Mortal Desire Read Free Page A

true!’ I fired back at her while brushing my thumb over my bottom lip.
    She stared at me then narrowed her eyes at me. She was angry, there was no doubt. She threw the remainder of her drink down her throat, slammed the glass down onto the bar, huffed at me, and left in a storm.
    Well … that went well. Nice to meet you Sarah Flynn! Our paths will meet again. I had made sure of that when our eyes connected.
    I returned to the dukes at the table to the sound of their laughter. They patted my back as I became the butt of their jokes. Ah, an entertaining evening at least, even if it was I that was the entertainment!
    The mist had descended by the time that I had left the bar. Street visibility was low, so much so that the light from the street posts strained to illuminate barely a metre around them.
    I pulled the collar of my coat up to cover my neck and tilted my head forward to avoid eye contact with others walking in the mist of the night. I willed my feet to pick up the pace. I had to be in my apartment by midnight, lest the unthinkable happens, and my Protector seeks me out.
    I ascended the steps of my apartment in record time. I never chose to ride the elevator at any time except for work. It was not my favourite place to be. It was so claustrophobic, inescapable, like this human body that I was trapped inside.
    I alighted into the apartment and closed the front door with the faintest of clicks. I stilled when I heard the arrowed voice aimed at me with the precision of a crossbow.
    ‘Where have you been?’ The voice was low and dark with each word pronounced separately, threatening my mind.
    I turned and smiled at Albert to soften his heart. ‘At the bar with my work colleagues Albert. My curfew is midnight, and I am well within the Earthly realms of this time thank-you. How was your day?’ I asked to distract my Protector. He took his job too seriously at times.
    ‘Uneventful, thank-you Liam. And that is the way that I like it as you know. I don’t like picking up the pieces after you. I managed to beat the cat in a staring competition today. I was victorious at last. Matisse was most disgusted, shook her leg and walked off. She is sulking in the reading chair as we speak.’ Albert’s voice was laced with humour.
    ‘Nicely done then. Did you see my meeting with Mr. Bellini today?’ I enquired.
    ‘Yes … it was an interesting ... discussion. Did you extract anything from his mind as you conversed with him?’ Albert raised an eyebrow at me.
    ‘No. His mind was clouded with alcohol, buzzing around killing off some brain cells. I did implant a thought into his mind though. So he may be forthcoming with information when I am summoned to his office next time.’
    ‘Very good Liam. Your mother taught you well. And with that topic, she visited me in a dream last night. I captured it for you to view when you are ready. I placed it in the blue energy mass.’ Albert stood and stretched his hands out. ‘And now I must retire for the evening. You know I need my beauty sleep lad,’ he said raising both eyebrows at me and chuckling to himself.
    ‘Aye, that is for sure. Maybe you should sleep for a century or two?’ I joked with my Protector who had been assigned to me from my embodiment four hundred years ago.
    ‘Aye—there’ll be no cheekiness from you about that. You know we don’t get to choose our body on the Earth. It’s pot luck—except my pot didn’t have any luck in it! Now make haste and prepare for the delta zone of ministering. Something tells me your body’s electrical circuit had a jolt today. You will need to mend the surge of power that is still residing in your veins. Good night Liam!’
    I lowered my head and smirked at Albert’s remark. ‘Night Mr. Castoro—sogni d’oro,’ I called after him.
    ‘Sweet dreams to you too,’ he replied, waving his hand in the air as he disappeared up the stairs.
    I ran my hands through my hair and looked towards the ceiling of the apartment and