Blood Hunter (The Grandor Descendant Series) by Bell Stoires Read Free Book Online

Patrick added, looking at Clyde doubtfully.
     
    “Oh that’s ok,” said Clyde, smiling as he leant forward and began winding up the window, so that Patrick’s head was forced away. “I don’t really fancy jumping out of a plane tonight; I just bought this shirt.”
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter 3- What’s in a Name?
     
                                                                                                            
     
    Lancaster Titles Office was a long drive from the airport. The roads were icy and covered with silt, making navigating through the treacherous weather time consuming. As they drove, Ari watched the sweeping dark countryside slowly begin to thin, replaced by small towns and eventually the thriving city of Lancaster. Dotted amongst the residential blocks were remnants of magnificent castles and churches; like Ragon’s estate, these appeared to be centuries old, built from stone and adorned by crumpling statues. Here and there were old bridges fashioned in a similar manner; along many of the rivers were rows of weeping willows, whose bent and gnarled branches hung low over the water, giving Lancaster an enchanted atmosphere.      
     
    By the time they arrived at the Lancaster Titles Offices, a little before 10pm, the building was shut. From the driver’s seat, Ragon looked up at the poorly lit building and then to a busy side street, where Latin music was playing and many small restaurants with dim lighting, housed people indulging in food or dance.
     
    “Finally,” said Clyde, jumping out of the car to stretch. “I thought Bramond was still driving.”     
     
    “Not nice,” said Ari, hitching her scarf tightly around her neck, so as to protect against the chilly mist that seemed to hover around her, despite the many high buildings that were acting as a wind break.
     
    “This way,” Ragon said, moving towards the Titles Office.
     
    “What are you doing?” asked Ari, watching the pair slink towards the closed building.
     
    Ragon turned to stare at her, one eyebrow raised just as Clyde said, “Seriously? Do I need to paint you a picture?”
     
    “You’re going to break in?” she asked.
     
    “Of course not,” Clyde scoffed, as if the notion was indignant, “ we’re going to break in.”
     
    Ari looked over to Ragon, who nodded, and reluctantly she followed the pair, trying not to look guilty as she passed a restaurant filled with rosy faced patrons, all drinking merrily in celebration of the coming New Year.
     
    It took them a good half an hour to break into the building. They were slow moving with Ari, but staying true to his promise, Ragon had included her. Ari had been flabbergasted when Ragon pointed out that the only way to get into the building was to climb it. What was Ragon thinking? Was she supposed to pretend to be some sort of monkey?
     
    “Go on,” Clyde had said, looking at her with his ever present cheeky grin, which had apparently been temporarily revitalised following his blood meal, “you wanted to be here. How are you going to get in?”
     
    Ari stared at him in confusion, but wanting to prove that she deserved to be there, tried to shimmy up the thick gutter pipe in front of her.
     
    “Enough,” said Ragon, smiling at her efforts.
     
    He and Clyde had wasted a good 5 minutes watching Ari, until finally taking mercy on her. Still smiling he threw her onto his back; immediately she locked her legs and arms around him, holding on tightly while he scaled up the building. Her eyes had been shut for most of the journey until Ragon whispered for her to open them, and she did so. The second she peaked out from behind her eyelids, her eyes grew large and round.
     
    As soon as she had stopped focusing on the drastic drop below, she was able to appreciate just how beautiful it was, looking down on the city of Lancaster. Though it was