Scandalous
Episode 3 by Mina Khan
Website: http://minakhan.blogspot.com/
Good thing Abby had plenty of experience with challenges. She didn't like them necessarily, but she never backed off from one. Squaring her shoulders, she met his glare and smiled. "We'll see about that."
A glint of interest sparked in his eyes as his lips twitched into a shadow of a smile. A smile that did nothing to cut the dark broodiness of his features or the thick tension in the room. Just made him look more...big, bad, and dangerous. She swallowed as her heart sprinted. Were those fangs peeking out over his full sensuous lips? Oh, yes. Good, so he really was a vampire.
"Not that you don't have a smokin' hot bod, but why does it need guarding?"
Heat rushed across her skin at his blunt words and roaming gaze, but she kept her chin up. "Perhaps I should have introduced myself by my professional name, Sitara the Seer at your service."
He guffawed at that. "You don't look much like your pictures."
Yeah, well. Uncle Dave, her manager, guardian, and only-living relative, insisted on stage presence. He thought exotic and mysterious sold better so the fancy name, the heavy makeup, the gaudy jewelry, and dressing in silk, and gauze outfits straight out of somebody's harem fantasy. Everything about Sitara the Seer was a sham except for the ability to see the future.
Still smirking, Reed crossed beefy arms across his impressive chest. "So tell me what am I going to do next?"
"You're going to offer me coffee and a seat."
"Because that's what the Universe is showing you?"
"No," she said. "Because that's the polite thing to do."
"I like you." He grinned and waved at a pair of straight back chairs sitting in front of his desk. "Make yourself comfortable. How do you take your coffee?"
"Black," Abby said, lowering herself into a seat. Her skirt slid up as she crossed her legs. His eyes widened and followed every move. A very female sense of satisfaction filled her and she turned away to hide her smile.
Within moments, he'd placed her coffee by her and claimed the big leather chair on the other side of the desk. He leaned forward, hands clasped. "So what's the story?"
She sipped her drink, letting the bitter taste, and rich, smoky aroma fortify her. "I have a regular client, let's call him Mr. X."
Reed raised a raven brow. "Mr. X?"
Abby flashed him a pointed look and continued. "He usually wants me to pick lottery numbers or race horses, favorable dates for business and such things. I knew he was involved in some shady deals, but this time..." She choked up on the rest of words and had to take another swallow of coffee.
"This time?" Reed picked up a pen and tapped on the desk top like a demented woodpecker.
She swallowed and met his cool green gaze. "He asked me if he should go into a new international venture. This time, I saw death. Not his, but that of other people at his hands."
Reed made the time out sign. "Wait, you expect me to believe you actually saw a vision."
"Yes, and because of that vision I'm now in danger." Was that breathy voice coming from her? She cleared her throat.
"You told Mr. X you saw him murdering people?"
"Of course not." She bit her lip. "I may have shouted out "Murderer!"
