Free Decatur the Vampire by Amarinda Jones Page A

him. Old feelings no longer count. “The woman is innocent.” It was best to get back on track. Whatever any of them planned, Sumerian could not let the woman suffer.
    “The vampire is not.”
    “No.” Vampires were reckless, uncaring beings who were more interested in having a good time than following rules. The breaking of those always had consequences. “I have no idea what any of you are planning to do but I will not allow her to be hurt.”
    “You no longer belong to heaven, my dear.”
    If Vulcan thought to wound her he was mistaken. “You’re correct. I belong to me and I do as my conscience dictates.”
    “At your own cost.”
    “As always it is pointless talking to you, Vulcan.” He was like the riddle of the sands, always moving and changing to suit the force of the wind as he sought to harness more power.
    Vulcan smiled in delight. “And yet I find you charming.”
    Sumerian rolled her eyes. There was no point in talking to him or being there. She waved her hand and disappeared.
    “What a woman,” Vulcan growled in deep appreciation.
     
     
    Archimedes was wild. “How could I not know?” He had tailed Sumerian to find out where she was going. She had a habit of forcing her way into his plans and disrupting them. Once he had thought it was cute. Now it was just annoying. “Sumerian and Vulcan? Together?” He still did not believe what he had just heard and seen. Archimedes had heard rumors but they had been so laughable that he had not taken them seriously. Until now. Their banter and the way they looked at each other was that of past lovers still holding on to something each did not want to completely let go of. Not only did that not suit Archimedes’ plans but a small part of him burned with jealousy at the thought of Vulcan with Sumerian. While it was true he had thrown her over long ago, Archimedes was the possessive type and always had trouble letting go of those things that had once belonged to him.
    That he felt jealousy somewhat surprised Archimedes. He had cut Sumerian adrift. She did not have to explain herself to him. Besides, Archimedes knew she could not resist getting involved in things that had nothing to do with her. It was her nature. It was her downfall. However she had the ankh and that made her important to his plan and he would not allow an ancient demon to turn her head.
    As for Vulcan, no one knew at any time what was going on in his head. He was in a league of his own. The perplexing question was why was Vulcan involved in playing dress-up office worker? It was not something his assistant had discussed with Archimedes. “Assistant, my ass.”
    The only good thing to come out of this was seeing the woman called Marduk looking flustered and lipstick-smeared. Regrettably she was not at the vampire’s side but he was confident she soon would be. There was nothing a vampire hated worse than having a woman turn him down or having someone know his weakness. Both woman and vampire would come together. “It’s the way it’s meant to be.”
    * * * * *
    Chrissie rushed to Marduk’s side. “What happened? You were in there for ages.”
    “Nothing.” Something. Everything. Crap, I don’t know. One minute she was kissing him and the next he was telling her a fairytale. But it is anything but. Marduk closed her eyes as she once more remembered the taste of his mouth on hers.
    “You look angry and your lipstick is smeared.” Chrissie looked pleased. “You kissed the hot guy, didn’t you?”
    Oh yeah. Marduk could still feel the firm, seductive pressure of his lips on hers. “He’s psychotic.”
    “Bummer.”
    “Yes, as he tells it, a demon commands him and he has been sent to be with me.” He is also my dream lover. Lordy, if I said that Chrissie would think I was out of my mind. And who the hell is this Vulcan dude? If I had more sense I should have asked the man, er, my dream lover…I mean the vampire, that. That the other Smith boy had been watching was not a fluke.