A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

sweetly. “I said it could
cause strife.”
    “We have a fair share to work out,” I said.
I hated how casual that sounded.
    For a moment, Dallas seemed uncomfortable. “You
know about the ex in London, right?” When I nodded, he said, “You seem like a
good guy. Don’t break her heart like Cameron, or I’ll have to kick your butt.”
    The mortal threatening me—if his
brotherly love wasn’t so touching, it’d be downright hilarious. Struggling to
keep a straight face, I nodded. A minute later, Kieran appeared and gave me the
thumbs-up sign. I exhaled, relieved that at least one part of the plan was proceeding
according to plan. I stood and reached for Amber’s hand. “Can I have a moment?”
Four pairs of eyes settled on us.
    She moistened her lips. “Uh, sure.” I
helped her up, our fingers barely touching. An electric shock ran down my spine
as I tightened my grip and led her to the kitchen, then closed the door.
    “What do you want?” Amber hissed.
    In the darkness, I pressed her against the
wall and placed my mouth on hers. She draped her arms around my neck. Something
stirred inside me—the hunger I thought I had under control. I couldn’t
touch her, not without gulping down another gallon of donor blood. Not until she
chose me and the bond we shared.
    Peeling her arms from my neck, I pressed a
last kiss on her lips and let go of her, then switched on the light. Amber
blinked against the sudden brightness. Her lips glistened with moisture; her
hair was in disarray, clothes disheveled. I probably didn’t look much better.
    “We need to talk about tomorrow,” I
murmured.
    “It’s done then?” She tilted her head and
sighed. Her heart beat faster, her mouth tightened. She was scared. I wished I
could assure her everything would turn out as planned, but I didn’t want to lie.
Her expression softened, and for the first time I saw something in her. As much
as she fought it, she recognized our bond. I nodded. The pink tip of her tongue
flicked over her upper lip. “When?”
    I placed a peck on her forehead and drew
her onto my lap as I sat on a chair, burying my face into the soft mane of her
hair. “Before midnight.”
    She nodded.
    “I’m scared,” I whispered so low she wouldn’t
hear me.
    “What?” Amber asked.
    I shook my head. “I asked you to think
about my offer. Have you made a decision yet?” I forced myself to meet her
probing gaze.
    For a brief moment, confusion crossed her
face, then she grasped the meaning of my words and her expression darkened. “I
have. The answer’s no.”
    “I’m only trying to save your life, Amber.
Think about it. With immortality, you also get an eternity of various skills.”
    “Like eternal youth, mind-control, and
traveling at the speed of light?” She snorted.
    “Among others. I can’t go into detail
because you’re not one of us yet, but with my blood you also get my memories
and knowledge. We’re strong; we’re not slaves to our need for blood. The
Shadows have outnumbered us for centuries, and yet they can’t win the battle.”
    “Beauty and brains. What more could a girl
ask for?” She shook her head. “Don’t look at me with those sad, soulful eyes.
It won’t change a thing. I don’t need your protection. I can take care of
myself without turning into what you are. The only things that should be
sucking blood are leeches, fleas, mosquitoes, spiders and ticks.”
    “Your jokes never cease to amaze me,” I
said, dryly. She was clearly spending too much time with Cass and Kieran. Or
where else could she have learned how to come up with one insult after another?
    “You said you liked my sense of humor. All
joking aside, Aidan, I’m not trying to give you a hard time, but I want to be
able to lay on the beach and sip a glass of water without bursting into flames.
Please understand. It’s a girls’ thing.”
    Fearing she’d make this choice was one
thing, hearing her utter the words was another. I ran my fingers through my
hair, wary of the calculating look Amber shot me. “Fair enough. But if things
don’t go smoothly and—”
    Amber cut me off. “Then you let me die.”
    I regarded her, open-mouthed. The victory I
could sense in her told me she saw the situation as some sort of triumph over
me. Whatever sort of battle she fought against me, it was slowly starting to
tick me off. “You don’t mean it.”
    “Of course I do.” She crossed her arms over
her chest and raised her chin defiantly.
    “Please. You