Colour Me Undead Read Free

office.
    “Where’s your cousin?”
    Melinda looked up from her printouts. “Hmm. Oh, Cora had a hot date.”
    Fury burned through Basil. His fangs pricked at his gums while he fought back the urge to attack his brother’s mate. How could she let that sweet wedding coordinator out of her sight?
    “What do you mean she has a date?” There, he didn’t sound quite so maniacal.
    Melinda’s expression told him he wasn’t quite as successful as he thought. “She had a date. I didn’t ask a lot of questions. She doesn’t like to share after the last time.”
    “What happened last time?” The question was out of his mouth before he’d given it any thought.
    “She went out with a werewolf and he shifted when he got excited. She ended up having to use wolfsbane on him. She really has the worst taste in men.”
    None of that made Basil any calmer. “Why didn’t you stop her?”
    “Why? She needs to get laid. She’s too high-strung.”
    Basil’s fangs burst through his gums as a red haze filled his vision. “Where is she?”
    Melinda expression grew horrified as she finally realised she’d made a terrible mistake. “Basil? Oh, hell. She’s your mate, isn’t she?”
    Mate!
    It all made sense now. The incredible scent, the allure of dipping into her thoughts, and the irresistible urge to stand as close as possible. Yes, the human was his mate.
    “Where is she?” His voice was little above a growl now. His bestial side demanding he claim what was his.
    “She went to Harper’s Warren, a steak house off of I-10.”
    Before the words were completely out of her mouth, Basil ran out the door determined to get his woman.
    Driving would take too long. Two steps from the front door, Basil transformed into an eagle and flew. It was rare he bothered to take another form. Flying took a lot of energy and was flashy in front of the other vamps. Only the king could transform and he didn’t like to throw it in the other vamps’ faces unless it was completely necessary to show them who was strongest.

    * * * *

    Cora looked across the table.
    What the hell was I thinking?
    When he’d asked her out, she’d accepted because he’d seemed so normal. He wasn’t a witch, or seelie, or a were-anything. He was human.
    She watched him as he went on and on about his job at a law firm and wondered if he’d notice if she drowned in her soup. Looking down at the perfectly clear broth, she decided it would be too insulting to the chef.
    “Can you believe it?” Howard threw back his head and laughed. Yep, he laughed at his own stories.
    “Nope, I can’t believe it.” Mostly, she couldn’t believe she agreed when he’d asked her out.
    Looking at her date, she tried to examine Howard critically. There really wasn’t anything wrong with the man. His brown hair curled appealingly, his lashes were long and fringed melting brown eyes. His only flaw appeared to be that he was overwhelmingly, soul-crushingly dull. The question was whether she would find him as dull if he were tall, dark and undead.
    “Enough about me. What latest parties are you arranging? Anyone famous?”
    The new sparkle in his eyes told her more than anything that she’d picked the wrong date. She’d had them before, men excited about dating someone who rubbed shoulders with celebrities. Although Cora did occasionally throw big bashes for well-known actors or billionaires, most often her parties were for average people with something to celebrate. “Nope, no one special.”
    An enormous bird landed on the patio outside.
    “Holy crap, what is that?” Howard stared at the bird.
    Cora watched with an impending sense of doom as the eagle transformed into the big vampire she’d met not an hour before. Somehow he still retained his clothing, a neat trick she was almost sorry to see.
    “Oh, hell.”
    Cora gritted her teeth when Basil waved at her cheerily through the window.
    “You know the vampire king?” Howard’s excitement told her she wasn’t getting any