Free Counselor of the Damned by Angela Daniels Page A

still hoping the chimp blood will work out. Even if he needs to supplement with human blood. Maybe transition slower. I don’t want Fernando to have to live with what I saw in my vision.”
    “Agreed. You sure about meeting him tonight?”
    “Yes. Shouldn’t I?” The first thing she’d done when she and Nat walked into her condo was call Hanna Preston and arrange an emergency meeting with Fernando. The woman’s clipped tone had let Tegonni know her criticism had not changed. Whatever. Tegonni had bigger problems.
    “Don’t know. When you made the call, you looked terrified something had happened to Fernando. I assume now, you expected to find out he had sucked some poor victim dry. Now you’re calm and things are less urgent. You up to a meeting?”
    She collapsed on the couch, considering. “No. However, I need to know how he’s doing with the blood packs.”
    “Okay. If you’re sure.”
    Tegonni recognized his ‘disapproval’ voice. “What?”
    “I know how hard this case has been for you. Especially with it being secret, but…”
    “Talk.”
    “Okay. I think you’ve lost your professional distance on this one. “
    Heat spread across her cheeks. “I’m a bit more emotionally involved than I should be, but boundaries aren’t being crossed.”
    “Physical boundaries aren’t all you have to look out for. I’m not judging. I just think you need to be honest with yourself. If you’re falling for him—”
    “Stop.” A mirthless laugh escaping her. Her nerves were drawn tight. Nat was a good friend who knew her well. Of course he’d picked up her conflicted feelings about this case. “That’s not happening.”
    He shrugged. “Okay.”
    “Okay.” She tasted her tea. Lukewarm, the tangy, fruity beverage was far from refreshing.
    “So, what are you going to wear?”
    She sputtered, sending tea droplets spraying onto the coffee table. “What? I don’t know. Something light. My peach dress maybe. It’s supposed to be pretty warm tonight.”
    Wiping the liquid up with a napkin, Nat said, “Uh-huh. I see.”
    “You see what?”
    He waved a hand, but smirked. “Nothing. Why don’t you take a relaxing bath? I’ll throw us something together to eat. Movie before you leave?”
    “Yeah. We have plenty of time. Thanks.”
    “No problem.”
    She started toward the hall and then turned around. She wanted to know what that smirk was about. “Should I not wear the peach dress?”
    “You absolutely should wear it. I think it’s perfect.”
    She narrowed her eyes at his benign smile but didn’t harass him further.
    As she continued to the bathroom, she heard his amused murmur, “Perfect for a date.”

Chapter Seven
    That evening, Tegonni brushed invisible lint off her dress as she walked through the muggy summer night toward the church’s grand two-door entrance. She paused at the top of the steps and patted her riot of tiny windblown curls back into shape. “I am not nervous.”
    The fluttering in her stomach said different. She wanted to attribute it to the stressful day, but she knew better. She was giddy and weak-kneed. It’s the dress. Darn Nat for making me self-conscious . The peach chiffon and eyelet lace was appropriate for church, but she couldn’t deny it was also alluring, if in a virginal way. Just the type of look that a Catholic vampire might find attractive . “Get a grip.” She yanked open a door.
    Fernando stood near the back pew and walked toward her as she went inside. Giddy relief washed through her at seeing him calm and relaxed. Not on the verge of a violent breakdown. In fact, he was in full charmer mode.
    “Senhorita,” he said over her hand before brushing his lips across her fingers. He wore another of his many expensive suits, this one a charcoal gray, but he had taken off the jacket, leaving his chest covered by a thin silk shirt, unbuttoned at the top. As he bent in his formal greeting, she took in the rich honey skin and sparse hairs hiding beneath the