Fateful 2-Fractured Read Free

he
worried about now, his death, but asked, “So since it wasn’t such
an extreme transformation, many things remain the same?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Interesting,” she said, but thought
that it was kind of gross to think about saliva in his bloodstream
... her saliva. Oh well, she
supposed they swapped that every time they kissed anyway.
    Danielle leaned closer to Ethan, slid her
fingers into his hair and then nuzzled against his shoulder,
inhaling. “So, you get to stay this way? Hmm. That’s nice.” But
several questions whirled through her head. Would he still live
longer than her? Could he regret letting her bite him taking away
all of the physical benefits he had before? How did he know he
could bleed? Has he cut himself? All questions she didn’t dare ask
right now, fearing the answers. Danielle remained silent and
watched the city lights streak past the windows of the car.
    He kissed her on the top of the head and
reached to turn on the sound system, which filled the inside of the
Jag with the complex rise and fall of an instrumental melody. Ethan
liked the rock music Danielle normally listened to as well, but he
truly loved the classics. She enjoyed anything he played as he
broadened her taste in music with his hundred and
seventy-three-year-old experience.
    “How does sushi sound?” Ethan asked, now
parking in front of a building. The neon sign glowed red with the
words Hakuba, sushi and sashimi bar
    “Raw fish? Are you sure about that?”
    “Certainly. Why not?”
    “Do you really think that’ll sit well in
your newly mortal system?” She gave his flat belly a gentle
pat.
    “Most likely not, but I want to try it
anyway,” he replied.
    And because his tone was so thick with
enthusiasm, she said, “All right then, sushi it is.”
    Ethan had remained very excited to explore
the foods he’d never bothered to try while being a vampire, and he
really seemed to be enjoying it. Even when he chose things that
didn’t cooperate with his digestive system. He seemed to think the
flavors were worth the price in indigestion. But as Danielle
thought about it, she kind of figured most men were like that when
it came to food.
    As they walked toward the front door, she
noticed their bodyguards for the evening following. She’d actually
forgotten about them during the car ride. Danielle guessed that
Cedric had taken her “bring a date” suggestion to heart when she
saw four couples approaching instead of four men.
    Most of them she recognized right away. She
knew the husky and knightly Max, and his new bride Nadia. She knew
Beon and his wife Sophia. And she knew Cedric and Seth, but she
didn’t recall seeing their significant others. Of course she could
have seen them briefly at Beon’s ball, but she certainly hadn’t
been directly introduced to either of them. Wanting an official
introduction, she paused.
    Ethan eyed her curiously when she tugged on
his hand.
    “I want to meet Anna and Seth’s wife.”
    “Ah.” He turned to wait with her.
    The immortals walked up to them without
meeting their gazes since the sun had set and their vampire powers
were now full force. It would only take one direct look from any of
them to render both she and Ethan helpless and dazed, though it was
sort of strange conversing with them with their eyes downcast.
    “I see you took my advice,” Danielle said to
Cedric who was looking at his hand intertwined with his date’s.
    “Yes, we brought dates. I hope you’re
pleased.”
    “I am.”
    “Danielle, this is Anna. Anna, Danielle
Darcey,” Cedric said.
    Anna smiled. Her gaze was also focused on
hers and Cedric’s hands.
    “Hello, nice to meet you,” she said to
Anna’s forehead.
    “It’s my pleasure, really,” Anna replied
sweetly. Her soprano British voice was lovely, and her features
were pretty with her heart-shaped face and full lips. The petite
vampire smoothed a lock of her medium-length blond hair through her
fingers as she now studied the pointed