Broken Heart Tails by Michele Bardsley Read Free Book Online Page B

eyes, either. Then these bad-ass wolves came running in and tried to eat him. Ryan ran away and said he’d never go back. You ask me, Broken Heart is full of weird shit.
Zombies? Riiight.
With a sigh, Libby shut off the computer and climbed back into bed. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in the paranormal or that she hadn’t seen some seriously strange crap … it was more that feeling she wasn’t living her own dream. Was paranormal investigation really gonna be her life’s work? And though she wasn’t psychic or really all that intuitive, every time she thought about Broken Heart, her stomach knotted.
She fluffed the pillows and flicked off the lamp. Then she stared into the dark until she fell into restless sleep.
     
     
* * *  *  *
     
The fireball hit the BMW on the passenger side. The car skidded to the gravel shoulder, the flames so hot, Sylphina felt her dragon roar with longing. She dove out and rolled, the rocks biting into her skin. She popped to her feet and scanned the sky.
Synd was not there.
Sylphina studied the car as it melted into a heap of twisted metal. A warning shot. Her brother hadn’t wanted to kill her. Just freak her out.
Mission accomplished.
She was at least an hour away from Broken Heart with no way to get there—at least not by human means.
Sylphina realized she would have to morph into her dragon, which was exactly what Synd wanted. Killing her in her human form wouldn’t be as much of a challenge, and Synd loved a challenge. Plus, he loved being a dragon, considering his human side weak and nearly useless.
Staring up into the night sky, she renewed her vow: Synd would not get her powers. No matter what she had to do.
For good to endure, sacrifice is always necessary.
     
*  *  * * *
     
Libby’s dad parked the rental car on the side of the road. It was edging toward ten p.m. Unlike most of the highway they’d traveled on the way here, this section had no working lights. It was the kind of dark that set her teeth on edge, a cold, bleak night that kept secrets.
Broken Heart’s secrets.
“We really gotta walk?” Libby groused as she zipped up her parka.
“Other investigators haven’t had much luck driving into the town,” said her mother. “They get stopped and re-routed. More than a few remember driving through it without stopping, but nothing else.”
Mom’s theory: Vampire glamour.
They exited the car. The cold was like knives, sharp and unrelenting, even in her lungs. Their breath puffed out into little white clouds. Her dad stamped his feet.
“Use the walkie talkie feature of your cell phone. You’re Crystal One,” said Mom. “I’m Ruby Two, and your dad’s Sapphire Three.”
Libby stared at her mom. “And we can’t use our names because…”
“Brady suggested this as a security measure,” said Mom. “I got to pick the code names.”
Terrific. Libby heaved her purse over her shoulder and tucked the cell phone into her coat pocket.
Her father pointed across the road and toward the pocket of woods. “Go through there and stay to the north. You should reach the cemetery in about fifteen, twenty minutes.”
“Did you read about the zombie attack on the forum?” asked Libby.
“Oh, zombies are basically harmless,” said Mom. “You know that. They’re not exactly quick on their feet.”
“If they have feet,” pointed out her dad. “Sometimes they crawl toward you. Then you really have the advantage.”
“Thanks for the advice,” said Libby drolly. “Where will you be?”
“We’re sticking to the tree line on the south side and following the road toward the convenience store.”
Mom and Dad gave her a hug, then set off.
Libby crossed the empty highway and entered the forest. She walked at a brisk pace. The only sounds in the strangely silent forest were her shoes kicking up dead leaves and snapping twigs.
Every so often, she felt as though someone—or something—was watching her. Her flashlight beam barely cut through the thick darkness. She’d