Pn1 Read Free Page A

heat and shook his long hair; the webbing
    between his long spindly fingers sweating off the remnants of
    poisonous sun. He opened his mouth and sucked the cooler air
    through his front teeth and fangs, whistling with each inhalation.
    "Should I be laughing at American Gangsters in a dilapidated meat
    factory? There might even be a meat truck lurking around here."
    Constantine slammed the door closed behind him. He never wanted
    to step into another car during the daylight hours, Jesus.
    "Thought you might appreciate the irony." Jason stood with his
    hands clasped behind his back, head raised but eye lowered.
    Constantine gave him a once over, far too perfect not to be reading
    his mind on some level. No one read people this well without a little
    help from the blood, the amount of planning free of hitches, the ideal
    location, all masterly done with little of his own oversight leaving him
    free to prowl and stalk the prey. There was no way this was all
    because Jason was smart; there was something more at play.
    One hurdle at a time, Jason wouldn't have a chance for quite a
    while to show the true blood, and by then Jason would be entwined in
    doing Constantine's work. Handled right, Jason could be made to feel
    duty-bound to honor Constantine's help in moving up the ranks. And
    that would be pay dirt if one day they had neighboring territories.
    Also he would know Jason's proclivities inside and out.
    Constantine ground his heels through the padding of the dress
    shoes. Focus on the now ; he had to stop being two or three steps
    ahead of everyone else and think about the treat inside the car, candy

    15
    until it woke up and turned into a diabetic's worst nightmare. He
    needed to act before her body neutralized the toxin and she became
    the venomous biting snake he couldn't wait to torment onto the
    defensive.
    The bulge in his pants swelled, making him antsy. Time to get her
    out of the car, there was no way she was a threat to him yet, he knew
    that, but her nearness confused him, making him forget every few
    breaths he was in control. If she could do this while unconscious,
    what the hell would she be like raving mad and gnashing to bite his
    jugular if he stoked her blood in that direction?
    He kicked the car to get himself moving forward and into gear.
    "Constantine?"
    Constantine could taste the confusion in Jason's exhalation. Fuck
    that. Jason wasn't full-alpha yet. He was picking up on Constantine's
    slowness, nothing more. "Den of iniquity ready?" He wasn't going to
    answer to Jason's confusion or anyone else's, not even his own. It was
    the damn L.A. sun causing his blood to get too hot and smog
    contaminated.
    "Add her to it and it is finished." Jason stayed where he was but his
    eyebrow wrinkled up before resuming the straight line of
    unquestioning submission.
    Constantine stuffed his fingers under the latch and snapped them
    upwards until the door clicked. He pushed the limousine door open
    past its comfort zone and peered inside. So, gentle when asleep.
    Anything could be done to her and she would never know. Her body
    didn't have to submit, it was an open invitation with her brain offline.
    His jaw pushed his teeth together. Bad boy, she needed to be
    trussed up, then he could imagine all he wanted while watching her.
    He bent down to get her legs and pulled her across the seat until he
    could grasp her waist.
    Pinching her waist with his hands, he lifted her into the air and
    tossed her over his shoulder. Pores on his skin sucked her scent in
    through the layers of clothing separating them, making him heady
    from the sheer desire to rip her clothes off and see all he had in store
    for him.

    16
    Purposely, he bent forward and hit his forehead against the car,
    separating the knitting of his skin so a trace of blood remained on the
    black shiny paint. His tongue came out and retrieved what he'd left
    behind, recycling his own power back into him. The jolt cleared his
    head. He backed up, ready to face