A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

could share with her just yet. Girls like
bad guys, not over-sensitive pansies who paint their girlfriend’s toenails and
remember to bring chocolate pralines on Valentine’s Day. So, what was the right
answer? What did she want to hear?
    “Because I mop the floors like no other?” Amber
prompted, piqued. Her brows were drawn, her gaze reflecting mistrust and
disbelief. Her rapid heartbeat sounded like a drum in my ears. My body stirred,
flaring up with a hunger I hadn’t felt since the day I was turned.
    “I love a girl who makes me laugh,” I
whispered.
    “And did I do that a lot when I worked for
you?” Her lips twitched.
    I tried to hide a smile. “Only when you
cooked me that dreadful vegetable pasta.”
    “It’s called a stir-fry.” She slapped her forehead.
“Oh, my gosh. You don’t eat food. I bet you got the biggest kick out of that
one.”
    “Kieran couldn’t stop laughing for a day.”
    “You haven’t answered my question.” She
regarded me as if she could see right through me. For the first time I feared
the bond might empower her to do just that. “There’s something you don’t want
to tell me,” Amber continued, pulling away from me.
    “No idea what you’re talking about,” I
muttered.
    Amber stared at me, frowning. “I can sense
it. Yeah, thanks to you I got this psychic vibe thing going on. So now, not
only can I talk to the dead, but I can also pick up on your emotions and see
you when you’re not around. And I thought I’d only be picking up your house and
my salary. Talk about added perks.”
    I groaned inwardly. She finally felt the
bond, but I could see she was a slow one. At this speed we’d still be sniffing
at each other in two years. Sniffing was good, came with the territory of
dating, but not if it destined me to regular blood stained shirts and more
jokes from the others.
    “I could give you a hint or two.” I laughed
at how sleazy I sounded. Kieran was obviously rubbing off on me.
    “Next time you write a classified ad for a
position, you should consult me,” Amber said.
    I cocked a brow. “Why?”
    “Because the last one was completely
misleading.” She sat up in a lotus position. I tried hard not to peer at her
naked legs, toned in all the right places. “It should read like this: single vampire, stronger than any human on
Earth, 500+ years old but still drop dead gorgeous with blue eyes and dark
hair, seeks summer temp to clean his house, put up with boss’s annoying
and beyond cheesy brother, risk life by living in a creepy mansion, and help
obtain an ancient book.”
    I opened my mouth to protest when she lifted
a hand to stop me, then continued, “Must be quiet during the day while he
sleeps and be willing to understand that his best friend is a blonde bombshell.
Added perks: the gift of talking to a dead person, mind-blowing kisses,
faster-than-a-speeding-bullet rides in the woods, meet nice demon friends from
hell, and last but not least, a psychic connection to the boss.”
    Amber took a deep breath and tapped a
finger against her pink lips. “Must be willing to communicate with a creepy child
queen, not panic easily and keep her cool when a legion of Shadow people are
after her. Endure vampire attacks, face Medusa, survive venomous snake bites,
be willing to give up her espresso when turned into a vampire per boss’s
request, and—”
    “Stop it,” I said, laughing.
    “Just trying to keep it real.” She elbowed
me in the ribs. “Forget the ad. I don’t know what you’re hiding, but I’ll
figure it out myself. Or I’ll just ask Cass. She’ll read your mind like nobody’s
business.”
    “Don’t you dare!” I rolled her on her back,
minding her sore thigh.
    “Why not? I want to know everything.”
    I laughed. “Like hell you do.”
    “Oh, is that where Cass is? Let’s go call
her. Now get off me.” Poking a finger in my chest, she pretended to push me
away, but her attempt was a feeble one.
    What was I doing? I should walk away, let
her wiggle a bit, play hard to get like my brother suggested. But I couldn’t.
    “It’s like we’re destined to be together,” I
whispered in her ear, my fingers brushing her cheek. Somewhere inside my brain,
I could hear my brother’s voice—faint but there, and bloody annoying at
that. What the heck?
    It was too late. I lowered my mouth on her
neck where her pulse felt the strongest, my teeth grazing her skin. Amber held
her breath, but didn’t push me away.
    My hunger grew