Free The Immortal Compromise (The Mortal One Series Book 3) by Shannon Bell

the way you did.”
    Great. Leave it to me to be different. “Olivier said he wasn’t formally trained. Are you?”
    “Yes. Olivier knows enough to cause trouble. He learned what he knows off the streets. Since it runs in my family, I was raised around it and formally trained in the art of necromancing.”
    “So how do we find out if I’m more than just sensitive to the magic of necromancy?” I asked, not really sure if I wanted to know what the answer was.
    He smiled over at me. “It’s nothing to worry about. We can go over more of it once we get to my place.” He made a turn off of the airport property. “We should be there in about forty five minutes.”
    I nodded. “Where in Berlin do you live?”
    “How much of the city do you remember?” He asked.
    “Enough, I think.”
    “It’s about five minutes from Checkpoint Charlie.”
    “Off of Fredrichstrasse?”
    “Close, but in the other direction.”
    “Got it.” I wasn’t sure exactly where he lived, but I knew the neighborhood and it was a good one in comparison to some of the areas of Berlin. It was also within city limits, so it would be easy to do some sightseeing. If he was over by the Olympic Village, it would have taken forever to get to anywhere exciting.
    “How are things going with you and Nico?”
    “Umm, yeah, they’re really good.”
    “And you and Olivier?”
    I looked over at him and he glanced over. “Fine.”
    “Are you sure? The last time I saw you, he was the one taking care of you.”
    “When I went into shock from the zombie ceremony?”
    He nodded.
    “Nico thought it was best if Olivier went back to the hotel room since he had more experience with that kind of thing.”
    “I see,” Gregorio said.
    “What?”
    “Nothing. I am glad to hear that you and Nico are doing well. How is the partnership between he and Olivier going in the city?”
    I shrugged. “The two of them seem to be inseparable. They are getting along well and talking politics.”
    “I hate vampire politics,” he said.
    “Ugh, tell me about it,” I said. It was nice to have a conversation like this with someone…someone who understood what it all meant.
    “They never seem to let up. We have the same issue here with Wenzel, though I don’t hear too much about him since the vampires keep their distance from me.”
    “Who is Wenzel?” I asked.
    “He is the sovereign in Bavaria, but he oversees the entire country. It’s always so complicated to keep up with it all.”
    “I know. By the way, if I forget to say it again, thank you for allowing my friend Jen to come and stay with you for a few days as well. She and I haven’t seen each other in a while and it is a much needed get together.”
    Gregorio smiled. “You’re very welcome. Happy to help.”
    I looked up in time to see a very large gray condominium building. “Wow.”
    “It’s not much, but I’m on the top floor, so I have a great view of the city.”
     
    ***
     
    I sat cross-legged on the floor with Gregorio across from me. His apartment was well furnished and he had poured us each a drink.
    “We can order some food in later, but I thought we would get to work on some of the basics since I have to report to Nico later this evening,” he said, throwing in an eye roll for effects.
    “Seriously?” Nico hadn’t said anything about making Gregorio check in each night, but it really didn’t surprise me.
    He nodded. “Tell me about what you felt that night in Paris.”
    I shrugged. “I got a cramp in my stomach and before I knew it, I was doubled over, puking.” It certainly wasn’t the most glamorous night of my life and now I had to sit here and relive it.
    “Were you feeling sick at all leading up to the ceremony?” He asked.
    “No.”
    “As far as I’m concerned, you’re a sensitive then.”
    My lips tightened. I didn’t like that term, especially because it was being used to describe me.
    “You don’t seem happy,” Gregorio observed, his mouth curving up in a