Night Light. Amy Blankenship

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СКАЧАТЬ in surprise before tripping over his own feet and falling down. Nick blinked when a man with dark hair stepped out of the shadows grinning madly down at Steven.

      â€œDamn it, Dean!” Steven yelled as he pushed himself off the floor. “Stop trying to scare the shit out of me.”

      Dean smirked and leaned against one of the pillars next to the pews and crossed his arms over his chest. “Unfortunately I don’t have to try.”

      â€œScrew you!” Steven growled. “I’m going to talk to the priest, I’ll be back.”

      â€œMake sure you return the choir robe you borrowed.” Dean teased him. “I’d hate to see some poor boy not able to dress for church.”

      Steven froze when Dean said those words and spun around to glare at the fallen.

      â€œChoir robe?” Nick asked and lifted his eyebrows almost to his hairline. “You wore a choir robe?”

      â€œI shifted, it was an emergency. I had to save this girl from being drained by a fucking vampire,” Steven defended.

      â€œYeah,” Dean chirped. “The very same girl you got your ass beat in front of.”

      â€œLike you’ve never gotten your ass beat,” Steven shot back.

      Dean stopped and thought for a moment. “No, I haven’t gotten my ass beat but it has been pounded.”

      â€œArgh!” Steven roared, throwing his arms in the air and stalking down another hall.

      Nick looked over at Dean, “Any idea where he’s hidden the robe?”

      â€œUnder his bed,” Dean answered.

      Nick smirked, “Perfect blackmail material, thank you.”

      â€œSure thing, I like watching him squirm… that and he seems to think I’m constantly going to kick his ass or something.”

      â€œSadist,” Nick said with a chuckle.

      â€œI’m a fallen,” Dean said. “We don’t have much to keep us entertained.”

      Steven approached the priest’s office door and raised his hand to knock when he heard voices on the other side. One he recognized as the priest, the other was female. Lowering his hand, he pressed his ear closer to the door so he could listen.

      Jewel paced back and forth trying to stay focused but it was hard. The first thing that came to her mind when she walked into the office was when she’d been attacked by vampires and seen a naked man or shifter… whatever he was. She just spent the last five minutes answering the priest’s questions about the other night but right now she had bigger problems than that.

      â€œYou shouldn’t be sneaking around in the middle of the night,” the priest said. “It’s dangerous. What if your father or your betrothed catches you?”

      Jewel marched straight up to his desk and practically slammed her palm down on it. “No, they are the ones making it dangerous… climbing out my own window and sneaking past the armed guards that are keeping me prisoner and trying to sneak back in without getting caught.”

      â€œYour father is just trying to protect you.” He tried to calm her down but knew what she was saying was true. Her father was in here every week confessing… washing the blood from his hands and conscience.

      â€œNo, he’s trying to force me to marry his business partner to pay back a debt! A debt I had nothing to do with. Isn’t there a law against slavery in this country?”

      â€œBut when you and Anthony came in here for the meeting, you said you loved him with all your heart.” The priest pointed out. “That is not the type of thing you should lie about. It’s a disgrace in the eyes of God.”

      â€œYes well, the two body guards standing behind our chairs… do you remember them? The one behind me was digging the barrel of his gun into my back. I could never love an egotistical heavy-handed barbarian like Anthony. He promised to kill me and my father if I don’t go through with the wedding. And earlier tonight, when I tried to tell father that I didn’t want anything to do with Anthony, he smacked me so hard that I know where the stars are located now, because I could count them.”

      Both Jewel and the priest were startled when the office door flew open so hard it banged the wall making several pictures and a gold-plated cross fall.

      Steven stood in the doorway glaring at the two of them. However, the darkening bruise on Jewel’s cheek made Steven see red. “You both need to come with me.”

      Jewel’s knees felt weak seeing the mystery man still alive. She had thought about him being killed by vampires so many times since running from him. Several times she’d even regretted running to the point of tears. Now that she could breathe easier, she wanted to scream.

      Why was it every time she came to talk to the priest in confidence, they had an emergency? She was less afraid of this shifter than she was of her gun toting fiancé and until she heard fire alarms or saw a fang face, she wasn’t going anywhere.

      â€œNot this time,” Jewel informed him crossing her arms over her chest.

      â€œI can’t just leave the church unattended,” the old man started but Steven quickly cut him off.

      He took deliberate strides closer to the desk as he spoke, “Have you made a deal with the devil and decided to feed your parish to the vampires? Is it you burning their bodies in your boiler room?” When the priest just opened his mouth but didn’t say anything Steven continued, “Or is it the sinners you preach to that have committed mass murder in your basement and dug a tunnel to escape through?”

      â€œOh my,” the old man gave Steven a grim look. “If I leave the church, how long will it be until I can return?”

      â€œGive me your cell number. I’ll call you within a couple hours. Do not come back until we give the all clear.” He sighed knowing he’d won the argument when the old man started rifling through his drawers getting things he deemed important enough to take with him.

      Jewel tried to remain perfectly calm while edging her way toward the still open door. Freedom… why was it she always found herself running from mad men?

      â€œDon’t make me chase you,” Steven gritted out as he jerked his head to the side and locked his gaze on her. “I said he could go home… not you.”

      Jewel’s lips parted as she froze in mid motion. How dare he give her an order? She gritted her teeth realizing she’d obeyed him anyway. She raised her chin up a notch in defiance as she came to a conclusion. The moment she got away, she would keep running… from all of them, including her father.

      â€œWhat are you going to do with her?” the priest demanded indignantly.

      â€œI’m going to do what you can’t do… keep her safe,” Steven СКАЧАТЬ