The Pack - Shadow Games by Jessica Sorrento Read Free Book Online

couldn't keep running.
    Instead, I lowered my shoulders and held the
sword out in front of me as I charged towards the group while
screaming at the top of my lungs.
    My shoes weren't made for running. While
still yards away from the group of vamps, one of the straps on my
sandals ripped apart from the strain and I lost my balance. I fell
to the dirt and the sword flew from my hand before landing a few
feet short of the group. The gathered vampires laughed and a few of
the black cloaks broke off to collect me.
    I struggled to my feet but my ankle wouldn't
support my weight. All I could do was watch as the vampires
approached, but it turned out that watching was all that Calder
really needed me to do.
    With the group around Calder distracted by my
sudden appearance, he struck quickly. In a flash of silver and red
I watched as four vampires dropped together, each clutching their
open throats. Calder had moved so fast I hadn't been able to follow
his strikes. And he wasn't done yet. His hands shot out from his
sides and the pair of knives he was holding flew from his
fingertips before embedding themselves in the chests of the final
two stunned vampires.
    With the six around him taken care of, Calder
ran towards the three closing on me. In one swift movement he
scooped his sword up without slowing down and threw it, end over
end, at the group approaching me. The blade hit home and the
monster in the middle of the approaching group fell forward with a
gasp as the sword plunged into his back.
    His buddies turned but it was too late.
Calder was airborne with his arms outstretched. His razor sharp
fingertips cut through the soft skin of the neck of one of the
vamps. He tucked into a ball and rolled across the ground before
popping to his feet and reversing directions.
    The last vamp standing had a fighting chance.
Face to face with Calder, I watched as the two traded blows, each
blocking and redirecting the deadly strikes away from their own
bodies. But Calder was faster. While the vamp in the black robe was
busy watching Calder's quick hands, Calder lashed out with his foot
and caught the robed vampire in the knee. It bent in a way a knee
was never meant to move and the man dropped to the ground. He was
done fighting.
    We didn't wait around to question the
survivors. Calder picked up his sword then helped me to my feet.
When he saw I couldn't walk, he picked me up in his arms and held
me as I wrapped my hands around his neck.
    "You should have kept running Miss Olivia.
That could have gone badly."
    I pushed my head against Calder's shoulder
and held onto his neck a little tighter. "I couldn't just leave you
alone."
    "Well, I appreciate the assist. But trust me
next time."
    "Okay, I will." I pulled my head away from
his shoulder. "And Calder?"
    "Yes Miss Olivia?"
    "My friends call me Liv."
     
    *****
     
    Back in the throne room, I watched from a
bench against the wall as the King and Calder talked in hushed
tones. I'd occasionally catch a word or two and from what I could
make out, they were talking about the various vampire lords in the
kingdom. The King was smiling as he patted Calder on the back and
walked towards me.
    "You have done splendidly girl. Two different
lords moved against you and now I know who has turned traitor. Your
services are no longer required."
    What did that mean?
    "Does that mean I can go home?"
    "Sure, why not," said the King as he waved a
hand in the air and turned towards Calder.
    My heart lifted at the King's words, but a
moment later the blood in my veins ran cold as I heard hushed words
from the King in a language I couldn't understand. Calder's warning
from earlier ran through my head.
    There are only a few reasons to mask a
language like you described and none of them are good.
    I looked at Calder just as he turned to look
at me. Whatever the King had just said, it wasn't good.
    Calder responded in the same confusing tongue
as the King and in moments they were arguing loudly. But the
argument stopped