sunfall by Nell Stark Read Free Book Online

Valentine spoke my name. I twisted my head around to meet her eyes, hoping to reassure her. There was only one way to test whether Malcolm was dissembling. I approached him cautiously, a low purr rumbling in my throat. Once I was within his striking distance, I lowered myself to the ground and waited.
    As his deep, chocolate eyes stared into mine, I willed him to remember—not only me, but himself. When he surged to his feet, Val’s sharp intake of breath pierced in my ears, but I held my ground. Regally, Malcolm bent his head and touched his nose to mine.
    “Come on up,” I heard Val call to Summers and Foster as Constantine took my place. “It’s safe now. I think.”
    As the vampires appeared, a low growl rumbled up from Malcolm’s throat, and he took several steps back, clearly uneasy in their presence. When Foster and Summers glanced warily at each other, then back at the tunnel, I was struck by the clear disparity between their abilities and mine. Having fed before we left, they had preternatural strength and speed on their side and could easily overpower a shifter in human form. But without a weapon, their only recourse against a beast of Malcolm’s size and power was to run. Balthasar Brenner had founded his political philosophy on that discrepancy, and while myopic, his theories were all the more potent for containing a kernel of truth.
    Constantine made a show of rubbing his shoulder against the vampires’ legs and the clear display of trust seemed to settle Malcolm. Once Foster had replaced the trap door and covered it with a layer of dirt, we moved together toward the arena’s entrance. Malcolm still seemed content to follow Constantine’s lead, but I watched him closely. In his present state, he had the potential to be more of a loose cannon than an ally. We saw no sign of other Weres in the arena, but that was hardly surprising. Anyone who had been hunting when Brenner had invaded must have been alerted and called back into human form.
    “Remember,” said Summers as we reached the atrium and prepared to split up. “Don’t initiate communication unless it’s an emergency. Your explosion will be our sign to make a move.”
    He and Foster headed toward the nearest stairwell while we took the corridor that led around and behind the arena. The back staircase was closer to the hospital wing, and I was hoping it wouldn’t be heavily guarded. We found no resistance at ground level, but Brenner’s troops could easily have laid a trap for us behind the closed door.
    Valentine crept forward on the balls of her feet, her movement soundless even to my ears. I padded beside her, but in a place frequented by a diverse mix of humans, animals, and vampires, even my keen senses were useless. When we arrived at the door, Val reached down to curl the fingers of one hand into the fur covering my neck. I glanced up at her and she nodded. We were going in blind with no weapons but her reflexes and my natural defenses, but at least we were going in together.
    She released her grip and counted down from five. As her fist clenched, she flung open the door with her free hand and I raced inside, determined to surprise whoever lurked behind it.
    But there was no one. At once surprised and relieved, I let my momentum carry me up the first flight of stairs, experiencing déjà vu as I once again crept cautiously around each blind corner. As the moments passed without any sign of our adversaries, I set a faster pace. The terrible hunger that always accompanied my transformation was growing stronger by the second. Already, I could feel my panther’s instincts beginning to eclipse my human consciousness.
    I stopped on the third-floor landing and sank into a crouch. Malcolm and Constantine took up flanking positions behind me, and Val trailed her fingers along my back as she crept silently toward the door. Again, she counted down. Again, I leapt for the open space as soon as she created it.
    This time, they were waiting.
    Two of