Free Exist (Vampire Assassin League Book 30) by Jackie Ivie Page A

what he’d told her. It shouldn’t be a surprise. She was in a delusionary hallucination. Things that happened should all add up. But the youthful male voice just kept spouting things she didn’t have the imagination to conjure up.
    ‘ It also says you were changed during a battle. Right? So...that means you’re in the battle condition? Fit? Yes?’
    “Yes.”
    ‘ Sweet! Look, we’ve got an associate in trouble—! ’
    “Get someone else,” Anso interrupted in a commanding tone. One used to getting obeyed.
    ‘ There is no one else!’
    “So?”
    ‘ Come on, buddy. Didn’t you hear me? I’m running the desk!’
    “So?” Anso repeated.
    ‘ I need you to do something. How about if I make it an order? ’
    “No.”
    Leah’s eyebrows rose higher at the insubordinate word and Anso’s tone.
    ‘ Come on. Please? I’m begging here. You have to do it! ’
    “I cannot.”
    ‘ Cannot? Or will not?’
    Anso looked across at her. His eyes glowed dark red again. An instant sense of warmth bloomed within her, as if the earlier sparks received an infusion of air. Leah had a difficult time gaining her next breath, and even then it was ragged. Raw.
    “I have found my mate,” Anso said.
    Leah jerked. Her jaw dropped. Her heart pounded so loudly she almost missed the follow-up words. Her mind raced through possible explanations. Anso didn’t mean that word the way it sounded. No . He couldn’t. He was using the word to mean physical joining. He did not mean lifetime companionship. That had to be the answer here.
    The alternative was beyond frightening.
    Because... if she’d somehow crossed into a fourth dimension, and Anso was a real vampire, would that mean the word mating meant eternal companionship?
    ‘ Crap. Crap. Double crap. How far have you gone? ’
    “She is not fully changed, if that is your question.”
    Anso might be speaking to the caller, but he was looking directly at her, leaving Leah no doubt whatsoever who he was addressing the answers to.
    ‘ So she’s half? So sorry, man. You’ll have to leave her. That will be better, actually. It could be dangerous.’
    “You expect me to leave my mate?”
    Anso was watching her as he said it. His look sent all kinds of signals her body had no trouble reading. All completely insane. Warmth enveloped her. Oh! If only she could shut her mind off and just go with the physical realm here! She wanted to...but, no. This was too much. She might have to do a complete paradigm shift. Evaluate things from a new perspective. Consider the unreasonable, despite how impossible it seemed.
    This entire episode might be real.
    It could actually be happening.
    The warmth slowly dissipated, leaving her shaky. Cold. This was bad. At least if she’d gone insane, she knew what to do. There was a chance of recovery in her future. And the young male voice just kept adding more insanity to the mix.
    ‘You have to! You’re old enough to have immunity to daylight and the weather satellite shows...crap. Crap. Crap. I’m not catching much of a break here. You’re getting high clouds. Slight chance of rain. She’ll be safer where she is. Come on, man! Please? I’ll do anything. Please?’
    Anso sighed heavily. “Who is my target?”
    ‘ It’s not a hit. We have a rogue. He’s my responsibility...and damn me for being too blind not to see that trap before it sprang shut on me!’
    “Is it Hunters?”
    ‘I wish. Look. I’m sending details to your laptop. Airwaves are not secure enough for this. There! Done. Do this for me, man and I will so owe you. You have no idea...’
    The call ended because Anso pulled the phone away and flung it. The crash as it shattered was loud. Leah watched as he turned back to her. Folded his arms. Acted like he was fully dressed and this entire scenario was completely acceptable and normal.
    “You heard?”
    She nodded.
    “You have questions for me?”
    She licked her lips. Glanced away. Both signs of an upcoming lie. But maybe he didn’t