The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire Read Online Free

leather coats.
    With a rather redundant warning not to discuss our nondisclosure agreement with our families, Amelia sent us home. At least, she sent Aaron, Marty, and Jordan home. She asked me to stay a few minutes because Ophelia had some papers she needed to send to Iris’s business, Beeline. I stood outside Ophelia’s office waiting for at least ten minutes, trying not to take it personally that I wasn’t invited inside to wait or that when she finally handed the papers out to me, she just shoved an envelope through the doorway without actually showing her face.
    â€œThank you,” I said, as pleasantly as I could, as Ophelia snatched her hand back and slammed the door.
    â€œGenerous compensation and a clothing allowance,” I reminded myself as I walked out of the employee exit, rummaging around in my purse version of the Bag of Holding. “A 401(k) and a dental plan.”
    My keys were, as usual, at the very bottom of my bag. The parking lot was empty, but at least the humans had designated parking right under the lone streetlight. It was the vampire version of handicapped parking. I would take time to be offended by that once I was safely ensconced in my locked car.
    I glanced around the empty lot, once and then again, while my heels made a quick clip-clop across the pavement. Just as I passed an unoccupied SUV, two strong hands closed around my shoulders.
    I froze. I couldn’t move, time stopped, and all I could think was I’m going to die. Iris is going to deserve such an “I told you so.”
    My feet flopped uselessly two inches above the ground as he—at least, I thought it was a he—dragged me toward the SUV. Given the fact that I was a little more than six feet tall, the guy had to be huge.
    Fighting back the initial panic, I hoped somewhere in the back of my mind that this was another one of Cal’s tests. I had to stay calm. This was just like getting thrown around the mat by my instructor, Jason. I just had to assess what needed to be done and go through the steps. I threw an elbow back but missed his ribs as his grip on my arms tightened. I wrapped my leg around his, hoping to make it harder for him to walk if he planned to carry me off. I threw my head back, hoping to connect with the bridge of his nose. But I missed there, too.
    My heart raced. There was no way this could be Cal. My brother-in-law would have cackled like a loon if he’d evaded a head butt. Which meant this was real. Crap. I was going to die.
    â€œPlease,” my assailant whispered, in a tone far gentler than one would expect from a guy who was attacking me in a parking lot. “You will stop now.”
    Nope, definitely not Cal.
    â€œI don’t want to hurt you.” I relaxed only slightly against him as the calm thrum of that faintly accented voice settled in my chest. “Who are you?”
    I whipped my head back toward him. “What?”
    But instead of answering, he carefully turned me around to face him, setting my feet on the ground. And there he was, standing in front of me. Mr. Barely Visible. Mr. Probably Imaginary. Golden-brown eyes, high cheekbones, long straight nose, chiseled jawline, and a smirky mouth, the same features that had haunted me for the last five months. And I’d been right before: he was freaking huge, even taller than Cal, at least six-three or six-four.
    â€œYou!” I exclaimed.
    The corner of that beautiful mouth lifted in a sort of mocking salute. “Me.”
    My mouth dropped open, and I growled. “You.”
    â€œYes, me,” he said again, stepping closer and leaning in so his body pressed mine against the SUV. His golden hair reflected an icy sheen in the sickly blue streetlights. “And who are you?”
    I should have hit him. I should have pulled my fist back and slugged him for following me, for the five months of uncertainty, for the current invasion of personal space. But I couldn’t, because, well,