A Soul Divided (The Blood Fire Trilogy Book 1) by Daniel M. Quilter Read Free Book Online Page A

Drake kept perfect form while fighting.
    He turned his attention back to the officers attacking him just in time to see one swinging a sword at his neck. Al caught the man's sword arm by the wrist before the swing made contact.
    “You lack resolve in your attacks.” Al said to his terrified opponent. “You can fight me again one day if you prove yourself worthy.” The man let out a bellow as Al’s huge foot impacted against his chest sending him careening back across the floor toward his other frightened comrades.         
    This has gone on for long enough. Al thought as he looked out at the faces of their terribly outmatched opponents.
    He took a deep breath and felt the power of Vhy’ Rai surge up inside his chest. He dropped his axes to the floor and stretched his hand out toward the largest group of security officers. He felt the warmth move from his heart, down his arm, and into his hand. Al smiled to himself as the warmth of the Vhy’ Rai power left his outstretched paw and became a great ball of fire rocketing through the air into the group of unfortunate men. They didn’t have the slightest chance of moving away in time. Their bodies flew through the air like leaves in the wind, tossed in all directions by the force of the impact.
    White foam sprayed down from the ceiling, dousing the flames. Ships from the Human Empire had automatic precautions against anything that threatened to remove oxygen. Every ship had fire extinguishers as well as air sealed doors that would shut in case of a hull breach.
    They’ll survive. Al thought as he observed the charred bodies the guards being covered in fire retardant chemicals . Vhy’ Rai can’t kill.
    However he still felt a slight twinge of guilt as he realized that he had put far too much power into his blast. Some of those men would be dealing with the injuries he’d inflicted for the rest of their lives. Some of them may be crippled, others horribly scarred. Either way, their lives would be changed forever. He would have to take the time to use his Vhy’ Rai to heal them once the fighting ended.
    He had done enough. These men needed to fear him, and now they did. It was time to end this.
    “Surrender now or die!” he bellowed out in his most commanding voice. The hallways echoed with the sounds of clanging metal as the remaining security officers dropped their swords and raised their hands toward the ceiling.
    “Tie em’ up!” Al heard Drake yell to the rest of the crew as he strode over to where Al was standing.
    “You almost looked like you enjoyed that.” Drake said with a grin.
    “Hardly,” Al responded, “Where’s the cargo we’re supposed to be taking?”
    “Should be through that door.” Drake answered, gesturing toward a large metallic sliding door. “Don’t worry Al,” He continued, “I won’t let anybody know you enjoy this so much.”
    Al didn’t answer. He just walked over and opened the door to the Caetus’ cargo hold.
    “Drake.” He called back to the captain, who had moved on to sticking his tongue out and mocking the newly captured prisoners.
    “What?” Drake yelled back to him.
    “We’re in a hurry,” he responded. “Get over here and open this.” Al raised his large furry hand pointing one claw straight toward the large safe in the spacious cargo hold. The safe was enormous. Al wondered what they could possibly be carrying in such a large container. Drake walked up to the digital lock on the front and removed a small piece of paper from his pocket.
    “12, 54, 78, 34, 90.” He read out loud as he punched the numbers in on the keypad. “I thought five numbers sounded like too many for the combination to a lock; but now that I see this thing I think a few extra numbers for security makes sense.”
    A loud clicking sound came from the locking mechanism on the inside of the door. The excited look on Drake’s face was replaced by disappointment as he saw the contents of the safe.
    “Al,” Drake said slowly,