Free A Job From Hell by Jayde Scott

"She's not strong enough. She'd never survive the journey. She'd be drained before she even entered the otherworld."
    "She should've dropped the backpack," I said. "It was her choice not to."
    "What are you implying? You know she won't survive on her own," Clare said.
    "Remind me later." I stormed out of the library, leaving the house through the kitchen so the others wouldn't pick up on the turmoil inside me.
    Since Rebecca's death I had barely touched a mortal, let alone kil them. Having Amber around was more than I could endure. As my mate, her blood's cal was too strong. I fought a constant battle not to feed from her.
    Why did she have to be in the woods that night? How did she stumble across the jewels when no mortal knew about the Interracial Race? It must've been a lucky shot or, in Amber's case, a not so lucky one. So many questions when I knew I couldn't just barge into her room and force the answers out of her. Not when she had yet to fal in love with me. My mood deteriorated at the prospect of courting her with half the paranormal world hunting us.
    The air smel ed of autumn leaves and imminent rain. I lowered myself onto the bench, staring at the empty space Amber had occupied less than an hour ago. Funny how Fate would always play tricks on me. I thought after Rebecca's betrayal, I'd never trust a girl again. Several hundred years later, I glimpsed Amber in a crowd in London during a work assignment, and I knew she was the one. I stalked her for weeks until I came up with a plan to lure her to Scotland. She needed the money, I could do with a housekeeper because I was sick of Greta roaming the mansion, pretending to clean while snooping around. So I made sure her brother found out about the job. I should've delayed flying Amber over from London until after the race, but I just couldn't bare being away from her now that I knew who she was.
    Fate expected me to protect her, but how could I protect her from the most dangerous predator—myself? With her sweet blood beckoning to me more than any other mortal, it was only a matter of time until I turned into a kil er, unless I kil ed myself. But then someone else would go after her to get the prize. She'd turned from mere mortal into priceless commodity overnight. I groaned inwardly, only then noticing Clare standing behind me.
    "I know what's going on." She sat down next to me so I couldn't pretend she didn't exist.
    "What are you talking about?"
    "Of course you wouldn't just admit it." The slightest hint of annoyance crossed her perfectly arched eyebrows. In my early years, I had thought—
    hoped—she'd be the one, but my senses never sharpened when I was around her.
    "What do you want, Clare? You're annoying the hel out of me today, and that's not a good thing."
    She inhaled loudly, irritated. "It's not about what I want, but rather what you want. I've noticed the look in your eyes. You see her when she's not present. It's painful to watch."
    "Then don't watch."
    "I want to help you," Clare said.
    "Why?" I turned to face her.
    She placed her cold palms on my cheeks. A single silver tear glittered in her eye as she whispered, "Because I want to see you happy. It's something that I'l never be."
     
    "Your mate's somewhere out there," I said.
    Clare shook her head. "He's not because he died a long time ago, and I did nothing to save him." She smiled, bitterly. "I assume you have a plan."
    "I'm stil considering my options."
    "You don't have much time. Other people are interested in the book. You know, they won't hesitate to use her."
    I hated when she was right. I lowered my head, inhaling the freezing air to shake off Amber's unmistakable scent. It didn't work. "I know that. I'l come up with a plan soon."
    "There's someone who could help us." Something in her tone made me look up. She lifted a finger to my lips and lowered her voice. "If you lead Amber to the threshold of death, he can help her find the way back."
    My anger flared up. The threshold meant certain