Claimed by Light by Reese Monroe Read Free Book Online Page B

have tripped an alarm of some type. Something was very wrong with this whole situation.
    She burst through the door and made a mad dash for the outdoors.
    A force of nature tackled her from the side. The tile floor cracked as her shoulder hit, and a shot of pain zipped up her neck as her head snapped to the side.
    Where the hell had he come from?
    She sank her teeth into the attacker’s neck and, with a quick jerk, ripped out his throat. Once free, she jabbed the dagger into his heart and sent him dusting to Hades.
    Freedom was only four feet away, but two more figures moved in the corners of her vision. She tossed her dagger to the right, and once it found the demon’s chest, she chanted the vanquish as she smashed her heel into the knee of the other one.
    One lunge to the left, and she landed by her weapon. The hobbling demon just stood there, putting all his weight on his good leg, watching her.
    Halena backed toward the revolving doors. Toward freedom.
    A clap of thunder ricocheted off her skull. Her heart rate soared. Breath streamed from her mouth, and she keeled over, gulping for air. Had something hit her?
    Only the staggering demon before her was in the expansive lobby. Her neck burned, tingling like fire ants crawled over her skin.
    Warmth swelled within her chest, and her heart calmed. A sense of peace descended upon her.
    “No!” Her voice echoed off the cathedral ceilings.
    She ran to the revolving doors. Pushing with all her might, she whirled through them and onto a sidewalk in the bright sun. Her heart throbbed. Her body pulsed with need.
    Her Ahavah had just received his Mark.
    “No!”
    Despite how much she didn’t want it to be Slade, she knew it was. It had to be, considering he handled her weapon.
    How could The Great One do this to her?
    She took off, running full speed. The harsh concrete slapped the bottoms of her bare feet, stinging her toes. The cool air nipped at her exposed legs and drafted up the oversize shirt, but the warmth streaming through her body, calling out to her Mate, soothed her discomfort.
    “Shit.” She would run as far as she could from Slade. The Great One could choose him, but that didn’t mean Halena would follow through with the mating by touching him, let alone kissing him and having sex with him.
    No. Halena would never take a Mate, especially the man who’d betrayed her—the man who was on his way to becoming a demon.

Chapter Seven
    Halena clicked the door to Slade’s hotel room shut, and his scent bombarded her. She cast a quick glance at the bed she’d made herself so comfortable on that night they’d met in the bar.
    Smoothing her now-clean shirt down the front, she stopped her hand directly over her heart. It was beating a drum solo. Her body tingled, and she swallowed hard.
    No way could she be getting aroused at the thought of Slade. Damn Ahavah bond .
    She crept into the hotel room, touching each of her thighs to confirm that her Mavet daggers were in place. She’d been home, cleaned up and grabbed her weapons, but since escaping, and feeling the Ahavah surface on her Mate, she was out of sorts. Her trusty weapons never let her down, though. They gave her a sense of safety.
    The bed was still rumpled as if housekeeping hadn’t come to the room since she and Slade had been together. The curtains were shut, leaving a thick, balmy scent in the air. She stole past the TV to the desk.
    Her stomach tightened as she sat down.
    It was the conviction in his eyes when he’d asked her to help Addison that had Halena here in this godforsaken hotel room. That and it was in her nature to protect.
    Her phone tickled her side pocket, and she grabbed it.
    Theophilus . She shook her head and tapped ignore.
    He was a persistent Shomrei, for sure. Ever since she escaped the demon compound, he’d been trying to reach her telepathically and on the phone.
    There was no chance in Hades she would tell him about this.
    Okay, where was this computer Slade had mentioned? The