Read Online Vampire Charming by Cassandra Gannon - Free Book Online Page B

were getting increasingly tense as Slade told them
of his plans for Infinia.  He wasn’t sure what was troubling them, but their
uneasy shifting was dampening the victorious mood.
    The
sight of Jane lifted his spirits, again.
    Slade
had been torn about leaving her alone in the tavern earlier.  On the one hand,
everything Vampire within him had revolted at the idea of letting her out of
his sight.  On the other hand, he could clearly see that Jane was close to the
breaking point.  Inter-dimensional travel had been more difficult for her than
he’d imagined.  If Slade had tried to force her to come with him to meet the
rebels, she might have bolted.
    He
didn’t want that.
    Even
if he could’ve quickly tracked her down after she fled, Slade wanted her to
stay with him because she believed in him.  More and more, his Dark Instincts
told him that Jane Squire was vital to his epic destiny.  That he couldn’t succeed
without her.  That he’d been led to that dreary grocery store for some greater
purpose.  He couldn’t explain it, but the feeling was growing stronger.  Keeping
Jane happy was paramount.  So, he’d reluctantly allowed her to stay behind in
the safety of the bar and now she’d come to her senses, rejoining his journey.
    She
was moving closer, quietly edging towards him like she didn’t want to be
spotted by the men drinking from tankards.  When she realized she had his
attention, she put a silencing finger to her lips and made an emphatic “Get
over here!” gesture with her free palm, still staying hidden from the others.
    The
woman was so odd.
    But
--Christ-- he’d missed her in the hour they’d been separated.
    Slade
had never actually missed anyone before and the feeling was uncomfortable.  It
was wrong to desire his second-in-command.  Their working relationship would
suffer.  Rationally, he knew that, but his Dark Instincts didn’t care.  They
just wanted to drown in the tart fragrance of her hair and the infinite color
of her stormy eyes.  The longer he was around Jane Squire, the more insistent
their wanting became.  Never had his Dark Instincts been so hard to ignore.
    It
was also difficult to ignore the rocks hitting him.
    Pebbles
rained down when Slade didn’t move fast enough to suit her purposes.  Jane
Squire delighted in heaving small objects at him.  She had no idea how a
subordinate was supposed to act.
    “Jane,
what are you doing?”  He demanded, rubbing a sore spot on his skull.  “Stop
pelting me with stones and come sit by the fire.”
    Jane
Squire’s palm slapped against her forehead in frustration.
    All
four Satyr brothers turned to look at her, their beady eyes narrowing.  “Who’s
that?”  Cal hissed.  Or possibly it was Hal.  Or Val.  Or Al.  All four of them
looked identical, so it was hard to tell.
    “That
is my second-in-command, Jane Squire.”  Slade waved her forward.  “Welcome,
Jane.  We are discussing our battle strategy.  What know you of Werewolf
weapons?”
    She
stepped forward, staring up at the ceiling like she was praying for patience.  “Werewolf
weapons?”  She said tightly.  “Not much.  But, at least you still have the golf
clubs.  They’re bound to come in handy.  God only knows when your rebel
forces might need to caddy for you.”
    “That’s
true.”  He patted the bag beside him.  “I don’t think golf clubs are made of
silver, though.”  He turned back at the Satyr Brothers.  “Are golf clubs made
of silver?”
    The
four goat-men exchanged confused glances, like they had no idea what to say to
that perfectly clear question.  They often looked that way when Slade spoke.
    “I
was being sarcastic , Slade.  Do they look like fucking golfers to you?”  Jane
snapped.  “Why do you even still have that stupid bag?”
    “Amalie
told me it will be useful and I trust her word.  She is a powerful witch.”
    Jane
let out an agitated breath, like she was trying to calm down.  “We need to
talk.”