Read Online Wanted: A Blood Courtesans Novel by Michelle Fox, Kristen Strassel - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle Fox, Kristen Strassel
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have some way to know Olivia didn’t get lowballed into a horrible death.
Nash shook his head. “She’ll never show it to you.”
“If you turn me, maybe she will.” I smiled at him. I concentrated on what it would be like to be a vampire. It could be considered a dark thought, since he’d have to kill me to do it.
“Which is exactly why I won’t. You have no idea how things work around here. We have centuries of tradition, and nobody will tolerate a brand new vampire trying to cut their baby teeth on them. She’ll throw you out of here faster--”
“But you want to keep me.” I was playing with something worse than fire—vampire rage. “How can I trust you with my power if you won’t do that for me? What are you going to do? Chew me up, literally, and spit me out when I’ve served my purpose? Whatever the danger is, I’ll be safer as a vampire.”
“I won’t make you a monster.” Nash already had his mind made up.
“I already am!” I squeezed my eyes closed, I couldn’t look at him right now. I was dangerously close to doing something I regretted.
Nash ran his fingers over my jaw. I didn’t open my eyes. I wouldn’t make it that easy for him to cast his spell on me. “If you were a monster, you’d be glad the bad things happened. Instead, it tears you apart. I can see it now. You’ll do anything to push the bad thoughts down, because you don’t want to hurt me.”
I sighed, giving in and looking at him. “So your superpower is mind reading?”
“It’s because I’ve had your blood.”
“You didn’t tell me about the side effects.” I turned away from him. I hadn’t remembered the fire burning when I came in here. But it was roaring now. Did I do that? A spark popped too loudly, and I jumped, even more jarred when Nash was right behind me.
His fingers tangled in my ponytail. “Would it have changed anything if you knew?” His smooth tone, so low in my ear, was just as dangerous as the fire. His hard body chilled mine, and his erection was obvious against the small of my back.
He didn’t fight fair. He knew how to use his body as a weapon.
“No,” I said softly. “It wouldn’t. But I wish that it worked the same way for me. That I had any idea what you wanted.”
Nash stepped closer. “I told you. I want you.”
I faced him, feeling the full effect of his body against mine. “You haven’t seen me at my worst. You don’t want to turn me, probably because you don’t want to be stuck with me for the next seven hundred years. I get that. As much as you say I don’t understand what it’s like to be you, the same goes for me.”
“I won’t encourage you to hurt someone to prove whatever it is you’re trying to prove to me.” Nash held me gaze. “It’s not what this coven believes in. We drink from humans to survive. We pay our courtesans because they have the commodity that we need: Fresh blood from a beating heart. You entered that agreement willingly, Corynne.”
This man was impossible. He wanted me for my power but he didn’t want me to use it. At least I could be thankful he didn’t call me Andrea.
I sat on the couch, hands on knees, face buried in my hands. “I came here because I wanted to be turned into a vampire. Long before the police started looking for me. I’ve never been totally human. I’ve never fit in, anywhere. If it wasn’t jail, I’d be sent to a psychiatric hospital. I’m scared, Nash. For myself, and everyone else.”
He was beside me, rubbing my back. I let myself take comfort in it. “That was never part of the agreement. I will keep you safe as long as you’re with me. I can teach you how to use your power, how to harness it, and how to use it when it’s absolutely necessary. Maybe even for good. Just because we live in the dark doesn’t mean we wallow in evil.”
“How long will I be with you?”
His smile melted all the chill from his touch away. “As long as you’ll have me.”
My only option was to trust him.
Nash shook his head. “She’ll never show it to you.”
“If you turn me, maybe she will.” I smiled at him. I concentrated on what it would be like to be a vampire. It could be considered a dark thought, since he’d have to kill me to do it.
“Which is exactly why I won’t. You have no idea how things work around here. We have centuries of tradition, and nobody will tolerate a brand new vampire trying to cut their baby teeth on them. She’ll throw you out of here faster--”
“But you want to keep me.” I was playing with something worse than fire—vampire rage. “How can I trust you with my power if you won’t do that for me? What are you going to do? Chew me up, literally, and spit me out when I’ve served my purpose? Whatever the danger is, I’ll be safer as a vampire.”
“I won’t make you a monster.” Nash already had his mind made up.
“I already am!” I squeezed my eyes closed, I couldn’t look at him right now. I was dangerously close to doing something I regretted.
Nash ran his fingers over my jaw. I didn’t open my eyes. I wouldn’t make it that easy for him to cast his spell on me. “If you were a monster, you’d be glad the bad things happened. Instead, it tears you apart. I can see it now. You’ll do anything to push the bad thoughts down, because you don’t want to hurt me.”
I sighed, giving in and looking at him. “So your superpower is mind reading?”
“It’s because I’ve had your blood.”
“You didn’t tell me about the side effects.” I turned away from him. I hadn’t remembered the fire burning when I came in here. But it was roaring now. Did I do that? A spark popped too loudly, and I jumped, even more jarred when Nash was right behind me.
His fingers tangled in my ponytail. “Would it have changed anything if you knew?” His smooth tone, so low in my ear, was just as dangerous as the fire. His hard body chilled mine, and his erection was obvious against the small of my back.
He didn’t fight fair. He knew how to use his body as a weapon.
“No,” I said softly. “It wouldn’t. But I wish that it worked the same way for me. That I had any idea what you wanted.”
Nash stepped closer. “I told you. I want you.”
I faced him, feeling the full effect of his body against mine. “You haven’t seen me at my worst. You don’t want to turn me, probably because you don’t want to be stuck with me for the next seven hundred years. I get that. As much as you say I don’t understand what it’s like to be you, the same goes for me.”
“I won’t encourage you to hurt someone to prove whatever it is you’re trying to prove to me.” Nash held me gaze. “It’s not what this coven believes in. We drink from humans to survive. We pay our courtesans because they have the commodity that we need: Fresh blood from a beating heart. You entered that agreement willingly, Corynne.”
This man was impossible. He wanted me for my power but he didn’t want me to use it. At least I could be thankful he didn’t call me Andrea.
I sat on the couch, hands on knees, face buried in my hands. “I came here because I wanted to be turned into a vampire. Long before the police started looking for me. I’ve never been totally human. I’ve never fit in, anywhere. If it wasn’t jail, I’d be sent to a psychiatric hospital. I’m scared, Nash. For myself, and everyone else.”
He was beside me, rubbing my back. I let myself take comfort in it. “That was never part of the agreement. I will keep you safe as long as you’re with me. I can teach you how to use your power, how to harness it, and how to use it when it’s absolutely necessary. Maybe even for good. Just because we live in the dark doesn’t mean we wallow in evil.”
“How long will I be with you?”
His smile melted all the chill from his touch away. “As long as you’ll have me.”
My only option was to trust him.
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