Dying Light by Kory M. Shrum Read Free Book Online Page B

Rachel?” Ally
asks. “If we could find Rachel, I would feel a little more secure.
We could use her abilities to strengthen our defense.”
    “ I’ve been
looking.”
    Rachel disappeared the night Brinkley
died, but that was two months ago. I’m worried Caldwell has her
captive or has already killed her. I can’t imagine Caldwell would
kill her and not taunt me about it, so I have to hope she’s still
out there, laying low.
    Caldwell’s conversation replays in my
head as we step off the elevator and into my hallway. We need to
stop by my room and get my things, and maybe Ally’s room too—though
I have no interest in running into her girlfriend or seeing them be
all lovey and shit. Gag.
    You’ll find it harder to
get out than you think. He’ll be safe with your sister.
    I stop dead. “Maisie?”
    Ally stiffens beside me.
    “ You knew I had a sister.
You said her name.”
    Ally’s eyes roll up toward the
ceiling. “Do we have to do this now?”
    I stop in front of my room and press
my thumb to the keypad. It blinks red, rejecting my print. I try
the other thumb. It blinks red again.
    “ What the
hell?”
    “ He locked you out of your
room,” Gloria says.
    “ No shit.” I give her a
look. “Any other wisdom you care to impart on us?”
    I’m trying to remember
what I have in my room that I need. My phone and wallet are in my
pocket. My computer is in there, my clothes, a picture of me and
Lane— Lane . Don’t
get me started about Lane.
    I want to punch a hole in the wall. I
turn to Gabriel who’s trailed us silently this whole time, his
green eyes wide and alert. “No chance you can pick me up and drop
me on the other side of this door?”
    Gabriel shakes his head. “You must kill Caldwell
first.”
    “ Ugh. What good are
you?”
    “ I am the midwife of the
new world.”
    “ Okay, that was a
rhetorical question. We’ll talk about those again
later.”
    Ally and Gloria exchange a
glance.
    “ Is everything okay?” Ally
asks, her brow scrunching again.
    “ The angel’s worthless.” I
finger the sore bump on my shoulder. “Either of you got any
ideas?”
    “ Let’s try my room,” Ally
says. “If Nikki’s there, maybe we can get a few things.”
    I slump and fall against the wall
dramatically. “Assuming she’s allowed to open the door for
us.”
    Ally cocks her head, unamused. “I want
to tell her we’re leaving at least. Maybe she’ll come with
us.”
    God, no.
    “ She probably knows we’re
leaving,” Gloria says, running a hand over her head. Her hair is so
short, it’s practically dry now. Lucky.
    “ Yes.” I try to capitalize
on my window. “She totally knows. Can’t we just go?”
    Ally leads us back to the elevator and
punches the down button. The apartment she shares with Nikki is one
floor beneath mine. The silver doors ding open and we step inside
the space for a second time. I’m a little surprised and hella
suspicious of the lack of people. And I half expect the elevator to
stop at any time, Jeremiah holding us hostage until we agree to be
his Intel slaves again.
    I step off the elevator and find
another empty hallway, which amplifies my suspicion.
    “ I don’t like this,” I
say.
    Gloria and Ally stop.
    “ What’s wrong?” Gloria
asks. Her hand is itching toward her abdomen as if she intends to
pull something out from under her coat. Does she have a gun in
there?
    “ Where is everyone? Why is
it so freaking quiet?”
    Why would Jeremiah leave
us alone like this? Worse, I didn’t feel alone at all . I turn to Gabriel. “Do you
see anything I don’t?
    “ Much. At times, it is
like revealing the intricacies of the universe to an
ant.”
    I frown. “I mean danger. Is there
danger on this floor?”
    “ He’s watching
you.”
    Jeremiah ? I ask in my
head.
    He nods.
    Do a lap around the
building. I want to know where his people are and what they’re
doing. Go ahead and check the street and roof too to be sure. I
don’t want to get outside and have Ally be