Free Psyche Souffle (Knead to Know Book 3) by Liz Schulte Page B

raged inside of me. Most dark souls I fed on just required a handshake or some light touch of skin. Feeding from Phoenix, however, always ended with us making out, which only confused how I felt about him more.
    I focused on his collarbone, much safer than other body parts, as I collected my thoughts. Then I studied his tattoo of a skull with some sort of nuclear destruction in its eye sockets. It was creepy, but incredibly detailed and well done. Why would he want that on his body for the rest of eternity?
    “Maggie.” His magnetic voice slipped into my thoughts and his hands ran down my arms, pushing my coat off of my shoulders. It fell to the floor with a soft thrrpt.
    “Uh huh.” I refused to look at him. If I did, he’d kiss me then I would start feeding and God help me I really enjoyed that. All that exposed skin…my tongue ran over my lips.
    He leaned in, his lips nearly touching my ear. “Why are you here?”
    That was an excellent question. One I probably had the answer to somewhere in the clouds of hunger—and desire.
    “Did you need me?”
    So much. It had been so long since I had been with someone. With the whole vampire thing, I still didn’t know how my control would be. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. Phoenix was resilient. He could heal—or he could if I didn’t drain his soul, which frankly I didn’t have a good track record with.
    That was the bucket of cold water I needed. I shook off the fog he had encased me in and took a step back. “I need a liquor license by Valentine’s Day.”
    He chuckled softly, folding his arms over his chest. “You are always a challenge.”
    That was probably true in more than one area of my life. For some reason, I never seemed to be able to just do things the easy way. Once I started overthinking (my favorite pastime) all hope of anything ever being simple was lost. “Is it possible?”
    “Anything is possible.”
    “So you’ll do it?”
    “For a price.”
    I expected as much. Phoenix wanted me to work for him. Being a jinni he dealt with plenty of bad people. People that he sometimes had to kill. Meanwhile, here I was, a convenient bottomless pit where evil souls could disappear without a trace. “What’s your price?”
    He picked up a towel from the stool next to the counter, wrapped it around his waist, then sat down. “Why have you been avoiding me?”
    “I haven’t—”
    “Lie,” he said, his dark eyes drilling into me. “Women don’t usually ignore me.”
    I shrugged. “Maybe you should get used to it.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Saying things like that only makes me want you more. I have tried no fewer than three times to get in touch with you. I could have just come to your house or bakery, but I wanted it to be your decision.”
    I ran my hand down my face, hard. “Here I am.”
    He shook his head. “You came because you wanted something. That isn’t the same thing. I want you to come here because you want me.”
    My face scrunched. This was the last thing I wanted. Phoenix and I had proven many times that we couldn’t get along. Like not at all. When we weren’t about to tear each other’s clothes off, we usually fought.
    “So I ask you again, why have you been avoiding me?”
    I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. “Is answering this part of your price?”
    A smile spread across his face. “Let’s say yes for shits and giggles.”
    I shook my head. “Because you make it hard to remember what I want.”
    He took a deep breath, studying me like he could see so much more than what was on the outside. Finally he nodded. “I’ll help you, if you help me.”
    Here it was. Back to the deal. I didn’t want to be an assassin. It was bad enough I had to hurt people to keep from going insane, even if they were bad people. I certainly didn’t want to do it as a job. “I don’t want your deals. Maybe that’s why I avoid you. Every time I let you into my life you manipulate me. I can find my own demons to feed on. Please don’t