Lilah by Gemma Liviero Read Free Book Online Page B

careful. He will come for you if he
knows you are here. He is always recruiting.’
    The older man laughed gently. ‘We have a few of
our own skills, remember.’
    ‘Yes, I know, but the reborn are strong and
stupid and they take the same skills as you with them when they convert: a
lethal combination and an unpredictable match for the…’
    ‘… likes of our kind.’
I wondered what sort of kind they were talking about.
    ‘Anyway,’ the man continued. ‘We appreciate
that you have not given us up.’
    ‘I don’t recruit those who do not choose to
come willingly.’
    ‘The others are welcome to it. It is not
something we desire,’ said the woman. ‘We are happy here and prefer to grow
old. No offense.’
    Gabriel laughed affectionately and the sound
reminded me of the kindness of the sisters. ‘None taken; however, I will be
sure to place flowers on your graves…no offense.’
    The couple found this amusing also and the
three shared the laugh.
    ‘Is she one?’
    There was a pause. ‘Why do you ask?’
    ‘The fact that you are here with her now,
perhaps seeking for her a safe place. Not to mention that I can sense her.’
    ‘A safe place for a young girl? We both know the truth of that.’
    I did not see the response. I wondered if he
was talking about my skill. And if so, how did he know? Beside the crackling
hearth, exhaustion soon consumed me and the sounds of their voices faded as I
was claimed by sleep.
    Chapter 5

 
    Lewis

 
    They came out of the shadows with
their fire torches believing there was safety in numbers. Like rats they had
taken the bait greedily.
    Over centuries I had need to move our coven, discovered
by those who would seek to harm us. To counter such attack we would steer our
enemies towards abandoned houses. This present house, where I hid in the
shadow, was a ruse ; a place of entrapment far from our
castle. We had led our assassins here, catching one and letting him go; the
fool thinking he had found our secret location.
    The group would be formidable if not for the
fact that we were superior in every way. It was Gabriel who had laid the traps
but he was not here tonight. Disappointingly, he was off dreamily walking the
lands. But it didn’t matter. There were many more of us to enjoy the feast.
    I watched from the top floor windows as they
clumsily made their way to the front entrance. This house was rundown and
uninhabitable for even the lowest class of humans; with its broken furniture,
embers left untidy on the large rambling brick hearth, the broken banisters,
missing stairs, and cracked windows. Gabriel liked it here to disappear into a
different life away from his coven family. And he planned to come back after
this attack. He played a dangerous game choosing to stay here so often. Humans
often returned to places of interest, hoping to reinvent the past.
    Tonight we would wipe out a whole village of
men. The women would be distraught. They would pack up and leave their barren
farms with their squawking children.
    The human men circled the house like the
brainless fools they were. They called out: ‘Strigoi! We know you are in
there!’
    I responded by opening the door even though I
was not on the same floor – one of the benefits of my craft. My sorcery
was better than anyone’s. The crowd murmured and I could already hear that some
wished they had not participated tonight.
    They ascended the front stairs cautiously,
grunting like pigs.
    ‘Come out and fight, demons!’ called the leader
of the group.
    As they entered I sent magic through the air to
light up the room with many candles; the flames bursting forth like a holy
miracle. But, to be honest, I was tiring of all the theatrics ; perhaps a sign that it was nearing my time beneath the soil.
    There was a gasp from the crowd and the group
broke apart slightly. Several neared the exit in case they should have to run.
But the leader was drunk on beer and foolishly brave.
    ‘Are you afraid to fight like men?’ he