Free H.U.M.A.N.S (The Veiled World Book 1) by Susan Reid

patrons were rolling like that here.
    I pursed my lips. “No, we just ran out.”
    “I’ll settle for a brandy then.”
    I hesitated again. Still not sure what to make of him but I think he may be banking on my indecisiveness.
    I finally lowered the rifle altogether and reached for a glass.
    If he could help me get rid of the apparent infection and pain, I’d better pretend to be cordial for the moment —that is if what he was offering was legit.
    I kept my eyes on him the entire time while dispensing a few cubes of ice and then selecting our best house brandy.
    He watched me work.
    “You’re still not going to tell me your name?” He asked.
    I debated it for a few seconds.
    “Kai.”
    He smiled. “Kai? It’s cute but it doesn’t fit you.”
    “What?” I snapped, offended all over again.
    His seductive eyes bore into mine, seeming to penetrate more than just my psyche. “You remind me of an exotic and delicate flower, one so pretty and fragrant that you just can’t help but marvel at it, and eventually you have to have one for yourself. Kind of like a rose-colored Lotus blossom. ”
    I was pleasantly surprised and unprepared for that comparison but as to why, I left that to myself. His compliment had been poetic and it definitely would have worked if we had been on a date but this was hardly the occasion and moment.
    I carefully slid his drink in front of him.
    He picked it up and held it beneath his nose, swirling it around for a moment to take in the bouquet and then he took a sip.
    “I didn’t know that your kind held any kind of significant warmth in your hearts.” I commented after viewing him in infrared mode once again.
    He smiled sardonically. “Well, thank goodness for the warmth in your s —you know, when you shot me nearly pointblank just now.”
    I glared at him.
    “Are you Nocturna or what?”
    “What kind of a question is that?”
    “A straight forward one that better result in an answer.”
    He paused, setting his glass down and then he looked at me. My heart began to flutter and pound like a teenager much against my resistance.
    “Do I look like one?”
    I narrowed my eyes and took in a low-key inhale to scent him out. “On the surface, yes, but in our world looks are always deceiving and nothing is ever what it seems.”
    The corner of his mouth lifted up into a half smile.
    “Fair enough. What’s your guess then?”
    “My guess is that you’re not what you appear to be but you don’t smell entirely like one either.”
    He laughed softly with a nod, appearing relieved. “I appreciate that.”
    “There is something about you that makes you one of them though that much is evident. By the way, what did you do with that Nocturna?”
    “He’s no longer a threat, so what does it matter?”
    For some reason, the image of the corpse we discovered earlier flashed in my mind even though it wasn’t the same Nocturna.
    “What did he call you? Vishinkatura? What does that mean?”
    Then I pointed a finger at him with a hand fisted at my hip, “And don’t think I didn’t notice how you cut him off abruptly before he told us either. ”
    He was amused again. “I take it your research on the term yielded nothing. I meant what I said before, we both have very much in common.”
    He just read me like a book.
    “I highly doubt that. Why can’t you just tell me what I want to know instead of speaking around it? What do you know about Guardian hunters anyway?”
    “More than you think. Tell you what,” he said reaching into the inner pocket of his blazer again and pulling out a business card and pen.
    He began to write, “If you want to know all of that, including getting rid of the spreading infectionbefore it changes you completel y — you’ll meet me for dinner. I wouldn’t advise you wait a day longer though.” He finished, sliding it over to me and tucking the pen back into his inner pocket.
    I was alarmed. “What kind of change? What the hell are you talking