Immortal Dynasty by Lynda Haviland Read Free Book Online Page A

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    She drifted, floating weightless in gray shadows. As if she were drowning, her lungs burned. Like a nightmare, she could not seem to call out for help.
    A warm breath caressed her. Every cell in her body hummed. The dark veil of despair lifted. Shaila pushed aside her fears and called upon her astral spirit to return and guide her.

    * * *

    Suddenly, the woman expelled a cloud of dust from her lungs. She choked and gulped in fresh air. Wrinkles on her skin filled, becoming taut and firm once again. She glowed with a more natural tone. Her arms and legs rippled with goose bumps.
    Darius put a gentle hand on her shoulder, and a low moan escaped her lips. Her breathing fell to a more natural rhythm.
    Now that she was no longer hidden under a golden glaze, he saw that she wore only a hip belt. The leather was dyed to a dark shade of green. He could envision that at one time the white linen skirt had proudly held starched creases. Now, it limply clung to her, just long enough to cover what was necessary.
    Time hadn’t sagged her figure. Tiny lotus petals had been tattooed on the areolas around pert nipples. A sudden image of tracing the path of the tattoos with his tongue sprang to mind. A lower part of his body wanted to spring to life too. He iced that line of thought.
    Still unconscious, she rolled over and curled into a fetal position. With her naked back facing him, Darius could see two long, straight scars running diagonally across her shoulder blades. The top end of each scar came within a couple of inches of joining at the nape of her neck, almost forming an arrow. Between the scars, a dark dragon tattoo curled around a quiver with seven arrows of red flame.
    Papa Shadi had said to find her. That she would help him. Would she?
    He was probably down to his last few minutes alone here. He needed to act, and he needed to act right now. He mentally sent his grandfather his apologies, but promised that he’d come get him very soon.
    Darius tried to look inconspicuous as he made his way back to the ballroom. Within a couple of minutes, he was back in the gallery with a large rolling bin filled with old drop cloths. He lifted her up and into it, covering her body with the drop cloths.
    Praying that the security system was still disabled, he slowly pushed the bin back across the length of the house. The workers were all completely engrossed in their tasks, and they seemed to take no notice of him. The mid-morning sun spilled into the back entrance. Darius pulled his shades out of his pants pocket and put them on. He joined a line of workers pushing their trash bins out into the back alley.
    Instead of heading for the dumpster, Darius wheeled quickly down the long sidewalk toward his borrowed van. His loot still seemed to be unconscious, and he silently hoped that she’d stay that way for a while longer. He stole a glance under the sheet. At least the look of pain was gone from her face. Now, she looked almost peaceful.
    He opened the side door of the van, and lifted her out of the bin. Darius winced when he bumped her head on the edge of the van door. Gingerly, he laid her down. He felt a bit sorry that the van he’d picked didn’t have cleaner carpets, but that couldn’t be helped. Pushing the bin away, he rounded the van and climbed into the driver’s seat.
    Again, pain gripped his heart. He hated the idea of leaving his grandfather behind. He knew Papa was there. Lilith had confirmed it. Shouts bellowed from inside the estate. Men poured out of the entrance, spurred by some commotion.
    Darius was out of time, but he took a moment to look back at the woman on the floor. She would help him, or she’d make a great bargaining chip. Either way, he vowed he would get his grandfather back.
    Just before turning out of the alley, Darius took one last glance in his rearview mirror. Therion was running out of the house. A roar of rage thundered across the cobblestones. Darius smiled broadly for the first time in days. After