanently this time