Free Vampires Don't Sparkle: Deathless Book 3 by Chris Fox Page B

drifting towards him. Her eyes closed, and she came closer until her forehead pressed against his. There was a flash of heat, a rush of emotion. She was in his mind, replaying memories faster than thought.
    He saw the pursuit of Irakesh, the battle in Panama when he’d first realized Trevor was deathless. Being intimate with Bridget, and later her death in Larkspur. He saw the final battle with Irakesh, the detonation of the nuclear bomb. The energy being sucked into the Ark, and the lingering devastation in its wake.
    Blair felt a flush of embarrassment as the image of giving the key to Steve flitted through his mind, but it was replaced by pride when he accepted the key he managed to steal from Irakesh. His memories moved on, showing Isis the weeks after taking possession of the Ark. Their efforts to gather the survivors on Angel Island, supply runs into the city, and hasty training of a militia. Finally he showed her Steve and Irakesh escaping, the brief pursuit, and then meeting her here.
    Isis finally pulled away, drifting backwards into the blackness as her gaze held his. It was unreadable. Then the blackness disappeared and they were in the Nexus again. Isis was a werewolf once more, her ferocity terrifying even to Blair.
    “Much has transpired, not all of it bad,” she allowed, crossing her arms. “You did well, given your lack of training. I am less than pleased you relinquished the key to this treacherous Ka-Dun you call Steve, especially given that he delved my sleeping mind. Yet you managed to capture the key to the Ark of the Redwood, and Irakesh’s mad plan has ensured that it has the energy to give you an edge in the coming decades.”
    “So, uh, what do we do now?” Blair asked.
    “We prepare the conduit Ka has mentioned so the Nexus will not collapse,” Isis said. She barred her fangs, a low growl escaping. One Yukon mimicked. “Then we invade the Ark of the Cradle, and bring justice to the whelp Steve.”

Chapter 14- Sucker

    Mark’s gut clenched the moment he sat down. Osiris was already seated at the narrow mahogany table, filigreed porcelain china atop a scarlet place mat in front of him. He cradled a glass of red wine—probably a Cab, from the smell and color. A similar glass had already been poured for Mark, alongside identical china.
    “Hello, Mark,” the monster said, swirling his glass as he glanced at the wall-sized television hanging against the far wall. The screen was paused, showing a fanged teen sparkling in the sun. Mark recognized the movie, of course, though he couldn’t remember the name of the actor. Someone all the teen girls loved, no doubt. Osiris turned back to him. “The wine really is quite spectacular. That’s one of the things I most love about this new world. Our beer was palatable, but our wine was barely worthy of the name.”
    “What do you want?” Mark asked, slipping the napkin onto his lap out of habit.  
    “A dinner companion. At my age, conversation is one of the greatest treasures left. It’s so rare to hear a different perspective, and few men are as openly hostile as you,” Osiris said, exposing a pair of too sharp fangs as he smiled. “You know what I am, or have some idea at least. This age has some odd ideas about my kind. I don’t sparkle, but the term vampire was first coined to describe my progeny. While that may terrify you, the fact doesn’t govern your actions.”
    “I’ll play along then. What’s for dinner?” Mark asked, his heart thudding in his chest.
    “Filet mignon,” Osiris said, gesturing at a white garbed servant in the corner. The man wheeled a tray over, flicking a latch with a hiss of air. The mouthwatering scent of beef filled the room. “Over the last several millennia I endured many hardships, so one of my rewards is dining well.”
    The servant, a middle aged Indian man nearly as wide was he was tall, began setting plates before them. There were mashed potatoes that smelled of garlic, some of the most succulent