The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) by Carmen Caine, Madison Adler Read Free Book Online Page B

mange? This time of year?”
    Blondie’s eyes began to shine in the darkness. “Hold still, human,” he whispered as he sidled out of the shadows and into the light. I could see his hairless body, the spiked scales, and dark, liquid, bottomless eyes. The magnetic force coming from his eyes was impossible to resist.
    I choked. “Watch out, Samantha!” I managed to warn, filling with a growing horror.
    Samantha paused, looking directly into his eyes, long and hard. She pursed her lips and reaching forward, pulled me back. “Strange looking beast. Out of my way, Sydney. I’ll not have anyone under my charge harmed until I can get Animal Control out here, and get this poor thing some help.”
    Blondie hissed and drew back.
    Stepping in front of me, Samantha wielded the broom and with a reproving click of her tongue, ordered crisply, “Shoo!”
    Blondie lunged forward.
    But Samantha’s aim was true. She hit him straight on, sending his body flying over the dumpster.
    My mouth dropped open. I’d thought that the Mesmer were impossible for anyone to resist.
    But then, Samantha wasn’t just anyone.
    “Strange.” She glared with an audible huff and placed her hands on her hips. “I don’t think I’ve hurt it, but it should be seen by a vet. I’ll take care of this, Sydney. You run on home. I don’t want you around that thing.”
    I drew a shaky breath.
    “Be quick now,” Samantha ordered me as she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and punched in a number. Turning to the side, I heard her say, “Yes, I need some traps over here at once. I’ve some kind of armadillo. It looks diseased. It’s a downright health hazard.”
    Slipping back into the shop, I grabbed my backpack and peered out the backdoor where Samantha was still talking, waving her hand.
    Through a side window, I could see the bus approaching the bus stop.
    It was now or never.
    Dashing past Samantha, I waved a goodbye and ran like mad to the approaching bus.
    But rounding the corner, I knew at once that I’d made a horrible mistake.
    There was no denying it this time.
    In front of me, a shadow peeled from the brick wall and formed the unnaturally tall man with the black top hat dressed in a tuxedo.

Chapter Four – Microwave Mind-Control
    I tripped and fell against the bricks as the man in the tuxedo floated towards me.
    “Run, Sydney!” I heard his voice. But it sounded as if it came from a great distance. “Run!” He was pointing up, and as he began to fade, I followed the direction of his finger and saw dozens of glowing beady eyes lined along the rooftops.
    “It’s time,” dozens of Mesmer voices whispered. “Time to open the portal.”
    I could feel their eyes zeroing in on me. In my pocket, Jareth’s protection rune blazed to life, burning through my sweatshirt and jeans to sear my skin.
    The rune wasn’t going to last much longer.
    As dozens of gargoyle-like Mesmers slithered down the walls towards me, I turned to run only to hear tires squeal.
    I froze in the headlight beams of a car.
    The slam of a car door jolted me out of my stupor. Suddenly, Rafael was there, shoving me into his Bentley. Diving into the driver’s seat, he reversed the car, accelerating so fast that my head slammed back against the headrest.
    We zoomed down the street.  A wave of relief passed through me, followed quickly by concern.
    “Samantha!” I said, whipping around in my seat and peering through the back window.
    “They’re following us, not her,” Rafael replied tersely.
    He was right.
    I could see them scuttling after us, a macabre stampede of hairless, slithering Mesmers. There must have been at least two dozen.
    He sped down the street, weaving effortlessly through the slower moving cars. Several times, we slid on ice, but he was in complete control of the car.
    He looked mysterious in the light of the dashboard with his blond hair wildly framing his face, and the line of his jaw, hard. He was an enigma. Forbidden. Tempting.
    I could hardly