The New Girl Read Online Free Page A

purple flush of Grig’s skin begin to fade back to red, and then that too began to return to his normal, tan shade. Cat’s lashes fluttered.
    “Wow. What is that stuff?”
    Cassandra handed Grig a clean towel to wipe his chest with and began cleaning up her impromptu triage supplies, leaving only the first aid kit on the bar. Though, watching as Grig’s Shifter healing finally started to kick in, Drei doubted they’d really need it.
    “It’s just a tincture of vitex negundo. Otherwise known as the Chaste Tree.” Cassandra’s lips twitched. Drei felt a chuckle rumble in his chest as relief relaxed some of the stiffness in his shoulders.
    “Surprised it worked on Grig then,” Em replied, amusement lightening his own gaze.
    Grig swiped alcohol and some of the sticky herbal mixture out of his chest hair. “Screw all of you,” he grumbled. Cat giggled.
    “Okay, but if it’s just some plant, how come it just worked like... like magic?” She waved her hand at Grig’s shoulder, which now just looked like normal, except for the long, thin scratch. It hadn’t healed completely, but clearly the venom was no longer working its way into Grig’s system.
    Cassandra swiped a damp rag over the bar. “Shifters heal quicker than humans. Surely you’ve seen that with this one.” She arched an eyebrow and tipped her head toward Em.
    “Okay,” Drei said, tired of waiting. “Now that we know my brother isn’t about to keel over on the spot, explain how the fuck you know all this shit, Cassandra.” It came out like an order. Cat shot him a frown. Em rolled his eyes. Even Grig snorted.
    “Geez, she only just saved my life, Drei. Don’t cut her a bit of a break or anything.”
    Cassandra met his eyes, her clear green gaze un-intimidated by his harsh tone. It made her even sexier. “I’m not one of your trainees, Andrei.”
    “What the fuck?” Grig murmured. Em’s eyebrows practically touched his hairline. Cat stared back and forth between Drei and Cassandra, her brow furrowed.
    “Will you explain? Please.” Drei gritted the words out. He had to know how this woman knew what she knew. The need only slightly edged out his increasing desire to press her against a wall and wrap her legs around his waist.
    Cassandra’s eyebrows twitched. She sighed and took a swig from the vodka bottle herself. “I know because you’re not the only Shifters that spend time here. Lots of the recruits do too. Even some vamps.”
    “And they’re talking out of school?” Em sounded like he was ready to round up whatever pups had been careless enough to be discussing Pack business out in fucking public, but Drei shook his head.
    “No, that’s not it. Is it? Out there in the alley, you weren’t talking about some conversation you happened to overhear.”
    Cassandra took another gulp of vodka and grimaced. “Not exactly.”
    Grig rolled his shoulder, wincing only slightly at the movement. “I’m lost.”
    “Me too,” Cat murmured, pressing into Em’s side. “Why do they want me? I’m just a human.”
    “You’re more than that, baby.” Em brushed a kiss over her head. Cat squeezed his waist.
    Cassandra’s fingers were white-knuckled around the neck of the vodka bottle. “You’re not just a human. Not a regular one, anyway. The one that got away, he’s tasted your blood. And it’s... different. That’s why he wants you. And, I’m guessing, why you were able to Mate with Em.”
    “And you know that how?”
    But Cat stamped her foot and spoke over Drei. “I am just a regular human. He must have the wrong blood. I was born to normal parents. I played field hockey in high school and had an experimental phase in college and there is nothing supernatural about me!”
    Em waggled his eyebrows. “An experimental phase?” But Cat slapped her hand against his chest to quiet him.
    “It’s not supernatural, Cat. It’s just... Other.” Cassandra chugged the last of the vodka. Grig had drunk more than half of the already