Free Sun Kissed (The Guardian Angel Series Book 2) by Skyla Madi

him. “I’m sure I could find a way to relax
you.” She began running her long fingers over his shoulders, causing jealousy to
burn relentlessly in my chest.
    “I’m fine. Thank you.” His voice was
strained and cautious.
    Ludiia’s lips stuck out in a pout, but she
didn’t take her hands off him.
    “Well, Miss Moore. It just so happens to be
your lucky day. I want you to work for me.”
     

 
    The Job
     
    I couldn’t think straight, I was too
confused. The higher power was no longer one of us, he was one of them. I would
die before I helped out any vampire.
    “No. I’d rather die.” I didn’t mean to say
it. The words just fell from my lips.
    Lucian drifted forward rapidly, his
movements too fast for me to realize his cold fingers grasped my jaw tightly. I
winced at the pressure I felt under his grasp as all pretense of civility disappeared.
    “Be careful what you wish for,” he hissed.
    The eyes that bored into mine were deep and
black. I shuddered as they searched every inch of my soul. They held no
emotion, no life. I felt a lump form in my throat as I thought back to the
night my mother was killed, when I was turned against my will. I closed my
eyes, swallowing hard in an attempt to hold back the tears that threatened my
eyes.
    “Let her go,” Eli growled.
    Lucian chuckled and released his grip. I
opened my eyes as a single tear fell down my cheek.
    “Interesting, isn’t it?” Lucian said,
addressing the entire room.
    The surrounding vampires chuckled and
agreed.
    “Perhaps, you would do it if I —” He kicked
Eli to his knees and exposed his throat. Ludiia giggled and knelt on the floor
beside Eli. Lucian’s fangs shot out of his gums and nicked the skin of Eli’s
throat.
    “Stop!” I shrieked, my voice echoing in the
silence.
    Ludiia looked up at me, smiling with
pleasure. I couldn’t bear to see another loved one killed in front of me and the
smile that spread across Lucian’s face made me nauseous.
    “Tell me about this proposition,” I
stammered. I swallowed, reminding myself to force confidence back into my
voice.
    “Atta girl,” a random vampire cheered.
    Lucian appeared in front of me once again
and Eli rose to his feet, standing closer to me. I could feel his body heat
radiating onto me and I relaxed in it. It made me feel safer, it offered me
protection, and it soothed my soul. Ludiia appeared behind Lucian, keeping her
spiteful eyes on me.
    “Ruby,” Eli muttered into my ear. “You
don’t have to negotiate with these people.”
    I ignored him. “Your plan?” I prompted Lucian.
    He clicked his fingers and a big rust
colored chair was brought out for him. I bit the inside of my lip in nervous
anticipation as he got comfortable.
    “You might not know that vampires outnumber
your species a hundred to one. If you want to survive, you’ll take this offer I’m
about to explain to you.”
    I nodded.
    “I want to harvest both your species’
blood.”
    I stared at him in astonishment. He couldn’t
be serious? Did he actually think I’d go along with that? Eli fumed beside me.
I could hear a rumble in his chest, building toward a growl.
    “If I can provide my kind with your blood
without many deaths to your species, then your kind can thrive longer. Your
kind will also remain oblivious to what I really am.”
    “Why are you doing this? Why do you care if
we live or die?”
    “When you were a vampire, did you ever
taste god or guardian angel blood?”
    I shook my head, but I remembered the smell
distinctly. They had the sweetest scent I’d ever had the pleasure of smelling.
    “What a shame. No vampire would give your
blood up, but if I can harvest it and sell it, your species will survive. If
goddesses, gods, and guardian angels survive, then as the higher power, I’m
doing my job and no one will know.”
    “What do I do?”
    Eli inhaled sharply, no doubt confused why
I was even considering his job offer.
    “You will travel to various vampire sectors
and impose my