Free The Pursuit by A. E. Jones Page A

room. Kyle sat in the chair Jean Luc had vacated.
    “How are you feeling?”
    “Great.”
    Kyle stood and walked closer to the bed. “ Right. ”
    Talia ignored her tone. “How long was I asleep?”
    “Two hours.”
    “How is Annie doing?”
    “Doc is the only person she’ll let near her without freaking out, and she’s not really talking to her either. I wish I could help.”
    “You can’t make her forget, Kyle. She’s a vampire now. Everything she does has consequences. Have we heard anything from the guys?”
    “Just that they’re still looking for Renato.”
    “I understand from Misha and Will that you’re pretty handy with a fire extinguisher.”
    “I felt bad for a split second, but then I thought, eh, she’ll heal.”
    “She’ll heal from the extinguisher, but it will take a long time before she heals from the forced turning.”
    “It sounds like you speak from experience.” Kyle held up her hands. “And before you go postal, Jean Luc didn’t tell me anything about your past. Your reactions are like a neon sign.”
    Talia fisted her hands before her claws extended. “I was turned by force. It’s like a form of rape. A violation. A taking away of my humanity.”
    “I’m sorry some S.O.B. thought he could do that to you.”
    “I’ve moved forward, but I’ll never forget.”
    “Is the bastard who turned you still alive?”
    Her nerves tingled in alarm, but Kyle didn’t look like she knew anything. “I believe so.”
    “I hope he gets what’s coming to him.”
    Talia nodded, her throat too tight to make a sound. He would get what was coming to him. She would see to it.
    * * *
    Jean Luc read the text from Kyle and took a deep breath. Talia was doing well. He stood in an alley down the street from the hotel, waiting for Leo to show up. He had practically threatened Misha with bodily injury to get the demon to let him meet with Leo alone.
    Moments later, Leo appeared and stood before him. “Jean Luc.”
    “Do you know where Renato is?”
    “I see we are going to dispense with the pleasantries tonight. I believe he is meeting with Jia Li.”
    “The founding vampire from Beijing?”
    “Yes.”
    “So they must be planning a tribunal.”
    “That’s what it looks like to me. But take heart. With the recent stain on Renato’s reputation, he won’t be ruling us.”
    “I am not convinced he is guilty.”
    “You’re sticking up for Renato now?”
    “Talia does not believe Renato is responsible, and I agree with her. Why would he risk something like this so close to the tribunal?”
    “Because he doesn’t believe rules are meant for him?”
    “Perhaps.”
    “Do you miss the old days Jean Luc?”
    Jean Luc raised his eyebrows in question.
    “Oh, I don’t mean The Wars. I mean the simpler times. What happened to solving disagreements with a few punches? Now we call attorneys or spread gossip through social media. Is this what we fought for?”
    Jean Luc thought for a moment before responding. “I think that what is truly important never changes. And we have to fight to preserve it in whatever way is necessary.”
    Leo frowned slightly before grinning at him. “Spoken like a besotted fool. I’ll get in touch with you when I know more about Renato.” He walked out of the alley.
    Jean Luc stared at his retreating back until he was alone. He might be besotted, but he was no fool. Four hundred years had taught him very few things really mattered in this world. And when you found the one who did, you held on tight.

 
    Chapter 14
     
    Talia stood outside Annie’s room, staring through the rectangular door window. Annie huddled in a ball on the bed.
    Talia clicked the lock, and Annie jerked, her eyes widening when Talia walked into the room. Talia stayed by the door so as not to stress her out and to maintain space between them in case the fledgling tried to attack again. Annie’s fledgling scent permeated the air. It reminded Talia of freshly washed linens. Why she hadn’t sensed