Absolution - The First Book Of The Vampire Immortalis Trilogy by Elizabeth Mitchell Read Free Book Online Page A

of Mary don't often have to get their hands dirty,” said Adam defensively, “so she knows little about the life I lead or what gives me enjoyment.”
    “I think she was just trying to tell me that you weren't the same sweet innocent boy I left behind on The Hector.”
    “I might have done a lot of growing up, but I never gave up hope of seeing you again.”
    Anna put her arm around Adam's waist, losing herself in a moment that she thought she would never experience again, not even in her wildest dreams. She had been willing to give her life to save his, a man she had known for barely a month, and her love for him had not diminished even with the passing of year upon year, decade upon decade, even century upon century. She would happily give her life again for him for moments like this.
    They had almost made it down to the tarmac road that runs from Dingleton Mains farm, past the golf clubhouse, and back to Dingleton Road, when Anna started to hear a voice inside her head.
Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat
.
Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat
.
    “The Hundeprest is killing someone,” she blurted out, stopping Adam in his tracks.
    “Can you see anything? Where is he?”
    “I don't know. I can only hear his voice. He's giving absolution in Latin.”
    Anna was beginning to gasp for air as she struggled to form a picture of what was happening in her mind's eye, but there were no pictures, only darkness. And then nothing. No voices. Nothing. The Hundeprest had struck again and now two representatives of the Immortalis had been powerless to stop him.
     
     
     
    “Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat.”
    Jane Reid knew her killer's face. She had seen it less than an hour ago, just before closing time. It belonged to the man who had skulked into her antique shop to hawk a large cross that he claimed was a family heirloom. It did look old, but was probably a cheap reproduction given the dishevelled appearance of the bearer. Either that or it had been stolen from a church. Not that she got a chance to examine the cross - the stench of stale sweat and bad alcohol breath saw to that. When she finally managed to usher him out, she had to literally douse the shop in air freshener.
    Peter Cameron had given up any ideas of making his fortune from selling his cross to a big time Charlie collector. All he wanted today was enough money to buy some booze, but the stupid fat bitch had looked a gift horse in the mouth and had passed up an opportunity of a lifetime. He had started by asking for the paltry sum of two hundred pounds, but by the time she was practically pushing him out of her precious little shop, he had dropped the price to £20. Twenty pounds! Even then the silly old cow wasn't interested.
    Furious that he hadn't got the money he wanted, Peter had waited out of sight until she locked up for the night. He then followed her as she walked the short distance to her home in Weirhill Place. Now, he was in her house. She had walked into her lounge, turned on the light, and found him sitting in her armchair by the unlit fire. She couldn't quite believe what she was seeing, but before she could let out a scream, he had vacated the chair and was right in front of her, his hand muffling her mouth. How he had moved so quickly she had no idea. She struggled frantically to break free from his grasp, but failed miserably. The stench of sweat and alcohol was suffocating, more suffocating than it had been in the shop, but it was soon to pass. “He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth,” whispered Peter as he bit into her neck.
    Jane Reid was no more.
     
     
     
    “There you go.” Adam handed Anna a glass of water.
    “Thanks. This is becoming unbearable. I can't believe another person is dead because of me.”
    “Don't beat yourself up like this,” Adam said, sitting down beside her on the settee. “You're not responsible for the deaths. Jacob is right. This is no ordinary resurrection. That's why you can't see