Vampire Apocalypse #2 Cataylst by H.M. Ward Read Free Book Online Page B

into
full thoughts yet, just prickling premonitions at the back of her
mind.
    Disappointment shot through the King. “Damn
it,” he swore, turning from her. Staring out the window, the King’s
eyes raked over the frozen landscape below. The information that he
gleaned was useful, but only if he captured one of them. If that
stubborn girl had feelings for Will, the King would certainly use
it. The question that still hung in the air was whether or not Will
returned those feelings. That boy was difficult to read.
    “Go,” the King said, dismissing Cassie
without a backward glance. “Return to your bed and do not discuss
this with anyone.”
    Cassie’s body stood and before she could
blink, her feet started moving, and took her out the door. Cassie
was aware of her bare feet on the plush carpet and of her hand
gripping the brass door knob, twisting it closed in her palm. When
she turned to walk back to bed, Cole bounded up beside her.
    He grabbed his sister’s shoulders and turned
her toward him, “Thank God! Are you all right?” He looked her over,
Cole’s anxious eyes meeting hers. “Cassie, what’d he do to
you?”
    Cassie seemed like she was in a daze. Her
feet continued to move as she spoke lethargically, “The King
compelled me to speak about Kahli.”
    “What?” Cole asked, astounded.
    But, before he could say anything, she droned
on, “He wanted to know about her relationship with Will. I told him
and he sent me to my bed, forbidding me to speak of it after I
reached my room.”
    Cole grabbed her arm to stop her feet.
Turning toward her brother, she looked into his face but the haze
didn’t lift. She couldn’t think. The worry on his face didn’t
penetrate the King’s command, it didn’t stop her feet from
continuing down the hallway, even though a look like that from Cole
normally would have captured her full attention.
    “What’d you tell him?”
    Cassie pulled free and started walking to her
room again, winding through the halls, she answered Cole’s
questions, until he knew what was said and what was asked. Finally
he stopped his sister again, before she walked into the maiden’s
wing, “Did he drink from you? Or Kahli?”
    Cassie’s eyes were blank. She nodded, “He
drank from someone, but it wasn’t me. He was covered in blood, too
much blood to survive a feeding like that.”
    Cole swallowed hard, as his sister pulled out
of his grip and disappeared behind the doors. The guards were
absent. Cole didn’t realize it until he was standing alone in the
hall. Cole glanced back and forth knowing he’d be reprimanded for
being there so late if he was spotted. Something was wrong. Where
were the guards? In all the time he’d been here, Cole had never
seen them abandon their post.
    Something bad was going on. That much he
knew, and Cole would do everything he could to find out what.

CHAPTER 9

    Kahli clung tightly to Will as they moved
over the frozen ground on the back of the battered bike. Snowflakes
made it nearly impossible to see, but they also covered their
tracks. A storm had passed through while they were in the cave.
Will steered them toward the nearest safe house. He asked Kahli for
directions, but she couldn’t always tell exactly where they were.
Will kept going, urging the bike forward. Somehow he knew where the
safe house was located, which meant he was either a hell of a
guesser or he’d been there before.
    When they dismounted and dragged the bike
inside, Kahli unwrapped a scarf from her frozen face. “So,” she
asked, as she cranked on the generator in the darkness, “How long
were you following me?”
    Will stood behind her motionless. Her hair
fell across her shoulders in soft, flame-red waves. Thinking about
it, he said, “Is there an answer I can give you that won’t piss you
off?”
    The lights made a buzzing sound before they
finally turned on. The darkness flickered like an old movie, until
the bulbs blazed bright. Kahli turned toward Will with her hands