Free A Fall of Silver by Amy Corwin Page A

was a negotiator.
    What a waste.
    Talking was useless. You couldn’t trust people to keep their word, much less vampires who’d had centuries to perfect the art of deceit. The entire premise of negotiation made her teeth ache. You had to be crazy to think bargaining could result in anything except a compromise no one wanted.
    If one person won, the other lost. If both gave in, both lost. What other outcomes were possible?
    Was he so naïve he couldn’t see the truth?
    She lowered her head, letting her hair fall over her face to hide her expression as she studied him through the veil of her hair.
    Somehow aware of her interest, h e flashed a smile. She blinked as heat rushed through her, raising a flutter in her stomach.
    His eyes drew her in . Their warmth made her feel…treasured.
    Then she stiffened with wariness. She’d seen desire in many men’s eyes. There was something about a woman with a whip that brought out an almost supernatural level of lust in the male of the species. The desire to submit to a dangerous woman or possess one. Dominance, submission, the age-old dance of the sexes.
    She strode back across the wooden floor, her boot heels tapping sharply over the creaking planks as she swung the heavy weight of her helmet in her hand. It thumped against her thigh, awkward as a bowling ball hanging from her fingers. If he knew about the savage anger warping her, he wouldn’t look at her that way. He’d hate her. Tension tightened the skin across her forehead until her blood throbbed in her ears.
    Why did he keep staring at her with narrowed eyes? Weighing and judging her, finding all her flaws. It wasn’t her fault Jason and Tyler had gone after Kathy. She hadn’t meant to interrupt his precious meeting, but she had, and the anger had gotten the better of her.
    The back of her neck itched from his stare. Rubbing it, she studied the stairs.
    Where i s Theresa? Reading Kathy a bedtime story?
    When s he glanced at Kethan, he was leaning back, his face was calm, relaxed. She turned away abruptly, feeling that he’d come to some decision about her and found her lacking.
    What di d he want? An apology? She let her helmet whack even harder against her thigh, as if creating a bruise would make him go away or suddenly understand her.
    Finally, she heard Theresa’s light step on the creaking stairs. Quicksilver turned in relief to watch her slow descent.
    “She’s not in her room or any of her friends’ rooms.” A frown pinched the skin between Theresa’s dark brows. “No one’s seen her since lights out.”
    Not there? God in heaven, hadn’t Kathy made it home? Had Jason found her on the road….
    “Damn!” Quicksilver swore, rounding on Kethan. “It’s Jason! I know it!”
    “Don’t jump to conclusions.” Kethan’s reasonable tone only exacerbated her edginess.
    “I’m not jumping to conclusions . Jason wanted to feed on her. He’s established dominance. She was gazing into his eyes when I interrupted them. He can control her!”
    I was too late. Again. Inside she cringed, the sensation of being trapped tightening around her. Time—there has to be time to save her and redeem both of us. If redemption was even possible anymore….
    “He agreed to leave her alone, ” Kethan said.
    “Yeah, right . And I’m so sure we can trust him.” She paced in the narrow space of the hallway, trying to think. Why can’t I think? Her mind felt sluggish, uncooperative. How could she find them? Think!
    “I’ll find her. You wait here.”
    “You wait here, Mr. Negotiator ! You don’t even have transportation. You wanted to go with me, remember? So you’re stuck here.”
    “No . I’ll go with you.”
    “You can’t. I can only take one other person on my bike. If I find Kathy, I won’t have room for you.”
    “Why don’t you come with me, Kethan?” Theresa interrupted, her face serene despite the tension crisping the edges of her words.
    “I appreciate the offer, but Quicksilver can’t go alone.