Coldstorm (Heart of a Vampire, Book 7) Read Online Free Page A

marble foyer and past the sweeping staircase. "Don't worry about it. Yet." He strode through the hallways to his King's private reception rooms.
    Inside he laid the Rogue on one of the couches.
    As he'd predicted, she showed no signs of waking. Dark lashes swept over flushed cheeks. Her pink lips were parted, relaxed in sleep. She looked so young. Innocent. Incapable of the atrocities committed by the Rogues.
    Distant sounds drew closer, announcing Jordan's pending arrival. Matt forced himself to cross to the fireplace. He lit the readied wood, using a lighter to spark small flames.
    His King strode inside. "Tell me there hasn't been another murder."
    Matt straightened from the tiny, flickering fire and moved to the couch.
    Jordan's eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious woman. His gaze snapped back to Matt.
    Clearing his throat, Matt said, "I found her trying to get into the blood bank. I don't know if she's one of the monsters killing innocents or not. Either way, a Rogue shouldn't be in your territory."
    Jordan sighed. Rubbed his forehead for a long moment. Then his mouth twitched. "You found her at the blood bank?"
    "I did."
    "Well, now." He crossed to the bar and poured two glasses of old whiskey, then waved Matt to the antique chairs in front of the fireplace.
    "Shouldn't we get her to the dungeon in case she wakes?"
    Jordan shot him a sardonic glance. "I think between the two of us, we'll have no problems with such a bit of a female."
    With a convincingly uncaring shrug, Matt sat down and accepted one of the glasses.
    Taking a sip, Jordan stated, "Tell me every detail." The hardness in his voice struck Matt wrong, but he couldn't fully read it.
    Starting with the wash of power in the hospital, Matt continued to the reaction of the ghosts. His glance strayed to the woman once more. "The magic couldn't have come from her. She didn't have that kind of power." He finished the explanation, studying Jordan, trying to figure out why the man kept almost... grinning? He had to be reading things wrong.
    Jordan pinned him with a heated glare and Matt knew for sure he'd imagined any amusement.
    "Mateo," Jordan said deceptively soft, using Matt's given name. "You saw a strange vampire, going into a public place, open to all. Instead of asking if she had permission to be there, you knocked her unconscious and brought her here?"
    Well, when he put it that way... "She's not one of ours." Heat squirmed in Matt's gut and he found his attention once more drawn to the woman.
    "Wake her up," Jordan commanded.
    Matt crossed to her side, her dark, exotic beauty striking him yet again. For a long moment, he hesitated.
    Jordan cleared his throat and spurred Matt into action.
    He laid a hand on her forehead.
    At the touch, a zap of electrical energy prickled over his skin. The air stirred, bringing the thick scent of springtime and cherry blossoms.
    Her scent.
    The faintest of whispers circled. Far, far away, struggling to come closer, the words broken and distorted. Ignoring the strange sensations, Matt let his magic wash over the woman.
    She woke with a gasp. Tension sang through her taut form. She jumped to her feet, her smoky blue eyes unfocused for only a second. When her gaze cleared she stared hard at Matt.
    He didn't even see her move.
    A sudden increase in magical power rent the air. A heavy hardness slammed into his chest, directly above his heart.
    Matt flew backward through the air and crashed against the stone wall on the other side of the room. Pain stabbed along his spine. Ice cold tendrils slid through his lungs when he breathed. He shook his head violently to clear a slight dizziness.
    The Rogue remained in front of the sofa, tensely crouched, watching him. Her eyes blazed a furious blood red. She bared her teeth, flashing her fangs in warning.
    "It's all right, Anca." Jordan's commanding tone filled the room with the pressure of his strength. "You're safe now. Back in my home."
    The woman slowly straightened. Her gaze