Intimidator by Cari Silverwood Read Free Book Online Page B

tugged on the ropes. But no, she was still fastened down, immobile.
    Let me go , she pleaded with her eyes, wrinkling her forehead.
    Then something twitched inside her, under the skin of her wrist. Cold yet searing hot, as if something tiny was in there. She tried to roll her eyes upward to the headboard, to focus on her outstretched arm, and felt the sensation advance up her arm. She swore she could hear something crunching, could smell the blood, could feel the tearing of her tissue. Minute jaws nibbled on her.
    Fuck, fuck. Fuck. Mandy blubbered her fears into the object blocking her mouth, shrieking silently as the small terrible agonies began in her other arm and then her feet.
    Though she writhed and nearly tore her arms from their sockets, nothing came loose; her body stayed there, splayed out, blood trickling from the holes. She was being eaten on the inside. Panting wetly past the gag, with the fear clawing at her so hard that red prickled at her eyes, she looked at him.
    Christopher’s mouth straightened then curved upward and he smiled for the first time.
    “Hello, little bitch.”

Chapter 5
    “Talia!”
    She jumped and turned to find Greg, the lab’s nice guy, staring at her.
    The strange tug on her that made her want to leave ASAP and travel north zipped away. It’d come back, guaranteed. Just like when she woke every morning, she’d recall dreams of a man with water-clear green eyes in a dark swirling coat, and a blood-smeared crazy guy crawling about the walls of Brittany’s destroyed apartment.
    Her memories of the devastation after the earthquake seemed so odd, and so tainted. Though having your sister declared missing, presumed dead, after a massive disaster might tend to give anyone nightmares.
    “You were about to turn into stone if you stood there any longer.” He nodded at her coffee mug. “And the spoon may have dissolved.”
    She twitched the corner of her mouth as she lifted the teaspoon out. “With the disgusting brand they buy for the staff room, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
    “It is pretty toxic. I’m on my third stomach transplant this year.” He slumped into one of the armchairs around the coffee table. “Lucky you’re off on sabbatical tomorrow. While you’re out in the big normal world, drink some good coffee and tell me what it’s like.” He paused. “Are you okay? You look shaky.”
    “I’m fine. I think lunch disagreed with me.”
    It was him, though. The mystery man. She knew exactly what she’d find at the end of the journey her urge was pulling her to take. Not the bloodied man, not some revelation about Brit’s apartment, him , the man in the coat. Was it from sneaky hypnosis, or a psychosis, something she needed therapy for? Before she hired a shrink she was going to go back to Brisbane to see if she could find that elusive clue that would explain everything.
    Oh hell, who was she fooling? She needed to go back there to find him…if he existed, and she knew he did, which was just not logical. And if she did find him, she was going to yell at him for giving her insomnia for months. Bastard. Whoever he was.
    Pity she couldn’t take a sword on the plane. That was the other half of the urge – go armed. There was something, or someone, bad, waiting for her too. Anyone sensible would want to carry a gun, and there was her insane urge again. Sword, sword, sword , it whispered to her.
    “What’s that?” Greg stood at her shoulder. “Hey, great origami kite.”
    “Yeah.” Talia ran her finger over the folds. It was a paper sword, only she wasn’t telling him that. Her origami truly sucked.
    “Make sure you relax in between studying. I need you back again in a few months ready to teach and finish off that thesis.”
    “Definitely. The University of Queensland looks fantastic but the beaches there are as good as they get. I’ll bring you back loads of pictures of surf, sand, and swimsuits.”
    And men with swords, and creepy wall-climbing guys.
    “Ssss!”