Free Lover's Kiss by Dawn Michelle Page B

scrunched up her face at the thought of a line of men waiting to get a blow job. "That's nasty!"
    Penny nodded. "Go. Hunt. Do what you must. We'll talk later."
    "Talk? About what?"
    "About him. About you. About what it means to be what we are."
    "But—"
    "Later. Tomorrow, when we rise," Penny said.
    "Penny, don't do this! I'm going to be worried now. I don't want you mad at me!"
    "I'm not mad," Penny said. "Just… uncertain. I need to think about what to tell you and how."
    "I don't understand," Beth whined.
    "I know," Penny smiled. "It will be okay, pet. I promise. I love you."
    "I love you too!" Beth whispered.
    Penny smiled and walked out of the office. Penny started to follow and made it all the way to the club before she realized she hadn't put her bra back on. Or cleaned up.
    "Woah," Candy said when she turned to see her standing there. Penny was nowhere to be seen, she'd used her supernatural speed to escape. "Is that— and he still left in a huff? Damn!"
    Beth looked down at herself and groaned. "Don't ask."
    Candy clamped her lips together and pulled a pretend zipper across them. "Wash rag's in the back, hon."
    Beth rolled her eyes and stormed back down the hall. It was going to be a long night until the sun rose.
     
     

 
    Chapter 11
     
     
    "I know you're awake. Stop pretending," Penny said.
    Beth was awake. Barely. She'd barely come to her senses before Penny spoke. She opened her eyes and saw Penny sitting in the chair. Even with the shadows Beth could tell her mentor was nude.
    "I don't remember planning a nude cocktail waitress outfit," Beth tried to joke.
    "Do you want me?" Penny asked, ignoring her joke.
    Beth sat up in the bed, letting the covers fall to her hips. "Excuse me?"
    "You've mentioned many times that we haven't consummated our relationship. Would you like to?"
    Beth hesitated and then blinked her eyes. "Wow. Points for spontaneity, but, um, the romance is kind of lacking. You're angry."
    Penny was silent for a long moment before responding. "I suppose I am. At myself as much as anything."
    "Why?" Beth asked. "I haven't disappointed you, have I?"
    "No, I've disappointed me. I should have handled things differently. I should have made more time for you."
    "Penny, stop," Beth said. "You've done amazing things for me. I can't tell you how thankful I am."
    "Not thankful enough to listen to me," Penny said.
    "What? Why do you say that? I told John to go!"
    "Elizabeth, you know better, he—"
    "Don't call me that," Beth snapped. "Not when you're talking down to me! I'm not a kid, damn it!"
    "You're acting like one," Penny replied before she could stop herself. She clamped her lips together and looked to the side while Beth jerked back as though she'd been slapped. "I'm sorry. But look at it. You know he's a police officer. You know he has to look into things that don't make sense. Look at us. We. Don't. Make. Sense!"
    "But, I— he cares about me. I can't just block him out."
    Penny tilted her head. "I thought you said you did that last night? Are you planning on seeing him again?"
    "I don't know, maybe," Beth admitted. "I haven't thought about it that far. What good is being like we are if we can't enjoy ourselves?"
    "If he finds out and tells someone? What then? It will spread. We will be discovered and hunted. Ages ago they would have been content to destroy us. Now? The way the world is they would try to capture and study us. Torture us so they could try to learn and use our gifts for their own purposes."
    Beth shook her head. "He loves me! He would never let that happen."
    Penny rose and walked to the edge of the bed. She sat down and pulled Beth to her until she could stroke her hair. Beth wrapped her arms around her and took comfort in the embrace. "We changed when we died. I changed and so did you. You have many things to learn and do. Many changes ahead of you. What mattered and made sense as a living being is different now."
    Beth shook her head as much as her cheek against Penny's skin