Killing Time by Elisa Paige Read Free Book Online Page B

his eyes track the movement, to feel his hands tighten on me. Squeezing my lids shut, struggling to get my thoughts in order, I surprised us both by resting my forehead on his shoulder for the briefest second. Jerking back when I realized what I’d done, I muttered, “ Unwot prefhdai… there isn’t time—”
    “ Make time—your English is slipping. What’s shaken you up so badly?”
    I shuddered at the hated memories he insisted I recall. Despising this weakness, and furious with him for making me face it, I stiff-armed him away from me. Lifting my chin, I scowled as the words came tumbling out. “ Tihr’luim! You want information? Ta! Fine! But to explain the child, you have to know something about my kind. To know that we were engineered to be khul shaktis , living weapons. The four Takkat-nai… the, um,” I paused, dragging in some much-needed air as I forced my mind to translate. “The four kith lords have their own stable of bitterns, each genetically linked to its royal master.”
    Koda looked appalled. “Like clones?”
    I nodded, trembling with helpless fury and grief. “The lord masters target anyone who pisses them off, anyone who stands in their way or anyone they just feel like fucking with. Once a bittern is activated and set on a target, he or she is unstoppable. In every way, khul shaktis. The targets, those around them when the attack happens, plus the bittern—total destruction.”
    “Activated.” Koda echoed and I could practically see him remembering my berserker frenzy. “So bittern have no control.”
    “None.”
    “Or memory, I’d wager, since you had to ask if you’d killed anyone that first night.”
    I shook my head. Turning to watch the humans walking along the sidewalk, enjoying the pleasant autumn day and totally unaware how close to them death stood, I resolutely avoided Koda’s sharp gaze.
    He stirred, coming close enough that I could feel the heat of his body—an all-too-real reminder of that stunning moment in the highrise’s stairwell. “And your scent is so like a fae’s because—”
    “We’re genetically engineered by them, using their DNA as a foundation.” I swallowed hard. “From my first moment, I was suk’urai. Difficult. Instinctively, like a wild creature. I resisted the conditioning the lord masters and their handlers drilled into us. Because we had no way to mark time, I don’t know how long it took, but my mind finally became clear. I began to have thoughts and ideas that the damn fae hadn’t first put into my head.”
    Koda made a pained sound in his throat. “Sephti…”
    Hating even the idea that he pitied me, I pulled further away from him, deeper into the alcove’s shadows. “One night, mis Tak’nar, my lord master, sent me to annihilate one of his court rivals. The manor’s security was no match for me—they were just kela-maaren, simple house guards. Dealing with them didn’t waken the berserker rage. But they kept me…occupied. For a while.” I passed a weary hand over my face. “It was well past midnight when I sifted into the family’s private quarters. A young girl…”
    My voice faded as memory threatened to swamp me. I almost levitated when Koda reached out to squeeze my ice-cold hand. Tightening my hold on his broad, warm grip, I made myself speak the words. “She saw me. The girl. I was covered in…from the guards. My clothes, my hair. I saw the child’s terror, knew she’d scream, she’d alert everyone. My mission would fail, my lord master would be furious. But I suddenly didn’t care. Seeing her fear, seeing how she reacted to the sight of me, it was like I’d been stabbed in the gut. I knew I should kill her before she could warn anyone, but I couldn’t. Jiach nenavut warnomh. I just…couldn’t.”
    Koda pulled me against his chest, his arms strong and reassuring. Startled, I tried to pull back, but he tightened his hold. “It’s all right, Sephti. It’s all right.”
    I shook my head violently, whether