Shadowed Threads by Shannon Mayer Read Free Book Online Page B

Alex. You would keep her safe.”
    He grinned up at me, and then leaned into the sink to play in the water, drawing designs in it with his oversized claws.
    Pamela eyes were shadowed, like she was still worried. Fuck, this was what I’d been worried about when taking her on as my ward. Not only how the hell I was going to keep her safe, but how was I going to allow her to still be a kid when she needed to be?
    Unfortunately, I already knew the answer. Her days as a child were done, and even though she was only fourteen, I had to depend on her as the powerful witch she was.
    It took everything I had to say the words that came out of my mouth next. “You want to go and check on Doran, make sure he and Jack are all right while I clean up?”
    A flare of excitement lifted the shadows from her face. “Are you sure?”
    “Yes. Just be careful. If he so much as steps toward you, wrap him up again and holler for me.” She was running back the way we’d come before I’d even finished speaking. Eager to take part, eager to be of help. Eager to be a grown up.
    The gods help me, I was going to need her when I went after O’Shea.
    Gods help us both.

Chapter 6

    D oran was passed out when I went back into the library. Still flat on his back, he was snoring, which to me just seemed weird. Where was the grace and the mystery, the fear inducing reputation that was supposed to go along with the blood drinkers?
    He snorted and rolled onto his side. Maybe not so much after all.
    Jack didn’t look up when he spoke to me. “Between the binding being broken and the high of your blood coursing through him, he’ll be passed out for days.”
    “I don’t have days. Milly said there is a team of witches going after O’Shea now. I have to leave.”
    “I’ll keep an eye on him. He’s got some interesting parts to play in the future.” Jack’s eyes narrowed as though squinting to see something—maybe that was exactly it. As a Reader, he could pick out what people were going to do, and even what they needed to do, just like Giselle had been able to.
    Maybe when I got back with O’Shea, I’d ask Jack how he’d avoided the madness that had stolen Giselle from me long before she died.
    I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Listen, Alex has to stay here.”
    The werewolf let out a high-pitched whine.
    I glared at him, something I didn’t often do, but I needed him to obey me. “You can’t come. O’Shea is dangerous and he might go after you again. I don’t know that his last orders from Milly aren’t still in play. You stay here with Jack and Doran. Got it?”
    His lower lip trembled, drooping a good inch. “Gots it.”
    Next I turned to Pamela. “Go get your trench coat, the black one, and your tall boots. Dress warm for flying.”
    Her lips crept into a smile. “You’re taking me with you?”
    “I need you to hold O’Shea for me. Once we find him, you need to hang onto his furry ass until we get back here to Doran.”
    She bobbed her head, blonde hair dancing as she ran from the room.
    “You going to be okay here, Jack?”
    “I’ve been fine alone for a long fucking time before you bloody well showed up.” He grumbled, and then poked Doran with his cane. “Besides, somebody’s got to keep an eye on the fanged asshole here.”
    “Thanks.” I touched Jack’s shoulder and he reached up and put his hand over mine in an unusual show of affection.
    “Be careful. I may not be able to read you, but everyone around you has a lot of shit coming down the pipeline. Very little of it good.”
    I swallowed hard, pushed the spurt of fear that curled around my chest. “Got it. Anything else?” Here it was, he could come clean, tell me what he knew about the prophecies. Nope, no such thing.
    He waved his cane at me. “Nah. Now fuck off, go find your wolf.”
    Walking down the hallway to my room, I mulled over the best course of action. Experimentally, I Tracked O’Shea, something I hadn’t done for some time, not since I’d