You Both (Vampire Assassin League Book 29) Read Free

ascertained that.”
    He wore a hooded cape. It shadowed his features as he stepped closer. Stephanie couldn’t help it. Her gaze flew to meet his. He had incredibly dark eyes. Riveting.
    Enthralling.
    “You are very tall.”
    Her mind felt fogged. He called her very tall? Not really. She was a fraction of an inch under six feet. It wasn’t that abnormal. She’d seen many taller women. She could find them easily if she went looking for shoes. They usually hovered around the size 10 – and up – area.
    “Physically fit.”
    So she worked out a little. He found that worth commenting over?
    “You are not Scandinavian descent, are you? Hmm. Your hair is more...an ash brown shade. Nor are your eyes blue. Interesting.”
    He called her hair ash brown? She’d always considered it dirty blond...and why on earth should that matter? The fog grew denser. Almost physical. It was difficult to see clearly through it.
    “You are a beautiful woman, Miss Bowker. Very beautiful.”
    A swell of warmth loomed through her chest at his words, easing the restriction on her lungs. Stephanie managed to pull in a gasp.
    “I don’t believe I could have chosen better.”
    Chosen...? He was listing traits as if looking over prime stock. She needed to make sense of what he said. Deplore it. Strenuously berate him. And she would have if her brain and mouth would cooperate.
    He answered as if she spoke aloud. “I have decided to answer your questions, my dear. But not here. And not now. You are about to begin a journey. A rather unbelievable one. You need to suspend reality. And judgment. And someday...I believe you will thank me for it.”
    It got darker. Her limbs were useless. Paralyzed. Any thought process joined in. She was surrounded by an impression of amazing warmth. Protective. Safe. It enshrouded her. They were moving next, the sensation akin to floating on a sun-dappled pool, surrounded by luxury.
    This was really insane .
    The foggy feeling swelled to consuming level. And then she felt...nothing.
    ~ ~ ~
    “Whoa.”
    Athlerod stopped at the top of the steps. Ethelstone bumped into him with a force that sent him back a step. The ladder rattled.
    “What is it?”
    “Uh...” Athlerod replied unhelpfully.
    “Well? Move in already, and let me see!”
    “Oh. Have some...patience, brother.”
    Athlerod snickered as he said it. His brother was chuckling at him?
    “ Move, you haestpeis! ”
    Ethelstone shoved. Athlerod’s head struck the doorframe with a thud. He spun, and shoved back and Ethelstone fell. He ripped the railing of the steps loose, but it didn’t do much to slow his landing. He smacked onto his back on concrete, creating cracks that radiated outward through the cement. It didn’t help that Athlerod laughed at him, either. Ethelstone was on his feet the next moment and leaping. He snagged his brother about the belly with an arm. The motion propelled them both. They slammed into the jet interior. The fuselage shuddered with the impact. Something fell in the galley area with a clatter. Ethelstone didn’t waste a second. He wrestled for the top position, and the advantage, grunting as if it was an exertion. Then he lifted his head.
    And lost his ability to do anything other than gape.
    The world ground to a halt, even his need to best his brother. Athlerod easily grappled to the upper position, and then straddled him. Ethelstone didn’t care. He lay on his belly and stared. And when that wasn’t sufficient, he pushed upward to get a better view. The move lifted Athlerod. His brother didn’t help. He didn’t take any of his weight off Ethelstone. It didn’t matter. Nothing was of any consequence except—
    “Fine. You win, Ethel. It’s a woman,” Athlerod announced.
    A woman?
    Athlerod needed better descriptive skills. There wasn’t a woman sitting in a captain’s chair facing them. It was a goddess. A real goddess. She was perched on a chair as if considering lesser beings. She sat motionless. Serene. Completely