Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning Read Free Book Online Page A

spoke.
    “What did Abram say?” Janie knew whatever it was, it wasn’t good. The Baltimore-based Apotheosis Chapter only met under troublesome circumstances. The Chapter consisted of three men—all former Seekers, Abram included. He’d been her mentor for as long as she could remember. Janie regarded him as a second father.
    “Apparently there’s been some sort of uprising in the city. It seems as though the Daychildren have upset the vampire community.”
    “But why would they do that? Vampires created them,” Janie said.
    “Somehow, Daychildren have figured out how to ‘Turn’ humans. They no longer need vampires or demons to create more of their kind.” Isabelle paced the floor, mulling over the ramifications of the new information. “Fortunately, humans who are Turned are not as powerful as demons that are Turned, since they don’t possess a demonic ability, but we still need to consider them a threat.” She turned to Janie. “They are still Daychildren, ability or no ability. You will have to treat them the same.”
    Janie thought back to the Daychildren she’d fought over the last week. Mr. Muscles didn’t appear to have an ability, but Mr. Telekinesis with the mullet did. Even though only one of them possessed an ability, they were both equally as dangerous to human society. “Mom, not all Daychildren have abilities. In fact, more and more I come across don’t possess an ability, but that’s not the issue right now. . .we can’t allow humans to be Turned. We’ve got to put a stop to this. It’s hard enough to keep humans from dying, but now I have to keep humans from Turning?” Janie exhaled in frustration. “It’s going to be twice as much work.”
    “According to Abram, they are forming gangs to support their cause,” Isabelle said.
    “That explains why there was a gang of them in a law office downtown. I ran into them last night.” Janie touched her head, remembering the demon splint.
    “Were you prepared?” Isabelle examined Janie for cuts or bruises.
    Janie brushed it off. “It was fine. I got away. But at least I know where they are now.” She sank back into the chair and clutched a green throw pillow to her chest. She wasn’t ready to tell her mother about Kai. Isabelle would be furious to hear she’d spent the night with a Daychild, even if he had saved her life. “So what’s the plan? How do we stop them?”
    “The Chapter is meeting again tonight to discuss action. Abram will come by tomorrow morning. Hopefully they’ll have a plan by then.” Isabelle aligned the magazines on the coffee table into a fan pattern. “I wouldn’t confront them again until we hear from Abram. Maybe you should lay low tonight.”
    “You mean take a night off?” Janie leaned forward and rested her palm on her mother’s forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”
    In the background, she heard a news anchor reporting on a high school kid’s disappearance. Janie and her mother turned their attention to the TV. “. . .his parents reported the Towson High School student missing after he went out to play basketball and never returned home. If you know anything about the student’s disappearance, please call the Baltimore County Police Department.”
    Isabelle shut off the TV. “I hope they find him. I can’t begin to imagine what his parents are going through right now.” She placed the remote in line with the magazines. “What are your plans for this evening? I noticed you had quite the entourage on the front porch.”
    “It was just Ava and Luke.”
    Isabelle directed her attention to the rose Janie had placed on the side table. “Who gave you the rose? I doubt it was Luke. You don’t seem like his type,” she said, smiling despite herself.
    “Matt Baker. Now can we drop it?” Janie escaped her mother’s stare.
    “This is the first boy you’ve spoken about, and you want me to drop it.” Isabelle slid Janie’s feet over to sit on the ottoman.
    “How many more years do I have to