Awaken (Divine Hunter Series) by L.J. Sealey Read Free Book Online Page B

could and had concluded that none of them even knew each other, there still had to be something they were missing.
    His research into what kind of creature could be responsible for the deaths hadn’t really pulled up anything solid either. A couple of passages he’d read had caught his eye. The website had written about a spirit who causes un-natural death to those who perform disrespectful acts, cause harm, have affairs etc−known as a Sowin− but he had to look into it further and unless he could come up with something solid on the students there was little evidence to support the theory.
    Damn, he was hitting nothing but dead ends.
    He’d had no luck locating Nina either. He’d found out that some of her classes were in the Micro Biology building which was right next to the Psychology department. He’d asked around, but no one had seen her. She hadn’t shown for classes for the last two days. He had a bad feeling.
    Sitting down at his table in the dining hall at the south end of the campus, he read some papers on Humans in Biological Perspective , which he’d printed out from last night in prep for today’s classes, while he finished off his breakfast omelette. He had another half hour until his first lecture and figured he needed the extra run through before then. It was funny how he’d settled into his latest role. It was boring subject matter but he was actually quite enjoying being Prof. Michael Warden. It made him feel like he had a bit of purpose for once; like he was still relevant in a world that was very different to him now.
    He was about to take a sip of his coffee when he looked up to see Nina walking over to the line for the buffet cart. She looked so different that he wasn’t sure if it was her at first. Her hair was pulled back neatly into a slick ponytail, she was still dressed in all black, but gone were the heavy boots and long skirt, replaced by skinny jeans, gray converse pumps and a loose woolen sweater that hung off one shoulder. She had half the makeup that he’d seen on her before and no longer looked like the brooding Goth girl with the heavily backcombed hair that he’d met only a few nights ago.
    She looked happy.
    Michael watched as she carried her full tray over to a small table on the other side of the dining room and sat down. He contemplated going over to her, but quickly changed his mind when someone else approached her table.
    Jake.
    He spoke to her and when she looked up at him, her whole face lit up with an adoring smile. Jake sat down on a chair beside her, they shared a laugh and a joke and then he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
    Only a few days ago Michael had seen how distraught she’d been over her boyfriend’s death and now she was cozying up to some other guy? The same guy who she’d seemed to have problems with not too long ago. Something wasn’t right.
    A female voice interrupted his thoughts. “Hey. Penny for them.” Lacy stood beside him looking elegant in black leggings with black knee high boots and a royal blue long-length sweater that hugged her slim figure. She was holding a juice box and a granola bar−her breakfast of choice, it seemed; although, how she could function on that little amount of food was anyone’s guess. Hell, he didn’t even need to eat anymore, but still wouldn’t be able to manage on that.
    “Hey, Lacy.” He blinked, realizing he’d taken too long to answer.
    “May I join you?” she asked politely.
    “Of course. Please, sit down.” As she did her fresh, rose tinted perfume filled the air around them as it always did when she was near. He couldn’t help himself as he inhaled deeply. She smelt like spring flowers. Her hair was loose today, neatly ironed into place.
    “How are you settling in?” she asked, smiling up at him as she stabbed her straw into her apple juice.
    “Good, thanks.” He nodded, glancing back over at the two unlikely lovebirds that were now holding hands on top of the table.
    Lacy must have