Cryostorm by Lynn Rush Read Free Book Online

never. Second, his voice had morphed into a deep, resonating tone I’d never heard before. The distinct sound of wood cracking spiked my worry meter into high gear, and I hurried forward.
    Nate had punched a hole in the side of the building.
    “Nate?” I said.
    He whirled around, fist still clenched. “It’s clear.”
    I dropped the shield and hurried to him. What had he been yelling about? What had gotten him so angry he punched the wall?
    Georgia and Tim fanned out and between the four of us, we had the tall, leggy girl pinned to the side of the wall by our semi-circle, all staring at her.
    Defiant eyes darted between us all as if assessing her chance of getting away. She must have realized who and what we all were. Resigned to her inevitable fate, she sagged against the wall.
    “Who are you?” I asked.
    “Mind if we step inside, it’s a bit chilly out here.” Her voice was soft, flowing, and high pitched. Behind all the winter gear, I could still see her smooth skin, big lips, and even her coat hugged her body like a glove, outlining every asset I’d never have.
    “Here’s fine for now. Name?” I asked.
    “Melanie. Now can we go in? Or are you going to kill me outright?” She nailed me with a glare. One filled with disgust and hatred. The loathing slid off her body like tar. How could she hate me so much without even knowing me? What’d I ever do to her?
    I’m the one who should hate her. Her bosses have been the ones hunting me for years. I didn’t ask for this.
    I resisted the urge to haul off and deck her because—well—I was better than that, but the urge sure was there. I glanced at Nate, and he stared at her with cold, brown, hard eyes. His gloved hands were fisted beside him.
    Nate grabbed her by the arm and jerked her toward the side entrance. “Let’s go.”
    I followed behind with Tim and Georgia close. “There’s no Melanie registered at the hotel,” Tim said to Georgia.
    “Shocker there,” Georgia said. “False name, hiding, sneaking, kinda like an Agent, wouldn’t you say?”
    Hopefully she didn’t have anything to do with Lois’s latest disappearance. Georgia’s furrowed brows indicated she worried as well.
    What were the chances? This Agent being here, the very hotel Lois was supposedly registered at just days before we’d come. Then we’re snowed in? Damn it . This Melanie chick probably had something to do with Lois’s disappearance.
    Nothing added up. God, I was sick of this. “Wait a minute,” I whispered to Georgia.
    We let Nate get a few steps ahead of us on the stairwell to the second floor where our rooms were.
    “What?”
    “Why would they send an Agent with no powers?” I asked.
    “Maybe she’s holding them back?” Georgia asked.
    “Why?”
    “Not all Agents have powers,” Tim said. “Some are kids of the subjects who grew up at The Center are groomed to watch and report. Let those with the abilities do the heavy hitting.”
    “Shit.”
    “She saw you at the pool, right?” Tim said.
    “Yeah.” Georgia faced him. “Why?”
    “She’s probably alerted everyone. They would have converged on the place already, though. Unless the storm is keeping everyone away.”
    “You got some of that magic serum you fed Andre to get him to talk?” I asked, inching up to the next stair. I could hear Nate and Melanie walking around on the floor above us.
    “I’ll figure something out,” Tim said. “She’ll talk.”
    “Oh, you sound so scary when you talk like that,” Georgia poked his side with her forefinger. “Let’s hope you can scare her enough to find out what she did to Lois.”
    “I was thinking that, too, Georgia. Too much of a coincidence that she’s here, where Lois was.” I stopped and looked down at my sister. “I’m sure she’s fine, though.”
    Georgia grimaced. “Well, at least one of us is.”

 
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
    M elanie sat in the very chair I’d shared with Nate. Her hands were bound together and rested in her lap while