Read Compelled (Vampires in America #10.5) for Free Online Page B

slacks and an Oxford-style buttoned shirt in white with faint pink stripes. Her dark hair was neatly cut and highlighted with gray in a way that Cyn knew came from a good stylist. She gave them a friendly, if somewhat puzzled, smile.
    “Hi,” Nick said, pulling out some of the charm he’d always had in abundance. It was why she’d assumed he was a salesman. “Mrs. Briley?” The woman nodded and he continued. “I’m Nick Clark, and this is my wife Cindy. I served with Gary a couple of years back.”
    “You were in Afghanistan?”
    Nick nodded. “And before that in San Diego. We met in boot camp.”
    Her smile widened. “Gary Junior hated boot camp.”
    He grinned. “We all did, but it kept us alive later on.”
    Anna shook her head. “A terrible thing. I worried so much when he was over there.”
    “That’s what my mom tells me, too,” Nick agreed. “But we made it. Which is why we’re here. I told Gary before we got out that Cindy and I were going to take this trip, and he said to stop by. So here we are.”
    “Oh, dear. I’m afraid you’ve missed him, but . . . well, where are my manners? Come in, won’t you?” she said, stepping back and inviting them inside. “Would you like some coffee? A cold drink?”
    Nick kept hold of Cyn’s hand as he moved into the house, following Anna to a seating area next to a big, open-concept kitchen. Cyn glanced around curiously. The house was nicely furnished, albeit not to her taste. The floor was tiled in multiple hues of brown and beige, and there was a lot of wood everywhere. Wood cabinets, wood paneling, wood mantel on the fireplace. Between the wood and the tiles, there was an awful lot of brown. But she supposed some people would find it homey and welcoming. Those same people would probably think her own décor was cold and uninviting, she thought with a slight smile. To each her own.
    “Coffee?” Anna repeated, heading into the kitchen.
    “If it’s not too much trouble,” Cyn said, speaking for the first time. “We got an early start this morning, and the coffee in the room was pretty awful.”
    “Oh my, yes,” Anna agreed. “We always bring a thermos of our own if we can. Cream and sugar?”
    “For me,” Cyn said. “Nicky takes it black. Thank you.”
    Nicky gave her a dark look. He liked a lot of sugar in his coffee, and she knew it. She smiled.
    Bitch, he mouthed silently, making her swallow a laugh.
    “Will Gary be back soon?” Nick asked, settling onto the sofa and pulling Cyn down next to him. “We could grab a bite somewhere and come back later.”
    “I’m afraid not,” Anna said, sounded truly apologetic. “He took off a couple of days ago for a job interview. Arizona, I think.”
    “Darn,” Nick swore softly. Cyn rolled her eyes at the PG swear word. “But we’re heading that way, so maybe we can meet up. Do you have a cell number for him?”
    “I don’t,” Anna said with what sounded like real dismay as she set a tray in front of them, bearing the two cups of coffee, along with cream and sugar. “He said something about roaming charges and getting a new cell phone once he got there. But I haven’t heard from him yet. I can let him know you stopped by next time he calls, though,” she added brightly. “I’ll give him your number.”
    “That would be great,” Nick said, as Cyn disengaged her hand and stood.
    “Could I use your bathroom, Mrs. Briley? We’ve been on the road for hours.”
    “Of course, and do call me Anna. It’s just down the hall there, past the office. The towels are fresh.”
    Cyn smiled. “Thank you,” she said and started off toward it, while Nick kept Anna busy answering questions about her many grandchildren.
    She found the bathroom easily enough and made a lot of noise closing the door, albeit from outside in the hallway. Her real goal had nothing to do with the bathroom and everything to do with the office so handily located next door. As far as Cyn could tell, there was no one in the