Colleen Tews [Shadow Faith 01 Birth of a Vixen (epub)

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.“Why didn’t you just let Brutus kill me back there? For that matter how did you know who I am or where I would be in the first place?”“So many questions.Do you always think this hard?”“I try not to.”He let out an exasperated sigh.“Okay, little miss over thinker, I will answer your questions.”“Why did you save me?”“That is not a simple question to answer.”“Try.”“The people I work for want to change how things have been running for centuries.They’ve put their trust in me to accomplish what they haven’t been able to because I can get people from both sects to follow my lead, like you.“Me? In the grand scheme of things I am a wee little vampire, as you pointed out so eloquently a couple seconds ago”“In some ways, yes you are, but not in all.”“I don’t follow.” I wished he wasn’t referring to Thais.He crossed his legs, set his elbows on either armrest and he interlaced his fingers across his chest.“I am in need of someone with your… ‘special expertise’.I believe we can come to a beneficial arrangement.After all we do have a common enemy.”“We do?” He had me intrigued, but I remained cautious.“The great citizens of Kent have turned their backs on you.I want to over-throw the very system that ordered your friends to be slaughtered.”“Stop trying to sell me and simply ask me what you want.” I slouched back into the seat.“I’m asking for your aide in the war against the Cabal Ministry in Kent.I want you to help me the only way you can.Infiltrate the city.Watch their every move and report back to me should something arise.”“And how does my ‘special ability’ help you spy on the locals?”“If I have you in the middle of the battle, but not in any direct conflict, you can see how they may react to things or foresee what they’re planning.” He was serious.Lucian actually thought I could help him.“There’s a slight flaw in your logic.I can’t just waltz back in there.They just tried to kill me.”A mischievous grin spread wide as if he hoped I would bring this part up myself.My naïveté made me putty in his hands.“That is where your payment comes into play.I can promise to make you look like yourself again.”The nightmarish night twisted into a dream come true.I dreamt of the night when I no longer fear a mirror, to see me, not Thais staring back at me.It hadn’t happened the way I planned, but here it was; the answer I searched for presented itself.“How do you know who I am?”“An old friend of your family told me you would be in town.”There was no one from my family that knew I was here.I didn’t stay in contact with anyone from my past and for good reason.“Who?”Those hazel eyes held a deep longing as he looked at me.He knew more about me than he let on to make him look at me that way.Or perhaps he felt that same pull I felt earlier? “Does it matter?”Did I want to be me again? Absolutely.This also provided the perfect opportunity to keep my vow against Brutus.An obvious perk was that it gave me the chance to get to know Lucian better, and perhaps I might understand these sensations of wonder between us.I shook my head.My eyes moistened.Bloody tears of joy flowed down my cheeks.He could have made me promise to do a million other things to be me again.This night started so wrong and became so right.“Please make me look like me again.I’ll do anything.”Chapter 4Dried blood covered my skin.Caked on blood peeled in thin, flaky sheets under my nails.The blond hair was a hard brittle mesh riddled with knots with chunky bits of flesh from the Maarten I shot.The delicate, pastel green sundress was stained with blood creating various colors of sluggish brown and black.Patches of the original pastel peeked through.It clung to me like a second skin, at least what was left of it.Large pieces of fabric were missing.I squirmed out of the dress and dropped it on the floor.I saturated myself in the triangular Jacuzzi tub full with piping hot water.The blistering liquid felt wonderful against my cold skin.I rested my head on a porcelain headrest and got lost in pure bliss.The bathroom was immaculate.From where I was lying I saw a tall, glass shower held together with matching brass rails up the sides.His and her porcelain sinks, with brass faucets, rested on cherry cupboards.A mirror ran the length of the sinks.Studio lights protruded from wood trim above the mirror.A vaulted ceiling with a pair of open skylights allowed the crisp night air to filter down into the room.In time the water cooled to a comfortable lukewarm temperature.The weight of tonight’s events flowed from me into the water and my eyes grew heavy.I relaxed for the first time in ages.After a few minutes there was a knock at the door.“Isn’t that the way it goes?” I scooted over to the wall of the tub.I hid my naked, little body out of habit.I assumed the knocker was Lucian, but Sasha stepped into the room.“Hi.Hope you don’t mind me barging in like this.” She had changed into skin-tight, grey, sweat pants, a white men’s tank top, and a pair of fuzzy, black slippers.In her small, well-manicured hands she held a set of clothes, two, fluffy, black towels and a piece of paper I couldn’t make out.“No, I don’t mind at all.Thank you for the towels.Are those clothes for me?”“Yup.I got the clothes Lucian requested for when we finish in here.” She set everything between the sinks.“What are we doing? You’re not going to bathe me are you because I can do that myself?”She giggled.“No silly, I’m here for our slumber party makeover.”“Our what?”She acted like we were a couple of teenagers about to do something naughty long after our folks had gone to bed.Of course, growing up like I had, I never got away with doing anything after my mother went to bed because by then it was time for school.“You can’t have a slumber party without one.So I am gonna make you look pretty again.Think of it as a bonding moment.”“You’re going to change my body?” There was no way to discern what House a vampire belonged to by looking at them, unless they were Gancheru.I knew Lucian was a Ravanian.“Don’t sound so grumpy.Of course I am.You didn’t think Lucian was going to do it, did ya?” She kicked off her fuzzy slippers one at a time.She giggled again as the shoe bashed the wall above my head.I sank lower into the water.Sasha forced a fake pout.She ducked down to my level and spread her arms across the edge of the tub.Her fingers tapped the top of the faucet [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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