A Vampire's Soul Read Online Free

sleeping hours. Unless, of course, I was still actually asleep.
    I raised my eyes and stared at the huge figure framed in the open doorway. The army greatcoat and camouflage-style pants didn’t surprise me, but the T-shirt made me look twice. Emblazoned over the familiar eagle, globe, and anchor logo were the words USMC Protecting Your Nuts Since 1755. On anyone else such a declaration would have made me smile, but on Aleksei I had to wonder if it was a statement of fact.
    God, he was big!
    I’m sure that somewhere in my subconscious I’d already registered this fact, but the last time I’d been this close to him, my brain had had other things to worry about, witnessing my boyfriend commit murder being top of the list. Looking up at the face that was now staring down at me, I realized I was peeing-my-pants terrified. I thought about screaming, but who would hear me? I had no close neighbors, and if he’d come here to hurt me, I sure as hell wasn’t going to be able to fight him off. Even if I managed to reach the kitchen ahead of him, I was all out of garlic.
    My entire world, everything that I had never questioned, had just been flushed down a paranormal toilet. Any lingering doubts I might have about vampires being confined to the limits of a writer’s imagination were gone. Last night had shown me that, and the confirmation was standing in front of me.
    Folding his arms, Aleksei shifted his weight so he now leaned against the doorjamb. He peeled back his lips and, with an almost lazy insouciance, dropped his fangs. I made a noise that might have been a yelp and felt my whole body stiffen. His fangs didn’t look as big as Gabriel’s had been last night, but they were big enough.
    â€œIs good you know what I am,” he said, as his mouth widened into a grin. “Now, invite me inside, Rowan.”
    And I almost did. My mouth opened, and I felt my tongue forming the words when something snatched hold of me, and gave me a good, figurative shake.
    This is the only ace in your hand—use it, goddammit!
    â€œAre you kidding?” I shot back. “Just how stupid do you think I am?” The big guy frowned and then began stroking his chin, almost as if he was giving both parts of my response serious consideration. If he was trying to be funny, it wasn’t working, and nothing pisses me off more than having my intelligence insulted. Dream or reality, he’d just told me he couldn’t come inside my house—at least not the first time—without being invited to do so. Gabriel had also needed me to invite him in, and withholding my permission was the only weapon I possessed. Hopefully it would be enough.
    â€œI don’t think you stupid at all. Asking for invitation is only politeness.” His voice was a deep rumble that I found strangely comforting. “Gabriel would not like me to be rude.”
    Screw Gabriel. What about me?
    Narrowing my eyes, I looked at him. It wasn’t that I thought he was lying, but I definitely got the sense he was holding something back. Sighing, he pushed himself off the doorframe and straightened up to his full height. He was an impressive and very scary sight.
    â€œDo you really think we haven’t found way to get across threshold?” My stomach curdled. Maybe Gabriel hadn’t wanted to be rude that first time either. “You d-don’t have to b-be invited in?” I stammered.
    He gave a nonchalant shrug before giving me a sly grin. “Is better, but not necessary.” Tilting his head back, he ran both hands down either side of the open doorway, as if feeling for a weakness in the framework. “It will hurt like bitch, and I’ll have headache for week, but can be done. And you will need new door.”
    I don’t know if it was the way he spoke, his accent and the way he stressed certain words, but it sounded like I was being threatened, the suggestion being that more than my front door was