The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (top 10 novels of all time .txt) 📗

to be two hundred years old, I doubt that I could have been more surprised by my friend at that moment.

                He blushed.  He honest-to-Goddess blushed!

                “Thanks.” he said.

                Katsu turned back to admire the computer displays, and I caught Jack’s eye.  You and her? I mouthed to him.

                I hope so! He mouthed back.

                I had no idea if such a pairing could even work, but I had bigger problems at that moment.

                I was on my own.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                I wandered down the main hallway, unsure of what to do.  I could have gone into my office to watch some TV, but I knew that concentrating on a show would be next to impossible for me at that moment.  I had thoughts encroaching on my consciousness that I really didn’t want to dwell on, and I needed a distraction.

                A door opened up ahead and I saw Evelyn walk into the hall. She was dressed more casually than I was used to, having shed her usual skin tight black leather in favor of comfortable jeans and an oversized t-shirt.  She looked a bit surprised to see me there.

                “Oh! Hello.” she said.

                “Couldn’t sleep?”

                “Sleep?  I remember sleep.” she sighed.  “Living with my brother means keeping unusual hours.”

                “What are you guys working on?”

                “A side project.”

                “Ahh,” I said, “a confidential one?”

                “Is there any other kind?” she answered.

                “Hungry?”

                “Always.”

                We made our way to the kitchen, saying little along the way.  Of all of the strange, unique individuals I had met over the past year, Evelyn seemed the most enigmatic.  Not as bombastic as her brother, and not as spiritually familiar as my vampire friends, she was a blonde cipher, saying little but ever watchful.

                And an incredibly fit enigma, at that. I thought, catching a sideways glance at her.  Her clothes may not have been skin-tight, but her figure was obvious nonetheless.

                And where in the living fuck did that come from?!? I thought, testy with my unexpected shallowness.

                Evelyn made herself comfortable while I popped some apple pie leftover from dinner into the microwave.  I poured two glasses of milk and set the warmed pie in front of her.

                “Oh, this looks divine!” she said, digging in.  As she swallowed, she closed her eyes in ecstasy.  “Bloody hell, that’s good.”

                I had to agree as I tasted the warm, sugary goodness.  “My boyfriend is a hell of a cook for someone who doesn’t have to eat.”

                “So,” she said, leaning in, “what’s it like to have sex with a vampire?”

                “Hot?” I replied, unsure as to what to say.  “To tell you the truth, I don’t think I’m a good judge of vampiric coital skills.” I said, waving the question away.  “I’ve only had sex with one other person in this life, and I have something like ten thousand years of history with Vincent the soul, so… I’m biased.”

                “Damn.” she said.  “To be completely honest, I’ve always wanted to make it with a vampire.  The few older ones I’ve met have been so… mysterious and juicy.”

                “Just how rare are older vampires?”  I had heard Vincent and Angelique’s version, and I wanted to get another opinion.

                “Rare.” she answered firmly.  “Ninety-nine percent of the vamps I meet are

fledglings, and the obnoxious ones at that.  Old vamps are rare, and vampire queens like Angelique are even rarer."

                “Vampire queen?” I asked.  The phrase was new to me.

                “Any vamp over a thousand years old is called a ‘vampire queen’.” she said.  “Men, women, it doesn’t matter.  Since the first vampire was a woman, all of the ancient ones are referred to as vampire queens.”

                “How many of them have you met?”

                “Including Angelique, three.  And one of those was a stone-cold bitch."

                “So you didn’t want to jump her bones, right?”

                “No, her I really wanted to bang.  I have a thing for the ‘bad girl’ type.” she shrugged.

                “I wouldn’t imagine that you’d have a hard time succeeding.” I said, leaning back.  “I mean, I’ve never been into girls, but a eunuch could see that you’re an attractive woman.”

                “Why thank you." she said, grinning.  "Though I'm sure that you haven't been a hetero cis-chick in every life, right?"

                “That would be correct.” I said, suddenly wanting a joint.  “I’ve gotta tell you, remembering being a man?  Having sex with a woman?  Kinda blew my mind.”

                “Being a woman having sex with a woman is pretty mind-blowing as well." she said with raised eyebrows.

                I flashed back to my past life regression earlier in the day, with its vivid memories of sex with Angelique as Lunaria.  My mind then jumped back to the memories of waiting for Angelique as she was now, my past self intending to give her 'what she wanted'… and my actions after that showing me in no uncertain terms just what that meant.

                At that moment, something slid into place.  A realization that had yet to occur to me, it seemed so obvious all of a sudden.

                What Angelique wanted more than anything else in the world at that time was to be with the woman who I was in that life I thought.  She wanted her because she was me.  She was longing for me!

                “Holy fuck.” I said out loud.

                I must have looked stricken because the next thing I knew Evelyn was handing me a freshly lit joint.  "Hit this." she ordered, and I complied.

                Angelique has loved me before, and not just as the people were then, but the people we were at our center.  Does she love me every time, or only some times?

                And is now one of those times?

                I hit the joint again, and then went to pass it back to her.  She just waved it away.  “I think you need this more than I do right now.”

                “Thank you.” I answered shakily.

                “Want to talk about it?” Her face was soft, and something