Silver Blood (Series of Blood Book 1) by Emma Hamm (bill gates book recommendations .TXT) 📕

“Get her a Seeing Eye.”

“Excuse you, I can order my own drinks.”

Pitch gave the bartender a severe look, and Wren knew that she was most likely going to get the Seeing Eye.

“Wren, this is an important client. I would owe you.”

The thought was tempting. Pitch didn’t ever say that he would owe someone, but everyone knew that he was good for his word. Pitch would do absolutely anything she wanted when she pulled in that favor.

“That’s tempting, Pitch. It’s really tempting.” She took the drink offered to her and scowled at the vile pink liquid. Of course it was the drink Pitch had ordered for her. “But I don’t work for people I don’t know.”

“He’d like to speak with you directly.”

“No.”

“No?” Pitch seemed surprised that she dared to deny him anything.

“No! I like the way my life is, and I’m not getting involved with whatever it is you’ve gotten yourself into. Look at you, Pitch, you’re sweating! Who is this person?”

She watched as a droplet of liquid slid down his chest and disappeared underneath the silken folds. There was a sheen of glisten to his forehead that she had never seen before. When she pointed it out, a flash of fear made his eyes widen just for a moment.

“Wren.”

“What have you gotten yourself into now?” She murmured as she stepped closer. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“I need you to do this for me.”

“You know my rules. I don’t get involved.”

He put a hand on her waist as they leaned closer to each other. Anyone watching them would have assumed that they were two lovers enjoying the taste of each other’s breath. But upon closer scrutiny, there was a tension between the two of them that could have been cut by a knife.

“Wren, if you don’t do this, they’ll take it out of my flesh.”

“I don’t owe you anything. You got yourself into this.”

He glanced around them. His eyes scanned the room and all the people that had gathered around them. Wren couldn’t imagine that he would be harmed in a place like this. There were too many people around who would keep him safe.

But Pitch wasn’t ever nervous without reason. She imagined that this feeling was likely unusual for him. He was never in a situation he didn’t control. But, this time, it was his own fault.

Wren had her own rules, which she followed. Don’t get involved. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you will get hurt. Those were easy to follow, and they meant she wasn’t going to help him now.

His hand flexed against the skin of her back.

“Dance with me,” he murmured as he leaned down to press his forehead against the long line of her neck.

“Excuse me? Your dancing skills aren’t that amazing that you’ll convince me just by moving your hips.”

“I could convince you with my hips, just not in a public place.”

She rolled her eyes at the nervous smile he flashed at her. “Fine.”

Wren knew what he wanted. As he guided her into the crowd, she was all too aware that he was giving them privacy. It seemed backwards really. Walk further into the masses of people so that they could talk without people interrupting them.

In their world, sometimes it was easier to be quiet in a room full of people than somewhere private.

Pitch guided his hand along the line of her arm to gently hold her hand in his. He was a perfect partner in all essence of the words. His hand was gentle upon hers, his arm was strong against her spine, and he was of the perfect height for her to speak with.

She would have enjoyed this moment if the taste of danger wasn’t still lingering upon her tongue.

“I’m asking for your help.”

“I’m well aware of that. And I’m not helping without knowing what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“I don’t know.” His eyes glanced over her head for a few moments before looking down at her. “I honestly don’t know.”

They spun in a whirl of dark fabric. Her pale legs were revealed briefly along with the boots which made dancing gracefully difficult. Still, she thought she was managing just fine as Pitch held her in his arms.

As the other couples gracefully moved around them, she caught a glint of something familiar. It wasn’t much. The flash of gold buttons that caught a small bit of the light. Yet that small glint was enough to blind her.

“What are they asking for?”

“You.”

“Nothing else?”

“Just you.” His brow furrowed in troubled worry.

“You’re a better Juice maker than me.”

“You have more exotic Juices.”

“Of course,” she muttered, “it’s always the ones who want to go a little deeper into the dark side. But why ask specifically for me?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Pitch replied. “I have a feeling it’s less about the Juice and more about you.”

As he guided her around a large woman with a swan draped around her shoulders, Wren stumbled. Her? Why was everyone so interested in her all of a sudden?

“I don’t like that,” she whispered. The shadows around them seemed all the more dangerous as the reality of her situation sunk in. Was Burke working for these people? Would they go so far as to try to get to her through Pitch?

“I wouldn’t either. But I’m going to need you to talk to them, Wren.”

She shivered at his tone. “I can’t. There’s enough people trying to force me to do something I don’t want to do. Not you too.”

“Wren.” He dragged his nails down her spine. “I was being nice and asking. If I have to force you, I will.”

“You could try,” she whispered. Her eyes flipped backwards in her head so that E could peer out for a few moments before her eyes returned to normal. “But I’m not sure you’d like the results.”

Wren could feel the muscles in Pitch’s shoulders tense. “You cannot threaten me with that Curiosity.”

“I believe I can.”

She could not believe that he was trying to manhandle her into doing what he wanted. Pitch had always