A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

had my stomach in knots.
    “Is everything all right?” Amber asked.
    “Just peachy,” Kieran said. “No need to
worry your pretty head. We were trying to figure out how to save a damsel in
distress from evil forces that want to destroy her.”
    She laughed, oblivious to how much truth
hid in Kieran’s words. “Is there hope for her?”
    Kieran winked. “I believe so. We’re making
it our personal mission to save her by recruiting some big, bad demons,
scandalous Shadows, vampires, and even Beelzebub herself.”
    “You’ve been busy then,” she said.
    “Ignore him.” I placed my hands on her
waist, suppressing the urge to lower my lips onto hers and never let go. She
didn’t seem to believe a word of it, but if Kieran wasn’t more careful she might
start to. “All’s great. We had some business to discuss.” From the corner of my
eye, I watched Blake leave quietly. I pulled Amber toward the large glass panes
and wrapped my arms around her as I whispered in her ear, “This is what I
wanted to show you. Do you like the view?” I could hear her heartbeat speed up.
Whatever Clare said about a boyfriend, soon Amber wouldn’t even remember the
poor guy’s name.
    “It’s beautiful,” she said.
    Like
you. I bit my lip, drawing a drop of blood, the
smell intoxicating. I hadn’t fed in two days. If my plan worked, soon I would
no longer need to.
    We gazed at the dark water crashing against
the cliffs below. Nothing I hadn’t seen before, but standing here with the one,
I felt excited, more so than the first time I watched the spectacular display
of Mother Nature’s force right under my feet. I inhaled her scent and pulled
her back to the sofa, remembering she was mortal after all. “Did you have
dinner tonight?”
    Amber blushed. “I did. But I don’t mind
sitting with you if you want to grab a bite.”
    I smiled. A bite sounded good. I didn’t
mind one of those, but not to feed. “I’m not hungry.”
    Kieran shot me an amused look. “I am.”
    “You’re not getting anything.” Clare
elbowed him in the ribs. “Come on. We’ll sink our teeth into something on the
way home.”
    “Hey, Amber. If you ever tire of him—”
he pointed at me “—you know where to find me.”
    Amber avoided my gaze. I could sense her
nervousness as the others left. She wasn’t comfortable around me. Not yet. To
gain her trust, I had to move slowly, taking one step at a time. “Tired?”
    She nodded. “A bit.”
    Grabbing her hand, I pulled her to her
feet. Even though the bond would draw her to me nonetheless, I wanted her to
start loving me for who I was inside, not just because we were meant to spend
eternity together. “We should get going then. You’re working tomorrow. Nobody
makes vegetable stir-fry like you do.”
    “Right. Of course, boss.” Amber shrugged
into her coat. I thought I caught the slightest hint of regret in her eyes.
    I locked the door—more for show than
out of need—and started the engine. She seemed fidgety now, her hands
clasped in her lap, fingers intertwined.
    “You’re an experienced driver,” Amber said.
    I could sense the question in her
statement. She couldn’t keep her curiosity at bay. Maybe I had underestimated
her inquisitive nature. Even though I had died at eighteen, my perilous
existence as a vampire had helped me mature beyond that age.
    “My family shared a love for cars,” I said.
Another lie told out of need. Before she could resume her questioning, I focused
on the invisible bond between us, emptying my head of any thoughts, then let my
mind invade hers, slowly lulling her into the sweet lure of slumber. It was the
only power I held over her.
    Amber breathed out and relaxed in her seat.
I switched on the radio and watched her close her eyes, my mind wandering back
to the conversation with the Shadows. Cass would ensure they kept their word. She
simply had to. As a bounty hunter, half the Lore council owed me. Maybe I could
call in those debts as well and buy us some time.
    By the time the SUV pulled into the
driveway, Amber’s shallow breathing told me she was asleep. I stepped out,
opened the passenger door and scooped her up in my arms, marveling at how light
she seemed, then carried her upstairs, as silent as my abilities permitted. She
only stirred once, opening her eyes, when I placed her on the bed.
    The soft moonlight cast lazy shadows on
Amber’s pale skin. She stretched in my arms like a cat in front of a hearth,
but I could hear her heart