The Chosen Sin by Anya Bast Page A

her just a trickle of cold water. She stumbled on the canvas floor and caught herself on the edge of the sink. Gripping the rim of the cool porcelain, she closed her eyes for a moment. Her body felt weak, like she’d just recovered from a bad illness.
    When she stepped away from the sink, she avoided catching her reflection in the mirror. Right now, she had to keep her mind on the job. The ABI had sent her to bring Ari Templeton home. That’s what she had to concentrate on. When this was over, she could visit a psychiatrist for the rest.
    Grumbling, she pulled a large white towel from the bar and dried herself. Voices from the room beyond the bathroom door made her fumble when she tucked in the flap of the towel over her left breast.
    She padded to the door and pitched her new hearing outward past it. Alejandro’s laughter boomed, and the sound of another other male laugh joined it.
    Did they have neighbors way out here? She doubted it. She pushed the door open and stepped outside, really wishing she’d had the forethought to bring fresh clothing into the bathroom with her. Thinking straight hadn’t been on her agenda after she’d taken Alejandro’s blood. It probably hadn’t been on her agenda for a while.
    When she emerged from the bathroom, a man she didn’t know stood from where he reclined in the jumble of oversized pillows on the floor. The man had shoulder length, wheat-colored hair and green eyes. He was as solidly built across the shoulders and chest as Alejandro, not someone she’d want to take on in a fight.
    He was vampire. She could feel it with her shiny new vampire senses. Not only that, he felt old and strong. Apparently, this ability of sensing someone from afar had come with her new set of fangs.
    She glanced at Alejandro. He still reclined on the bed, looking all shirtless and luscious. It was an eye-candy festival in here. Experimentally, she pitched her awareness toward him. He felt as strong as the other man to her, but not as old.
    She wondered how she felt to them. Weak as a mewling kitten, maybe? Scowling at the thought, she narrowed her eyes at Alejandro.
    Alejandro sat up when he saw her approach. An apprehensive look crossed his face.
    Uh oh. She didn’t like surprises, and it looked like she was about be socked in the gut with one that had light hair.
    â€œDaria, this is Brandon Nichols.” Alejandro motioned to the green-eyed man, who nodded slightly.
    â€œHey, Brandon.” She cocked her head to the side and tried to look commanding, but that was hard to do when you were barefoot and wearing a towel. “What are you doing way out here?” She suspected strongly that she knew the answer to that.
    Alejandro rolled off the side of the mattress and to his feet in a gesture that reminded her of a large cat. “I didn’t tell you this last night because I didn’t want to add to your stress, but the GBC has required he accompany us on this mission. He has a connection to Sante, so it wasn’t that hard to work out. The GBC thought we could use some extra muscle and the knowledge of an older vampire. Brandon is over one hundred and fifty years old.”
    â€œUh-huh.” She tipped her chin at the two men. “So, what’s your connection to Sante, Brandon?”
    â€œWe share the same blood mother, Maria Gillante.” He had a charming English accent.
    Daria raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty damn good connection, Brandon, but I’ll be honest with you. The fact that you share the same blood mother as Sante, the same woman who was the reason my best friend was killed, doesn’t make me feel very warm and fuzzy. ” The words sounded hostile, but she didn’t know any other way to sound at this point.
    She glared at Alejandro. “It would have nice to have been told about this beforehand.”
    Alejandro sighed. “Look, Daria, this is a joint operation between the ABI and the GBC. The ABI