Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) by Siana Wineland Read Free Book Online

short time she had. So she settled for squeezing half the tube of ointment into them, then pulled each closed with butterfly bandages. She taped over the more severe one on her thigh, hoping to give it extra support. The last of the antibiotic went to whatever scratches seemed to need it the most before she tossed the tube and grabbed a handful of bandages on her way out of the room. Once in her bedroom, she started tossing things quickly out of her closet. She pulled on the first warm clothes she found and stuffed a few more changes into a backpack that sat on the floor.
    Twisting her mass of chestnut curls in a fist, Jessica looked in the mirror. I should cut this, she thought reluctantly, but then she saw reflected from the window that it was getting lighter. Dawn. Not much more time. I’ll leave it for now. Securing the length into a ponytail, she finished her packing.
    She threw in her hairbrush then dumped the first aid supplies on top. Sitting down on her bed, she squeezed her favorite shoes, a pair of red sneakers, on over her gauze-swathed feet then headed to the kitchen.
    She looked longingly at the stove but moved past it to her pantry cupboards. What I wouldn’t give for some bacon and eggs. Or maybe some prime rib, or a nice juicy ham. Where are you, May, when I really need one of your home-cooked meals? Instead, she grabbed a couple bottles of water, some granola bars and trail mix, and tossed them into the knapsack. That’s all she had in the pantry that was instantly portable. Her sense of urgency screamed at her. Walking into the living room, she threw her wallet into the bag then looked around once more. Time to go.
    She slung the bag over her shoulder and walked out the front door, then grabbing her bicycle from its customary spot on the porch, she headed off into the stream of morning traffic.
     

     
    “Hey, boyos, wake up. It’s getting light enough to move,” Flynn spoke quietly.
    Sitting up, Nickolas rubbed his eyes then put his shoes on. “I sure hope she made it,” he murmured.
    “Don’t worry, Nick, she led us a good chase last night. She’s strong.”
    Nickolas looked at his brother, absently accepting an energy bar from Jules before replying, “I hope so. She couldn’t have stayed in the water too long. Flynn, we’ll call as soon as we have any information.”
    Outside the van the woods resounded with the dawn chorus of bird song. The mist from the river snaked through the trees, leaving a chill in the air. Nickolas stepped out and stretched, reaching above his head, then extended his wings to their full span, slowly flapping them as he woke up. Turning as Christoff walked up to him, he settled them with a snap. “You ready to go?”
    “Yes, let’s get this over with.”
    Nickolas could tell that Chris hadn’t actually believed his own encouragement. His brother didn’t really think Jessica still lived. But the more he focused his thoughts on her, the more Nickolas was sure she was still alive. His heart a little lighter, he spread his wings and took off into the brightening sky.
    They flew low over the river, each scanning a side until they reached the point where she’d fallen in. Alighting on the precipice, Nickolas looked at the twenty foot drop.
    Disturbed dirt marred the vegetation below them. Fortunately, there weren’t any large boulders on the water’s edge here. “All right, Chris, same as last night, you take the far bank.”
    They took off. Sweeping his wings in powerful strokes, Nickolas followed the river down its course looking for any sign that she left the water. Strange certainty aside, he really wanted to see a muddy bank. He wasn’t thrilled at the thought of finding scraps of her clothing…or her body.
    What was it about this recovery? Granted, she had pulled off the unexpected in getting away from them, but something about this situation pulled at him. He didn’t know this woman, yet he found himself really worried about her, and the depth of his