Here Be Sexist Vampires(13)
The laugh just burst out of me. “You’re powerful, I’ll give you that. But there’s a lot more to being in the legion than being agile and gifted.”
“Explain it to me.”
I sighed. “Some of the things that the recruits will be required to do...Let’s just say they’re not for the faint-hearted. There’s no space for compassion or even guilt.”
“So...because I’m a woman, I must be faint-hearted, compassionate and prone to guilt-trips?”
My smile widened a little. She couldn’t have any idea how much her attitude was making me want her right now.
“You know what, Commander Michaels” – there was no respect in the title, it was patronising, and I loved it – “I would have thought that today might have at least taught you one thing; women might just be able to handle things better than what you give them credit for. You held blood to my lips” – I’d wanted her to lick my finger badly – “and I didn’t even so much as twitch. You had me playing Tarzan in the forest with that giant ogre chasing me and I delivered on that task as well. Then you purposely left me ’til last for the third task so that I’d have to duel with you...and let’s not butter up the fact that I put you on your backside.”
“But those tasks are not nearly as bad as what tasks you get once you’re in the legion. Some will keep you up at night. Stick with you forever.”
Her eyes narrowed, she slowly slid off the desk with the smoothness of a snake and approached me in a predatory manner. With only a footstep between us, she spoke, “Well let me tell you something. I’ve done things in my time that would make the curly hairs in your pants go straight. Female or not, I reckon I’ve got bigger balls than you have.”
Her voice went even raspier when she was irritated and that just made me want her even more. I found myself wondering what it would be like to bury my fingers in that dark hair or claim her mouth. I didn’t bother masking my desire for her. I let my eyes wander to her full lips. I let the red tint to my irises be prominent. Then I watched her face as she noticed. She didn’t shrink away. Instead more defiance entered her expression as she shot me a ‘not a chance’ look. I strongly disagreed. A part of her wanted me, I could sense it.
“So, you want me to give you a trial-run in my squad?”
She tilted her head again. “No.”
The office doors then opened and in strode Antonio, his bodyguards and Pit Bulls flanking him. The dogs, to my complete shock, trotted over to Sam, sniffing and nuzzling her. Antonio didn’t seem surprised, which also shocked me.
“You have told him the news?” Antonio asked Sam.
“News?” I queried. Something told me that I wasn’t going to like this. Mostly it was her smug expression.
“You will both be working together.”
“We’ll both be what?”
“I’ve offered Miss Parker -”
“For the gazillionth time will you just call me Sam?” she stressed.
Antonio smiled at her indulgently, like a father. What the hell had been going on? “You’ve offered her...?” I prompted.
“The role of aiding you with training your squad to control their gifts.”
“Isn’t that great?” she said with fake enthusiasm.
Antonio looked as though he was stifling a chuckle. Great, the joke’s on me. “You made this decision without first speaking to me,” I said in a low voice, feeling overlooked.#p#分页标题#e#
He sighed. “Jared, you know that I hold you in the highest esteem. You know how valuable I consider you to be. You know that I trust in your capability -”
“But I’m apparently not capable enough.”
“I have my reasons for needing the squad properly prepared without delay. I will be holding a meeting tomorrow during which all will be explained to you, Sam and the other commanders. What I will assure you of now is that my employing Sam is not a reflection on you or my faith in you.”
“Yeah, right.” That’s when I walked out.
(Sam)
“Well that went well,” I said after Jared slammed the door shut behind him.
Antonio sighed. “After a little time alone with his thoughts he will be fine.”
“I certainly hope he isn’t.”
“In the meantime, please acquaint yourself with your personal assistant.”
“I have a personal assistant?”
“Fletcher has been Jared’s assistant for the past three years, and now he is also yours. A fellow Brit, too. Fletcher?”
In a blink Fletcher appeared, his hands clasped together and his eyes shining with enthusiasm. I realised that I had seen him at what looked like a reception desk outside the room. The feminine way with which he held himself and the fact that he was so colour coordinated to the extent that he sported designer glasses that had a navy frame to match his navy suit all told me one thing: Fletcher was homosexual. And so cute. He had the cutest baby face that looked almost perfectly circular and was framed by short, tight mahogany curls. The most adorable dimples decorated his naturally pouty lips. I just wanted to pinch his cheeks like a grandmother would do to a child.