Free The Vampire's Redemption, A Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #3) by S.J. Wright Page A

Michael?”
    “Of course.” I rubbed my temples in frustration and fixed my gaze on the fireplace. “You obviously have a serious emotional attachment to him. I don’t know how to take that.”
    “Honestly, I don’t know where Michael and I stand with each other. But I do know that the last time he spoke to me, he said some really shitty things.” The tone of the conversation had brought an edge to Sarah. Her voice, her facial expressions, her body language. Everything was sharper. She was getting rigged up for a confrontation, but I wasn’t going to let it go down that road. She wasn’t going to get the kind of fight she was looking for.
    “Besides, he’s a vampire. He’s killed people, Jackson.”
    “He probably has killed people.”
    “And he can be a total asshole sometimes.”
    “Yeah, it definitely seems like he can get that way.”
    It was slowly stealing her thunder, having someone agree with her like that. I guess I had been reading the signs and making the right moves to calm her down. According to Nelly, Sarah’s temper could get completely out of hand sometimes. The only explosion I’d personally seen up to that point had been her argument with Michael and the ensuing slap (which he had thoroughly deserved).
    With a defeated sigh she settled back against the sofa and crossed her arms. “Even if he wasn’t a jerk a lot of times, he’s still a vampire. I don’t want to be turned. I always thought I would get married, pop out three and a half kids and raise them out here.”
    “Is that what you really want? Marriage? Children?”
    That was when her cell phone rang. Before she could dig it out of her pocket, I had moved. With both hands framing her face, I kissed her as deeply as she’d ever been kissed. I put my soul into that simple gesture of affection. I wanted her to know that she had me before she answered that call.
    Somehow, I knew it was Michael.

CHAPTER 14 – Sarah
    “Um… Hello?”
    I hadn’t even bothered looking at the caller ID. Everything inside me was still reeling from Jackson’s kiss. I felt hot all over, in every little blood vessel, in every pore. When he backed away and let me answer the call, he was purposeful. The light in his eyes sang of his strength and resolve. It was almost impossible to focus on the phone call awaiting me.
    “Sarah, before you hang up I need you to listen to me. Alex is with Isaiah.”
    I sputtered in surprise, “Michael? Where are you calling me from?” Sadie’s head went up, her golden ears perked up at the familiar name.
    Jackson stood with his glass of wine and left the room, casting one hot glance of promise over one shoulder. My breath stopped for a moment. All I wanted to do was follow him.
    “It doesn’t matter. Did you hear what I said? He has Alex.”
    I tried desperately to concentrate on his words. “Isaiah must be holding him against his will. Wait. Did you talk to him? Did Alex say anything about wanting to join Isaiah?”
    “Not specifically. Look, they’re going to try to get you to go down to Dallas, to Isaiah’s estate. Sarah, whatever problems you have with me right now, please believe me when I tell you that it’s a trap. Isaiah’s using both you and Alex to get me to give myself up.”
    “It would probably be better for everybody if you just came back here, Michael.”
    There was a long pause before he responded, “Better for you?”
    It would certainly make things more complicated. “I don’t know about that. But at least Isaiah could be kept away from you. And if he captures you somehow, you know that Victoria and Jones would both put themselves in danger to rescue you.”
    “I had planned on coming back anyway, if that is agreeable to you.”
    “Yes.” My voice cracked slightly when I recalled the things he’d said and done before he left.
    “But you’ve got to ease up on Jackson. He’s a good man, Michael.” He also had to understand that there were boundaries between us. Otherwise, there was no