Min's Vampire Read Online Free Page A

Independence Avenues: a tall brownstone, with a
wrought iron gate that surrounded its inadequate yard. The roof was
pitched with gables, a widow’s walk and even a turret. There was a
green man carved in stone affixed over the front door. A pagan
touch, a mark of protection—but not from what Luca was.
    He stood there in the shadows of a
neighboring house and watched the witch, her unrushed, confident
movements. She was simply getting ready to go to bed. He could see
her in a second story window as she brushed her hair. He could have
watched her for hours. Her every move was addictive to the
eye.
    Abruptly though, the witch peered out
at him…from every window in the house. He felt a shudder of
surprise ripple inside him. But he liked surprises. So he smiled
and tipped his head to the cunning witch. He hadn’t taken his eyes
from the building for more than a second, yet when he looked back
there were twice as many windows aglow with light. And each boasted
a lovely vision of the witch.
    Fruitlessly Luca realized he
didn’t know where the real windows were now. That would make
forcing her out of the house far more problematic. Sneaky…very sneaky.
    The image of the witch in the nearest
downstairs window brought a telephone up to her ear.
    Is she really calling the
police? She can’t honestly believe they could do anything…except
die. The thought of the witch showing such
disregard for human life excited him.
    A phone rang from about twenty feet
behind where the vampire stood. He smiled at the witch—it was her
turn to nod. He slowly turned to find a payphone directly behind
him. Had it been there a moment ago? Was she powerful enough to
conjure things out of thin air?
    Probably not. His attention had been on
watching her…or at least the image of her that she had wanted him
to see, that he hadn’t noticed before. He strode carefully over to
the phone and gently picked up the jangling receiver. Luca brought
the device to his ear, yet said nothing.
    When he turned back to the house all
the windows were dark, except the one which held the phone-wielding
witch.
    “ So what’s your name,
vampire?” Her accent was thicker now. Obviously she’d pared it down
to blend into this new world. But now that she was confronting an
old evil, she let it flow freely.
    “ I’m known as Luca…but you
can call me master.”
    The witch’s laugh was robust and
infectious, and she had the loveliest smile—so sweet, but her eyes
rolled toward the ceiling.
    “ I’m sorry,” she chuckled.
“I don’t mean to be insensitive, but you’re a complete
ass!”
    It shouldn’t have made him
angry. He really wasn’t that thin skinned. But she was
laughing at him.
That overt slight made his blood burn in his veins.
    “ And your name?”
    “ Min,” she said.
    “ Well, Min…when I sink my
teeth into your lovely neck, you won’t be laughing then. You’ll be
begging for your life!”
    The witch stopped laughing, but her
radiant smile didn’t waver in the least. “Maybe…but I’d wager you
don’t have the balls to make me do anything but laugh at
you.”
    The witch’s words stung. They made heat
ripple off his cold skin. He hadn’t felt such a hunger for
vengeance in so long he didn’t recognize it at first. She was
baiting him, no doubt. But to his detriment, he was falling for
it.
    She shook her head slowly, that
maddening smile still beamed through from the window.
    “ It’s too late,” she
protested. “I’m already dressed for bed.” Luca noticed the witch
was wearing a silky blue robe, cinched around the waist. Lace
whispered its secret underneath. “But why don’t you come
inside?”
    “ Come inside? Are you
seriously—”
    “ Inviting you, a vampire,
into my home? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. You’re invited
to come in…” Suddenly there was the crackle of fireworks from
somewhere to the vampire’s left. His eyes only averted for a
moment, and seeing nothing he looked back to find that every