Hunting a Soul by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page A

gloved hand on his. “I need to do this. I will be back as soon as I can.”
    Lee stepped up to the door, and she looked back at N’ran before pressing her hand against the doorplate. It swung open, and she stepped into shadows. Her senses rioted as she saw dozens of souls in the darkness. Tendrils of light curled around her and lifted her before she could run. A mind pressed on hers, and she tried to scream but everything went black.
     
    The ship was in motion and Krix was nestled against her side.
    She smiled and looked down at him. “Hey, you.”
    He opened his tiny wings, flapped frantically and screeched. N’ran was at her side in seconds.
    “How are you?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Fine. Are we heading to the archivist?”
    He blinked. “We have already been and gone. We were sent the pathway that the killer took. Don’t you remember?”
    She scowled. “No. The last thing I remember was you telling me that we didn’t have to go to the archivist if I didn’t want to.”
    N’ran sat back on his heels. “And you don’t remember anything else.”
    “No. What happened?”
    “You were gone for six hours, and your body floated out of the archivist doors and into my arms. Krix didn’t seem too worried, but I told him to sound an alarm when you woke up. He did an excellent job.” He scratched Krix under his chin.”
    “Aren’t you concerned by my missing time?”
    He gave her a long look. “Do you feel ill, unwell, uneasy or abused?”
    Lee ran a personal diagnostic. “Nope. I feel fine and well rested.”
    “Good. Then, the archivist did what it felt it necessary to do.”
    Lee sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “Where did my suit go?”
    N’ran’s expression got a little embarrassed. “I panicked and thought you might have been injured, so I had to remove the exo suit for the onboard scanner. You were fine by the way.”
    “Oh good. Out. I need to get dressed. You said we got a path?”
    “We have a trail and we are on the hunt.” He got to his feet and took Krix with him. “We will get you some food. You have been asleep for twelve hours and two jumps.”
    Lee sighed when the door closed. She was only wearing the pendant that Resicor had given her and the light sheet. With as much speed as she could, she pulled on her normal bodysuit and she sealed the closures.
    She hauled a brush through her hair and left her quarters, following the scent of food. Krix was on the table and supervising the tray that N’ran had gotten ready for her. She fed Krix his food, and when he pecked at her sliced meat, she gave him a few pieces of that as well. He was getting close to his full transformation, and she hoped that she finished her mission before that happened. She wanted to greet the little ones without the darkness hovering over her.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Lee checked the route that the archivist had given them, and she had to admit that it made sense.
    Two months after she had been arrested and placed in the dome, there had been a few episodes of falling stars. A month after that, the stars had risen from the surface to the sky. The map she had showed a path from Resicor to a Raider station, from the Raider station to a trade platform and seven planets after that. It had not moved from the most recent planet yet.
    “Well, I think I know why I have all the blades.” Lee grinned over at N’ran.
    “Why?”
    “Males are rare on Trimlorith. A woman who can’t defend her man isn’t allowed to keep him. This could be why he hasn’t moved on yet. His previous bodies are all masculine, and on this world, men are kept close.”
    His smile was wicked, “So, you have to keep me close?”
    She gave him a bland look. “If I don’t, another woman will. I happen to have a partner that coordinates with my Yaluthu, so I will be keeping an eye on you. I am guessing it will be hard to find a comparable match.”
    N’ran laughed out loud. “We enter their territory in four minutes. You