Free Dead and Kicking by Lisa Emme Page A

stared incredulously at the deed. “He gave me the firehall. It’s mine now. I own this building!”
    “What? What do you mean?” Nash took the deed and looked it over. “What sort of deal?” He grabbed my arms again and gave me a
shake. “What did you promise him?”
    “Hey!
Ouch!” I pushed him away. “Nothing, nothing! I just have to have dinner with him
tomorrow. That’s all.”
    “And you let him touch you? You shook his hand?”
    “I…” Feeling uncertain, I looked at
my hand again. “Yes, I shook his hand
and he,” I swallowed uncomfortably, “he kissed my wrist.” I put my hand down quickly. “Look, it’s no big deal.
So he might have taken a little sip. I’m fine.”
    “No big deal?” He ran both hands through his hair. No wonder it always looked so tousled. “Don’t you know what he can do with that one
small taste?” At my puzzled look, he
stormed on. “He will use that little
taste to learn all he can about you.
It’s what he does, he’s a Reader.”
    A Reader! No wonder Nash freaked out. Readers were rare. I had only ever read about them. With a drop of blood, or in this case a sip
of my life essence, Salvador would know what magical gifts I had and how
powerful they were or had the potential to be.
He would know everything about me that I tried to keep secret, including
some things I was trying to not admit even to myself. No wonder he was the Magister. Readers made great leaders because they were
able to recognize the talents of others and utilize everyone to their fullest
potential.
    I tried to downplay the issue. “So he knows that I’m a witch. That’s no secret.”
    “And your other talents?” Nash frowned at me. “What about those?”
    “I really don’t know what you are
talking about.” At least I hoped I
didn’t, otherwise it meant someone, Tess ,
had blabbed about my little ghost problem.
    Nash laughed. “Your poker face sucks. I know about the ghosts. I know that’s how you found Bryce Chow’s body
and it’s probably why you were in his apartment yesterday afternoon. You don’t think that after your little stunt
last night I wouldn’t try and find out everything I could about you?”
    “What I can or can’t do is none of
your business.”
    “It is when it becomes part of my
murder investigation, and when it gets you in over your head and your safety
becomes my concern.”
    “My safety is none of your
concern. You’re not my keeper. And, as far as your murder investigation
goes, I’ve told you everything I know.”
    “What about everything Bryce knows?”
    I shrugged. I didn’t want to discuss Bryce with him. “He doesn’t remember anything about his
murder or about the video for that matter.”
    Nash looked around the room as if
searching for something. “He’s not here
now is he?”
    “Bryce? No.”
    “And your
Grandmother?”
    “Who told you about Gran?” As far as I knew, nobody knew about Gran
except for Holly and Tess. The fact
that your dead grandmother still haunted you seven years after her death wasn’t
exactly something you wanted to get around. It hurt to think that Tess had
shared my secret.
    Tess chose that moment to arrive
home. She was winded like she had run
the whole way from work.
    “Harry! You’re okay!
That’s a relief.” She dropped her
gym bag inside the doorway and then ran to give me a hug. “I was so worried when I got your text and I
couldn’t get away from the class I was teaching. That’s why I called Nash.”
    I stiffened in her arms. “Yeah, you seem to have no problem blabbing
everything about me to him.”
    “What?! I…Harry!” Ignoring Tess completely, I brushed past Nash
and hurried upstairs to my room.

Chapter Eleven

    “I can’t believe I let you talk me
into coming here tonight.” I frowned at
Holly. At her insistence I was keeping
my meeting with the Triad even though I was in no mood for werewolf politics. We stood outside The Lodge, the pack’s
meeting place, a.k.a. party