Semi-Human (Harper Hall Investigations Book 2) by Isabel Jordan Read Free Book Online Page A

people tended to change direction to avoid them.
    Romeo nodded, still eyeballing the syringe. “When it became clear that Sentry would be forced to close its doors, leadership decided all the cleaners had to die.”
    Harper felt her brow furrow. “Why?”
    “Every single one of them was half a bubble off plumb. Loose cannons. No one could predict what they would’ve done without Sentry keeping them in line, giving them orders.”
    Yeah, that sounded about like Sentry. Proactive and judgmental and destructive to a fault. “So what’s that got to do with the syringe you seem to be threatening me with?”
    He held it up a little closer for her inspection. “They wanted the cleaners dead, but they didn’t want them dead immediately. They ordered them all out on their final missions to wipe out your boy Riddick and anyone known or suspected to be a natural. They gave them a week to get the job done.” He flicked the syringe again. “After they gave them a shot of this.”
    Harper’s mouth went dry. Apparently Romeo was more desperate than she thought. “What’s in the syringe, Romeo?” she asked quietly.
    “It’s a little cocktail the biochemists at Sentry cooked up. Think of it as a very slow-working cyanide. The cleaners finished their missions, then went gently into that good night.”
    He was bluffing. He had to be. This was Romeo, after all. He was an asshole, sure. But a murderer? No way. “How did you even get that?”
    “The biochemists back in the Sentry days were all noble and holier than thou. They thought they were better than us lowly slayers. But nowadays?” He snorted. “Shit, they can be bought for a song.”
    That sounded disturbingly possible. “You’re bluffing. You wouldn’t kill me.”
    He shook his head sadly. “Look, I spent months and months cleaning myself up, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna die after what I went through. So, I certainly don’t want to hurt you, hon. But you’re not giving me much of a choice.” He held the syringe in front of her face. “ You get a choice, though. Livin’ or dyin’ is entirely up to you. You can agree to help me with no shot, or I can give you this as an…incentive to convince Riddick to help me. And once I’m free and clear of my debt to the Vrykolakas, I’ll give you the antidote and we’ll go our separate ways.”
    She narrowed her eyes on him. “Riddick is going to kill you. Slowly. Painfully.”
    He paled, but held his ground. “You better hope he does it before I give you this shot. Because if I die after you’ve had the shot? Well, you’ll never know where to find the antidote. I’ve got it stashed where it will never be found.”
    “I’ll just find one of these biochemists you claim can be bought for a song and have him manufacture one for me.”
    Her fingers itched to slap the smug smirk off his stupid face. “Good luck finding one in time. Once you’ve had this? You’ll only have about a week and a half. Which, lucky for me, is plenty of time for Riddick to win in the Arena and get me out of this mess.”
    “ Assuming I can talk the Vrykolakas into not killing you on sight.”
    His smile warmed up a bit. “Sure, there’s that. But what are the odds of anyone saying no to you?”

 
     
     
Chapter Nine
     
     
    The door of the garage was bolted, chained, and solid-looking. Opening it might have been a problem on a normal day. But today? Riddick used his freakish slayer strength and rage to rip it off the hinges with his bare hands.
    Tossing the door aside, he entered the garage, pulling out his hunting knife with one hand and his SIG Sauer with the other. He hadn’t decided if he’d shoot Romeo before gutting him. Or maybe he’d hang the fucker from the ceiling by his own entrails. Then shoot him. A few times.
    The mental image that came with that thought had him smiling grimly.
    “That’s close enough, son.”
    Riddick barely suppressed a growl as he caught sight of Romeo toward the back of the wide-open,