Ordained by Devon Ashley Read Free Book Online Page B

learn anything she doesn’t want anyone to know.”
    Jayden was clearly disappointed with his decision.
    “Besides, it’s more important for you to keep a close eye on Abigail while she’s here. But don’t crowd her! You’ve already proven she’s a liability. We don’t want to set her off and cause a repeat of what happened before.”
    “No,” Jayden said reticently. “Of course we wouldn’t.”

 
     
    Chapter Ten

    Emily was lying down on a stone bench, staring up directly through the conservatory dome. The stars were particularly brilliant tonight, the moon shining brightly in the sky. She had been in here for several hours. Not necessarily thinking about anything in particular, but relaxing. Something she hadn’t done in a long time.
    Four days had passed since she informed Abby and Noel that the Order had extended an invitation for them to come. She knew they wanted to seek information on Morphus, but Emily had already searched the manor high and low for a month and came up with nothing. And with what Noel had told her about Abby’s history at the school, this would be the last place he would ever want her to visit. Their coming here meant they were desperate for something.
    Quiet as she was, she could sense Abby maneuvering the pebble and stone paths, seeking her out. After all these years, Abby was the only hunter she was ever able to sense. She had always thought it a bit odd, but it wasn’t until she learned of her age that she began to believe why this occurred.
    “Sure it’s safe to meet here? It’s pretty easy for someone to hide about.” Abby pushed her way through the elephant ear plants.
    “No one ever comes in here. The guys spend all their free time playing video games and the girls are off in their cliques gossiping about their lives outside the school.”
    Emily too had once belonged to one of these cliques. Unfortunately, Emily knew more about what was going on and just wasn’t as carefree as the rest. She knew she couldn’t tell them yet and she just couldn’t pretend everything was hunky-dory either. Lately, she chose solitude. Darby and Mira let her be, knowing full well she would seek them out eventually.
    “So does the Order suspect anything?”
    “Well, they’re definitely freaked out by you for some reason or another.” Emily raised herself up off the bench and locked eyes with Abby. She didn’t hesitate, feeling abruptness was the best way to go for an honest reaction. “But they have yet to figure out you’re a vampire.”
    Abby’s expression was exactly what Emily had expected. Flawless. No one could keep a straighter face than Abby.
    “Vampire, huh? When did you come up with that theory?” she asked coolly, sitting down in a metal chair opposite Emily.
    “Oddly enough, a few months after you started training me. I could never get you guys to do anything during daylight hours. Then I convinced myself you had been working the night shift for so long it was all you knew. But now that I know how old you are, there really doesn’t seem to be a more fitting piece to the puzzle.”
    Abby huffed. Emily waited silently for her answer, gently swinging her feet underneath the bench, occasionally extending her feet to kick a few pebbles.
    She raised her left eyebrow. “If you thought we were vampires then why did you stay with us for the past two years?”
    “Because I trusted you. You saved my life. So I thought, how evil could they really be? How often do you meet a vampire willing to save the hunter? And I’ve learned more from you in the past two years than I did the entire eighteen years I spent here.” Emily paused, then asked the question she had been longing to know. “So tell me already. What are you?”

 
    Chapter Eleven

    Abby knew this day would come. It always did. Through the years she had made many acquaintances but kept them that way on purpose. Secrets were hard for everyone to share, particularly Abby, because her secrets were…well, unusual to