Free Mirror: Book One of the Valkanas Clan by Noelle Ryan Page B

a way I found really disturbing. What had Dorothy seen in this guy again?
    “Authorized?”
    “By Temora, Duchess of the south-eastern United States.” I must have made a small choking sound as I tried to process how a country founded on revolt against monarchy could contain royalty, because Damian added “I’ll have to teach you about vampire politics some other time, paidi mou . For now I need you to come back here so I can discuss our plans with you and so I can assure your safety until this situation is resolved.”
    “Fine,” I said. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I knew it just wasn’t realistic for me to protect myself when I was still occasionally tempted to curl up fetal style on my living room rug. “I remember how to get there. Give me enough time to get showered and changed and I’ll head that way.”
    “Actually, Tom was quite eager to volunteer himself as your chauffeur. He should be there in about five minutes.”
    “Gee, thanks for the advanced notice.”
    “And here I thought advanced notice was something you could provide entirely on your own,” he said, chuckling. I hung up.
    Tom could just sit on my “go away” mat outside until I was ready; I needed a shower. I tossed my jeans and t-shirt into my dirty clothes hamper, even though I hadn’t been wearing them for more than an hour—I knew it was stupid, but it felt like one area of my life I could keep neat and tidy right now. Then I snagged a clean towel, jeans, and sleeveless blouse and headed into the bathroom.
    The shower—especially my favorite spoil-myself citrus scented salon shampoo and conditioner—helped me shake off some of my lingering melancholy and I emerged from the bathroom with my towel turban style on my head, singing along to the Sarah McLachlan I’d left playing on my shower radio. I serenaded myself back into my room, deciding to throw a change of clothes, my pajamas (with a new hole-free t-shirt this time), and my toothbrush into an overnight bag in case I needed to crash at Damian and Valerie’s place tonight. Then, deciding an offer to protect me included my cat, I snagged a small baggie of cat food plus Beckett’s carrier and portable litterbox . I found him napping under the couch, and I chuckled at the combination of handsome disdain on his face and tuxedo patterning on his body.
    “Hey handsome, at least you’re better dressed for their digs than I am,” I said, and unceremoniously dumped him into his carrier. He yowled in protest.
    “I didn’t realize we needed a chaperone for our trip,” Tom said, emerging from my little balcony. I flinched, but managed to keep myself from emitting the embarrassingly girly shriek that was now sitting on the tip of my tongue. Damn, why was he able to catch me off guard like that when I could sense everyone else?
    “I’m able to shield myself from psychic radar, so to speak, if I’m paying attention.”
    I narrowed my eyes at him.
    “I thought you weren’t telepathic,” I said.
    “I’m not—you’re just exceptionally easy for me to read.” He grinned. “By the way, Damian said he didn’t care if I dropped your class as long as I still kept an eye on you while you were on campus. I just got off the phone with the registrar—I’m officially not you’re student any longer, Professor.” His grin widened, and my stomach lurched as I remembered Dorothy’s parting advice.
    “How fascinating,” I said dryly, deciding bitchiness was my best stalling tactic at the moment. I felt slightly guilty when the grin snapped off his face, though. “Sorry—I’m a little on edge, what with this whole vampires trying to kill me thing. Can we discuss your dinner offer some other time?”
    “If you'd like.”
    He held out a ridiculously large pair of wrap-around sunglasses. Then he retrieved my overnight bag and Beckett’s litter box, leaving me with just my purse and the cat carrier. I was sliding the massive sunglasses on when I noticed my unfinished two-column