Lorelei by Celia Kyle Read Free Book Online

squeezing her eyes shut against the sensations. The stranger winced. “That bad, huh? Okay.” She raised her hands and Lorelei spotted symbols similar to her own coating the other woman’s skin. “I’m gonna touch you real lightly and real slow and your magic isn’t gonna kick my ass, okay?”
    Magic?
    Wha—
    Lorelei wasn’t able to finish thinking about her question before hands were on her. And something inside Lorelei reacted. It surged forward, pressing and stretching her skin until she thought she’d pop like a balloon.
    “Yeah, your magic isn’t paying attention, hon. Maybe you can calm your heart a little and I’ll take some of this pain away.” The woman shoved the words past her gritted teeth.
    Calm. She could almost do calm. Especially if calming meant this pain would cease. Lorelei didn’t even pretend to understand what the hell had happened to her, but she was all for putting an end to some of it.
    So she looked into herself, closed her eyes, and sought the peacefulness that tended to remain just out of reach. She drew that safe and soothing feeling forward and sent it sliding through her body. She willed her muscles to unclench and ease as she slowed her breathing. With each new part of her that unclenched, more of the pain receded.
    Thank God for yoga.
    “That’s it.” The stranger sighed and her relief allowed Lorelei to calm further.
    Soothed, she was able to explore her surroundings with her gaze. She lay atop a huge bed, the mattress massive and she realized it was easily king sized. Which meant the room was definitely big enough to hold something so massive. She let her stare travel further to the small sitting area off to the side, to the large dressers and the door that stood ajar to reveal the bathroom. A set of double doors was to the bathroom’s left, both snug and shut tight. The colors and patterns in the blanket’s fabric as well as the paintings that graced the walls told her she was still in the hotel.
    “Where,” the word was hoarse and Lorelei cleared her throat. “Where am I? What’s going on? Why are you people doing this to me?”
    “Oh, Lorelei.” The woman sighed and the soft click of a door unlatching cut off whatever she was about to say.
    The panel swung open, just enough for a familiar face to peek past the opening. “I heard voices.”
    Lorelei’s heart clenched and her lungs burned. Her eyes stung from new tears and she swallowed back a sob that threatened to explode from her chest. “Rebecca.”
    Her sister. Her baby sister.
    Rebecca eased into the room and gently swung the door shut behind her before padding toward Lorelei. “Hey, Lor.” Her sister stopped beside the bed and then took the stranger’s place at Lorelei’s side. “You stepped in it this time, huh?”
    “Rebecca, we have to get out of here. We have to find a way out. I found this phone and the things it said and those guys…” She didn’t fight to stop the tears, letting one after another trail down her cheek. And then… then she voiced the words that made her a coward, but she was beyond caring. The fear, the pain, the overwhelming stress made her put voice to her emotions. There is no courage without fear. “I’m scared.”
    “Oh, Lor-Lor. I was too, but it’s okay. I promise.”
    Lorelei shook her head. “No, the texts and emails. Werewolves, Rebecca. And it hurt so bad and the light and…”
    She shuddered. She’d managed to look composed, to keep her head on straight, but she needed a chance to fall apart. Then she could put herself back together.
    “Hush.” Rebecca enveloped Lorelei’s hand with her own. “Hush, now. We’re gonna talk about all this. Remember when I was burned? When I was three? And you held my hand and you told me everything would be okay. That you’d protect me and I’d always be safe because you wouldn’t let anything happen to me ever again.”
    Lorelei nodded. She remembered that time. Little three-year-old Rebecca got caught in a fire that