Reluctant Partnerships Read Online Free

made that decision, heard tales of a few more, but for the most part, we keep finding reasons to stay around a little longer.”
    “How old are you?”
    “About five hundred years old,” Sebastien said with a grin. “I’m told the years have been kind to me.”
    “We’ll never get to Paris before dawn,” Pascale said, “and Adèle said I couldn’t be out in daylight.”
    “Adèle obviously neglected to mention a few things,” Sebastien said with a short laugh. “Thierry, could you do me a favor?”
    “Sure,” Thierry said, coming to the car. “What do you need?”
    “Can you send my new friend to place Pigalle? I’ll get Adèle to send me too. Pascale needs to meet Angelique.”
    “Of course,” Thierry said, drawing his wand. “Relax,” he told Pascale. “This will feel a little odd, but it won’t hurt.”
    With a flick of his wrist, she disappeared. Sebastien dropped a quick kiss on Thierry’s mouth before calling for Adèle to send him to Paris as well. Moments later, he reappeared on place Pigalle, the Moulin Rouge to his left and Sang Froid, Angelique Bouaddi’s establishment, to his right.
    “I don’t understand,” Pascale said again.
    “Thierry and Adèle are wizards,” Sebastien explained. “Come on. Sunrise is getting closer. It won’t hurt me, but the same isn’t true for you.”
    “Why won’t it hurt you?” Pascale asked, hurrying to keep up with Sebastien’s long strides.
    “Because Thierry is a wizard,” Sebastien replied. “I promise to explain everything I can, but first you need to get inside and you need to feed.”
    Sebastien held open the door to Sang Froid for Pascale.
    “Sebastien, what are you doing here?” Angelique asked, summoned by the chime above the door.
    Sebastien kissed Angelique on each cheek. “You’re looking lovely as ever, chérie. This is Pascale. Pascale, Angelique Bouaddi, proprietress of Sang Froid.”
    “Enchantée,” Pascale said.
    “Indeed,” Angelique replied. “What’s your pleasure?”
    “She doesn’t know,” Sebastien said. “She was turned earlier tonight and then abandoned by her maker. Adèle found her and brought her to l’Institut, but Thierry is the only human in residence at the moment, and I didn’t feel like sharing.”
    “Oh, ma pauvre,” Angelique fussed, wrapping her arm around Pascale’s shoulders. “Come inside and let me take care of you. Go away, Sebastien. This is girl talk.”
    “As if you wouldn’t have the same talk with a male vampire,” Sebastien laughed.
    “Of course I would, but that doesn’t mean Pascale wants you to hear her secrets,” Angelique scolded. “Go away. I’ll take care of her.”
    “Is David around, by any chance?” Sebastien asked. “Because if he isn’t, I’m stuck here until Thierry sends someone looking for me.”
    “Don’t terrorize my staff,” Angelique said. “David is asleep, but I’ll have him send you home when he wakes up. He had a bad case yesterday. I won’t disturb him if it’s not an emergency.”
    “Can I use your phone, then, so Thierry knows that I’ve been delayed?” Sebastien asked. He respected Angelique’s protectiveness. David worked as a child advocate in custody and abuse cases. Sebastien suspected all of his cases were tough ones.
    “It’s behind the desk,” Angelique said with a wave of her hand as she guided Pascale out of the main room and into her parlor-cum-office. “Now that the men are gone, we can talk.”
    “Talk about what?” Pascale asked nervously.
    “Which of my lovely employees will provide the blood you need tonight,” Angelique said. “You are hungry, aren’t you?”
    “Ravenous,” Pascale said, “but how am I supposed to choose? Does one person’s blood taste different from another’s?”
    “You aren’t supposed to choose,” Angelique said. “Not without some experience. I, on the other hand, have centuries of experience to share with you, and over a hundred years of matching vampires with my