Shift Work (Carus #4) Read Free

“Why did you call me?” I asked.
    “Courtesy.”
    “How’d you know I survived Lucien’s death?”
    “After making his inner circle blood swear to secrecy, he told us about your little blood bond escaping trick.” He leveled me with a dark look. “You’re fortunate someone took his life. He had plans for you, kitten. For retribution.”
    My heart played hopscotch in my chest, but I ignored it. Allan didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already suspect. Lucien couldn’t take the blow to his ego without reacting, and it was only a matter of time before he sought revenge.
    “How’d it happen?” I glanced around the room, looking for…what, exactly? Not sure. A pile of ash with a sign stuck in it reading “Lucien’s Remains.” The vacant chamber held nothing but the stench of Vampire and cleaning products. The room had been freshly sterilized and only the recent milling of surviving Vampires had ruined the clean smell. No ash, no blood spatter, no signs of a struggle. Maybe the true death didn’t happen in this room.
    “That’s none of your concern,” Allan said.
    “As the ambassador between the Vampire Court and the SRD, a supernatural death is exactly that—my concern.” I held my breath.
    Allan chuckled. “You were the ambassador between Lucien’s Vampire Court and the SRD. You were also absent for the last month. Now that Lucien is gone, it is my court, and I have no wish for the meddlesome SRD to be needlessly involved in my affairs. Especially not with a representative who most of the surviving Vampires believe assassinated Lucien. At the behest of the SRD, no less.”
    I choked on my breath. “But can’t you use the liaison thing to your advantage?”
    “Do you honestly want me to use you, little kitten?”
    I froze.
    Allan smirked. “I thought not. I am doing you a favor by releasing you of your service.”
    “Do I get a severance package?”
    Allan laughed. He could’ve just said no.

Chapter Three
    “When given a choice between two evils. I typically choose the one I haven’t tried yet.”
    ~Mae West
    There’s nothing I despised more than the thought of walking into the SRD’s downtown headquarters to face Agent Tucker. Except facing Agent Tucker and asking for reinstatement as an agent. My hand clasped the cold metal handle, and I yanked the glass entrance door open. The stale and fresh scents of norms and supes flooded my nose. When I woke up late this morning after my visit with Allan, I realized I needed to do something more proactive about my work situation. Unfortunately, that meant the SRD and one particular agent.
    Agent Tucker Fucker. ATF. How do I loathe him? Let me count the ways…
    Elizabeth Barrett Browning probably groaned in her resting place as I adapted and butchered her work as a mental mantra to gather self-restraint. Hopefully, she’d forgive me. Only hatred this intense led me to revise and spout poetry.
    I padded across the massive foyer of the SRD’s downtown headquarters and nodded at my Witch neighbours who stood at the security desk. We’d gotten off on the wrong…note…but now, I counted Ben as one of my best friends. I loved this guy.
    “Hey.” Dirty blond hair hung in his eyes when he glanced at his clipboard. He and Matt guarded the SRD from unwanted visitors. Their naughty list would include me very soon. “Didn’t expect to see you until tonight.”
    “Yeah.” Matt looked up from the computer, green eyes twinkling. “We’re still on, right?”
    “Of course.”
    “Then why are you…” Matt trailed off. “Oh.”
    “Here to beg for a job?” Ben asked.
    I might’ve vented about my lack of job prospects with the Witches on more than a few occasions. They held as much optimism for this option as I did.
    “I don’t think it will come to that,” I said. Inside, my mountain lion yowled at the thought of such a submissive act. My falcon screeched.
    Peck! she said, over and over again, while replaying memories of Tucker’s bugged out