Brighid's Flame by Cate Morgan Read Free Book Online Page A

she heard a telltale, satisfying crack and the resultant scream.
    It worried her she liked this part a little too much.
    â€œEveryone hold! Hold, I said!”
    That would be the leader. Tara switched her hands on her hostage’s arm so she could sweep the area with her flashlight.
    A lean, shadowed figure in a mask appeared, arm raised against her light. A strange sense of familiarity niggled at her.
    â€œWell,” he said, voice muffled by the mask. “It seems we are at an impasse.”
    Two other figures dragged a struggling Stephen between them. The fight left Tara in a sudden, heart-crushing flood. She released her hostage and stepped away.
    The leader nodded as though this was exactly what he’d expected and proceeded to ignore her as he checked on his people. There was nothing military about his bearing, but everything about him left her in no doubt of his status. She wondered if this was the elusive leader of the Underground. If so, she would need to be careful and compile as much information as possible before she and Stephen escaped.
    They would take her earpiece, but that was fine. Even off, it could be used to track her. God help the Underground and all its allies if Gwen found them before Tara could take Stephen and get out. It might even be worth it to stick around to watch.
    The leader knelt next to the prone, writhing figure she’d just lately held captive, apparently unconcerned about his close proximity to Tara despite her recent performance.
    Instead, he murmured something about a racked shoulder and let her second attacker hoist Dislocated to his feet, whereupon they limped off into the shadows. As the leader regarded her closely, a telling crunch followed by a strangled cry in the dark made the corner of Tara’s mouth twitch.
    â€œI don’t have to see your face to tell you’re amused,” the leader observed.
    â€œWell,” Tara returned in conversational tones, “if you had taught them proper ambush technique, they may not have provided such rich entertainment value instead.”
    â€œWe did.” He sighed, disgusted with the lot of them. “The wisdom against attacking one at a time seems to have left them. I think a single opponent, apparently unarmed, made them overconfident.”
    â€œWork on that, will you?”
    â€œI suspect you’ve served a valuable object lesson, for which I am grateful. Of course, she said you would.” He motioned for Stephen to be brought over.
    The niggling in the back of her brain finally clicked into place. “It’s you, isn’t it? From the Park.” She didn’t protest when her hands were clasped behind her and firmly tied.
    The leader removed his gas mask with a grin and glasses askew. “Well done.”
    â€œAre you really a history teacher?” she asked, genuinely curious.
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I am. And I really need help building a school—everything I told you was true.”
    Stephen was tied up next, unnecessarily. Tara could detect his horror at being caught behind his mask. “I’m sorry.”
    Tara’s mask was removed by one of the teacher’s men, roughly. As suspected, her ear piece was taken and handed over. “How should I address you? Granted, a few ideas come to mind…”
    He examined her earpiece closely, turning it over and over in his hands. “And we were being so civilized. Well, never mind.” He dropped the earpiece and crushed it underfoot.
    She nearly swore. Instead, she turned to Stephen, finally finding that Zen-like calm she’d been searching for. “Are you all right?”
    He nodded, interrupted mid-nod when his mask was removed as well.
    â€œWait!” They all stopped and stared at her. “Give him back his mask—his lungs…he’ll get sick and there’s no need.” Tara had been given the same training as Vincent’s private security force, so she could withstand a certain