Free To Have: Vampire Assassin League #19 by Jackie Ivie

alluring. Physically stirring. And something he sensed. She appeared emotionally fragile behind a really brave front.
    The last thing she looked was stupid.

 

CHAPTER TEN
    Evelyn Warner.
    ENTER.
    The screen slowly started filling in linked destinations attached to her query. Each one came in a jerking fashion as it loaded.
Cripes.
He had an ancient desktop, atop an office desk that had to have come from the sixties, really Spartan chairs more devoted to clean lines than comfort, and an archaic connection. And, despite being four inches away, he was sitting too close. On her left. Leaned forward as if entertained by the screen. This was taking forever.
No.
Evie stopped her own thoughts. She mustn’t think in terms like that. No eternal stuff. No immortality. No forever.
    Damn.
    She wished the stupid computer would load already! She had too much time to think. Remember. Envision. Recall. Too much heat radiated from where he sat, as well. Swift, unexpected twinges shot every so often through her body, too. They started mainly in her belly.
No
. They were actually emanating from lower down. She shifted on the hard plastic chair. She didn’t need the reminder that Prince Daron, Whatever-the-hell-he-was, had to be the best lover on the planet. Then again, he’d had two thousand plus years to practice. Evie stiffened. She had to consciously relax from the instant reaction. She wasn’t jealous. That was stupid. She’d just met him. She couldn’t possibly care what he did, where at, or with how many women.
    She really needed fresh air or something. Or a stiff shot of tequila. He shifted in his chair. It creaked. She heard it with hyper-sensitive hearing. Her senses were really acting weird. She could even hear his heart as if an echo to hers. And every breath as it matched, too.
    Wait a minute.
    He was breathing?
    “Look. This is what you need to see.”
    He pointed to the screen. Evie ran her gaze along his arm and almost sighed in appreciation. Maybe she shouldn’t have stopped him from donning his tunic shirt. She consciously forced herself to look at where he pointed. There were several lines of script above his finger. She could see and read them instantly without a bit of effort. That was odd. She’d never been a speed reader.
    “Okay. I see where it says I’m a preacher for some religious sect in the south somewhere. Looks like I’ve been picked up for trafficking in meth. Great. I’ve been awarded teacher of the year in Maine. Oh. Wow. An Evelyn Warner has been in an altercation with a co-worker that required police intervention. Geez. Who are these other people?”
    “This is the one you are looking for. The Rocking Horse link.”
    He reached across her and clicked the mouse button. His arm brushed her ribcage. Evelyn’s heart stuttered and she almost forgot to breathe. It was impossible. Amazing. Stimulating. Almost scary. She’d never had such a reaction to anyone. Ever. It was instantaneous. Unprovoked. Unexpected. And pretty awesome. He probably knew it, too. She didn’t look toward him to verify. She focused on where a black and white newspaper photo and accompanying article was loading slowly down the screen in the same line-by-line stutter fashion as before.
    She caught the irritation before she gave vent to it.
    She really shouldn’t denigrate his internet connection. Even if it was old and slower than thick molasses on a winter day, he hadn’t lied. He really did have a link to the World Wide Web. And for all she knew, she was in middle of the Sahara Desert or somewhere equally remote. She should just be grateful for small favors. And he
had
removed his arm from proximity to her breasts.
    “It’s the mate bond you feel.”
    Daron spoke from beside her. Evie jumped.
    “I know everything you feel,
eshq-e man
. I sense it.”
    “Um...let’s just focus on the job at hand here. Deal?” she replied.
    “My heart...beats as one with yours. My breath matches yours. Exactly as it should