Black Moon Rising (DarkLife Saga) Read Online Free Page B

Tristan’s case anyway.”
    “That may be true, but you took away my option to refuse.”  I pressed my palm to his chest and pushed him against the wall.  “You’re pissed at Constantine for putting you in this position.  You need to slow your roll and quit taking it out on me.  I‘m not your punching bag, Valerian Donatello Trumaine, I'm your sister.”
    His back knocked into the wall as I pushed away from him with a little more force than I should have.  There was probably a dent in the elevator, but he deserved it.
    We rode down the remaining floors on silence.  Valerian didn’t utter a single sound until we were in the truck, and well on our way back to the office.
    “You’re right,” he finally admitted under his breath.  I turned the radio up and continued ignoring him.  “Come on, Valeria.  I said I was sorry, alright.” 
    I should have made him suffer awhile longer, but I could never stay mad at him for long.
    “You’re damn right, I’m right.  You care to tell me what else is bothering you?”
    “William Baker is going to the gas chamber if I can't prove his innocence, but trying the case in a human court is going to make it damn near impossible.”
    “So get it switched to the judicial system within the CMS.”
    “I thought about that, but there has to be at least one member of our community involved for me request a change of venue.”  He pulled out a notepad and began copying information onto a fresh sheet.  “I need to ask you a favor, Val.”
    “Whatever you need ”
    “I need you to run an investigation, but it’s got to be on your own time .  I don't want Father to know about this just yet.”
    He didn’t have to ask.  I was already planning on looking into Williams coming s and goings myself.  “Not a problem.”
    We made it back to the parking garage, and I tossed Valerian the keys.  “I know my shift isn’t over yet, but would you mind covering for me with Tamerlane.  I need to get home early tonight.  David needs to talk.”
    He snatched the keys out the air and waved me away.  “No problem. It's the least I can do after the way I acted tonight.”
    I headed for my car, g lad to be leaving work behind.

Chapter 3
     
    I t was well before eleven when I got home.  I pulled in next to Irulan’s Beetle and leaned back into the seat to order my thoughts.  I knew I would discuss Valerian’s case with her sooner or later, if she didn’t pull it out of my head first, but I wanted a few hours of peace before slipping back into work mode.
    Lucky me , that peace included a teenage vampire, who was for all purposes, my son.  I could hear David yelling clear through the house.  I rushed from my car, hopped up the few stairs to the living room, and headed for his bedroom.
    When I got there his heavy iron door was closed, but I could hear Irulan on the other side telling him that everything was going to be okay.  When I got inside I found David pacing back and forth, with what looked like the crushed remains of his cell phone in his hand.
    “It’s not fair!”  He screamed as black and silver bits of plastic and circuitry fell to the ground.  “They wouldn’t have a problem if I was like Mom, but no, I can't date her because I’m not good enough.”
    I stepped into the room with both of my hands held up in front of me.  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what’s going on , and why did you have to take it out on your cell phone?”
    David looked down in weird won derment at his pulverized phone.  His bottom lip began to tremble as he stared at the broken device and before I could say another word, blood red tears began falling from him eyes.
    I crossed the room and pulled him into my arms.  “David , what’s wrong?  Whatever it is, we'll figure it out.  Don't cry.”  In a move that shattered my resolve not to join him in tears, David dropped the remains of his phone and threw his arms around my waist.  He burrowed his head into the crook of my arm, and his body