Blood Magic by T. G. Ayer Read Free Book Online

time, more careful now because the owner was an unknown entity and because the amount of power I felt made me nervous.
    Following the thread I reached the ether without a problem, then began to move toward the Veil. Once I approached it I sensed the demonic plan e on the other side. Not Dastra, but someplace else. A new entrance to the Veil wouldn't tell me what's on the other side, but if I've been beyond it before to that particular place I could usually sense which plane it was. Unless magic was used to hide the location.
    Once I transitioned through the Veil I lost all control. A powerful force grabbed me, pulling on me and I stiffened with shock. I pulled back instinctively, my heart thudding against my ribs. That was not supposed to happen. I was always in control of my projections. I tugged back as hard as I could but nothing happened. I felt as if I was in a tug of war but only I was standing in a field of mud, being pulled across the slippery ground toward a deadly cliff.
    An iciness twisted in my gut. If I didn't get out of there immediately I was as good as dead. I listened to my instinct and pulled again, putting every iota of strength into it. The hold on me snapped and I flew backward through the Veil. I skittered along, barely holding on to the thread, flying through the ether. The force threw me right back into the Murdoch's dining room, shaking in confusion, unsteady on my feet.
    Chloe and the Chief stood in front of me, eyebrows raised at the state I was in. Chloe put a hand on me but I brushed her off. I needed that adrenalin if I was to get my head around what had just happened. I still held the hair sample in my fingers. I shuddered and dropped it back into the bag, wiping my fingers on the back of my jeans.
    I slipped the packet in my pocket and was about to turn to tell the Murdoch's I was leaving when the air shimmered before me and a blast of energy sent the three of us flying through the air and plowing into the far wall. Wood splintered and dust rained down on us. A chorus of grunts and coughs later we tried to stand , but when I lifted my eyes to the vortex of liquid air before me, I knew we had to get the fuck of there.
    Right now.
    I held out my hand and each of them took one wordlessly. Then I jumped and even as we surged through the air all our attention remained focused on what was coming out of the vortex. The last thing we heard was his scream of frustration as we disappeared.
    I had learned to cover my jump signature so well that few people could track me. We were safe but from the expression on the Chief's face he knew what was about to happen.
    "I hope you have insurance, Chief."
    The Chief nodded, his jaw tight. All Chloe said was "Oh."
     
    ***
     

Chapter 9
    "What the hell was that?" Chloe asked, her voice breaking the tense silence that hung in my living room like a dense and suffocating fog.
    "Something very bad ," I said, my voice harsh and slightly afraid.
    "Did you see it?" Chloe herself was in shock and the last thing I intended to do was to touch her. My mind was a jumble as it was and I didn't need her to instinctively try and make me calm and tranquil.
    "Yeah. I saw him."
    "It's a him? Is he a demon?" Her question ended in a high pitched lilt.
    "Yup, it's a him, and nope , he's not a demon." I shivered a little, still unable to believe what I'd seen.
    "Is he going to be looking for us?" asked the Chief, glancing quickly at his wife.
    I considered his question for a moment. As possible as it sounded, I didn't think so. "No. He won't waste his time. He used my feedback signature to follow me back to your place. He'll be after me. He can project, which is not good. I just hope he can't jump too." I allowed my senses to reach out around the house and feel the edges of the magical protection around it. All intact. Good. "He hasn't breached our protection so that's a plus."
    Drake walked into the room and his gaze went from Chloe to me to the chief and then back to me with raised