Forbidden Desires : The Immortals Book One

Chapter 1

Present Day

March

Paris, France

"You WHAT?!"

One job. This was supposed to be one. Simple. Job.

She played with the cigarette between her fingers at the booming voice in her AirPod; almost as intimidating as in person. She hadn't had a chance to light it before he picked up. His aggravated sigh activated her fawn response, her voice soft and slow. "You promised you wouldn't get mad..."

"Huuu...." He smacked his forehead; he did not need this right now. They'd finally reached a temporary ceasefire. This was supposed to be his quiet time in Tripoli-clear blue water, sandy beaches, overpriced umbrella drinks-not having to do damage control. Alas, a king's work is never done.

"I'm not mad," he cleared his throat and let the tension leave his jaw. "How many dead?"

"...fifteen." she whispered sheepishly.

Another soft groan. "Nef-"

"You promised!"

A snarl this time. "I'm not mad..." he grumbled as he propped himself up on his elbows. This was supposed to be an easy mission, which is why he'd sent her. How did a cake walk turn into a bloodbath in the one city that strictly forbade such atrocities?

Paris was supposed to be safe for all-even daemons-and had been for the past five centuries. An unmanned boat ran aground in the Seine and police were blocking off the area; it was all over the news, the tv in her hotel room outlining the grisly details...

"Lycaon?"

"No-only humans..." She took a quick peek out of the curtains of her hotel room before sliding them completely shut-dawn was approaching, the sky lightening to a deep cerulean. Steam poured out of the bathroom from her recent shower, the jasmine scent of her body wash filling the room. "They attacked me first-I had no bloody choice!" Her hand brushed over her sore arm as it finally started to heal; charred bits of flesh giving way to unblemished mahogany skin. Damn UV flashlights, she thought. They had me going for a minute...

"Attacked you?"

"Yes-I was leaving the archives in Mantes when they jumped me and threw me in their boat. They were on a 'hunt', one of them claimed." The woman stretched across the bed like a feline with a yawn. The tv droned in the background, news of a "How was I supposed to know their boat was on its way to Paris?"

So it was self-defense-he couldn't argue with that. Still, it left him and their faction in a compromising position-the Accord had been broken. "Hmph-Where are you now?"

"Some roach haven by the cathedral," she answered, moving her braids off her neck. "No one saw me."

"Did you manage to complete your objective?"

"I did," Her feet kicked behind her as she lit her cigarette and mulled it over, her gaze drifting off to the small blood-stained suitcase sitting in the chair by the door. "You never told me what you needed this for, anyway."

"That's classified," He sat up against the headboard, the curtains leading to his balcony fluttering in the breeze. Streaks of pink and orange stretched across the horizon, and the waves coming in brought the salty air to his nose. "When are you going to bring it to me?"

"Day after tomorrow." After another stretch, she rolled onto her back to face the ceiling, her reflection in the mirror staring down at her through the smoke. Soft laugh lines, no blemishes -not bad for thirty-five, give or take a few thousand years. The former Egyptian queen smiled--As a vampire she didn't draw breath; her chest remained still until she took another drag. The warm light of the bedside lamp glistened in her hazel eyes, illuminating the large red ring around them, exaggerated from her earlier feast. "I have something to take care of first."