Free Mixed Blessing (Mixed Blessing Mystery, Book 1) by Nicola Claire Page B

the second most, I still think Michel took the cake on the power front, but Jett right now could give him a run for his money. But try as I did, my Sanguis Vitam just kept climbing. As though it had a will of its own, it swam around our bodies, centring me and bolstering Jett's own formidable Sanguis Vitam . I was panting with the effort to rein it back in. He was panting with the effect it had over him.
    "This is stupid," I managed to croak, then quickly licked my lips. He didn't release my throat, just started stroking my neck with his thumb on the side, increasing his own Sanguis Vitam further and staring at my now moistened lips.
    "Fight me," he commanded in a soft voice.
    "No," I whispered back. "I'm not suicidal."
    He stared at me for a moment and then smiled. I had absolutely no chance of picking up an emotional scent right now, all I could go on was his face. He looked amused, turned-on and contemplative. I knew if I could scent what he was truly feeling it would have told me more, but I couldn't. My heart was in my throat, my stomach was clenched tight in fear and my body was soaked in sweat. In other words, I was crapping myself about now and could not think of a thing to do to get me out of this mess.
    Jett scared the fuck out of me, but I had never seen this side of him before. He could play the dominant, aggressive Master of the City well. But this here, this was more than keeping the plebs in line. This was sadistic or perverted. I couldn't tell which. But it frightened me and strangely, excited me in equal measure.
    Or at least it did my Dark Shadow.
    "You know," he said conversationally, hand still clasping my throat, thumb still brushing my neck, "I don't think I have been this provoked in many years."
    "You must be starved for entertainment," I said, realising that despite his firm grip on my throat, I could still swallow, still talk. He wasn't crushing me just yet. Maybe playing with me, like a cat would a mouse. Or a bigger cat would a kitten.
    He smiled. It was stunning. "You do entertain, kitten." Then he abruptly released his hold on my throat, his now familiar Sanguis Vitam washing out around me and removing all shadow of pain. Huh, he had healing abilities. I didn't know that.
    I clenched my hands into fists at my sides, determined not to reach for my neck in a reflexive movement.
    "Take a seat, Georgia, we'll share." When he saw the look of scepticism on my face, he added in a low voice, "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours." A definite twinkle lighting his eyes.
    I walked stiffly back to the chair in front of his desk and sat down. I expected him to return to his side of the desk, but he came and leant his butt back against it, legs crossed at his ankles, arms crossed over his chest as he gazed down at me. The twinkle was gone from his eyes.
    "What do you know about the two murders that have happened recently, including that one tonight. And don't lie, kitten, I can tell a lie a mile off and you have been reeking of them tonight."
    "Tell me why I am cooperating with you again?" I asked, trying to delay the inevitable.
    "Because we both don't want the Iunctio here and with present evidence they will be on our doorstep within the week, if we don't get a handle on this situation."
    Shit, the Iunctio . Like I've said before, as a Nothus I did not want the vampire governing body anywhere near me. One look at what I was and my head would be separated from my body. There was no way in hell, I was ever going anywhere near Europe. New Zealand wasn't far enough away from the Iunctio's Palais for my liking, but any further and I'd be in the Antarctica.
    What to tell Jett though? Could I trust him? Huh. I knew I couldn't, but could I afford to alienate him? And what would I gain from sharing some of what I know? He obviously knew or suspected something about these murders, maybe he could help Stu. And in the end, as far as I was concerned, helping Stu to get free was all that mattered. That's why I was