What Kills Me by Wynne Channing Read Free Book Online

close-cropped hair was ash blond
on top and silver around his pointed ears, and his hairline formed
a V in the middle of his forehead. When he moved, his leather
jacket groaned and pulled taut around his shoulders and
arms.
    “To what do we owe this honor?” Uther
asked.
    “I wish we were visiting on better
terms, but the Monarchy received some disturbing news tonight,” the
general said. He sauntered around his men, who lined the room like
statues. He was a head taller than most of them.
    “It seems, Cleric, that the shrine has
been breached,” he said.
    He waited for a reaction. Uther
remained silent.
    “We received word of a human entering
the shrine and gaining access to the Crucivium, which you were
entrusted to protect. Is this true?”
    “Yes, General.”
    “We understand that the human
desecrated the Crucivium with her body. We understand that she
emerged a vampire. Is this true?”
    “Yes, General.”
    The soldiers remained still but they
watched me with their eyes.
    “Most unholy,” the general whispered.
“When did this occur?”
    “Shortly after dusk,” Uther said. “It
was my mistake.”
    Uther looked at me apologetically. “I
was careless and left the door to the sanctum open. I had gone to
pick up some supplies and when I returned, I heard the girl and a
vampire in the church. The girl tried to escape and she ran to the
shrine and fell into the well.”
    “Was it your intention, Cleric, to
hide this from the Monarchy?”
    “No, General,” he answered. “I had yet
to contact the Monarchy because I wanted to first ensure her proper
care. I also wanted to study her and gather information for a full
report to the Empress.”
    The general approached Lettie and me.
He looked at me for the first time and gave me the once-over. His
dark gray eyes bore into mine and I looked down. As he towered over
me, I felt like a child who’d misbehaved. My head sank and my
shoulders rose up to my ears.
    “This is the trespasser?” he
asked.
    “Yes,” Uther said. “Her name is
Axelia.”
    The general paused, absorbing my name.
He scowled.
    “We have been ordered to bring this
abomination before the Monarchy, by order of the Empress,” he
said.
    Abomination? Stunned, I raised my head and met his
glower.
    “General, could we not wait until
tomorrow evening when she has had time to rest and I have had time
to observe her?”
    “Cleric, are you questioning the
Empress’s orders?”
    “No, General, of course
not.”
    “Tread carefully, Cleric. You too will
be judged for your failure to do your sacred duty.”
    “Uther, they can’t take Zee,” Lettie
said.
    The general whirled around and growled
at her; she was like a mouse who had bitten the tail of a
tiger.
    “Insolence!” he hissed.
    “Lettie, please,” Uther
said.
    “But Uther…”
    A soldier marched up to her and
grabbed her arm.
    “Hey!” she cried.
    “Seize the vampire!” ordered the
general. His mouth twisted into a snarl, revealing two gleaming
fangs.
    Two soldiers gripped Uther by his arms
while the others converged upon us.
    “No!” Lettie shouted. A soldier
grabbed her with both hands, crushing her arms to her sides and
lifting her off of the ground. “Stop!” she cried out.
    Screaming, I tried to run but they
were on me in an instant, grabbing my arms, wrenching me away from
Lettie. I kicked at the desk and the mug fell, exploding on the
floor, splashing blood on my legs. They pulled me from the room
like a rag doll.
    “Uther!” I cried.
    “General, this is unnecessary…” Uther
said.
    I heard his voice grow fainter and
fainter as they dragged me through the dark halls, my heels sliding
all over the hardwood and then across the cold, marble church
floors. Overhead, paintings of saints witnessed my
abduction.
    Outside, an engine started as the
soldiers pushed open the heavy front doors. The night air rushed me
and chilled my bare, wet legs. A cube truck was parked in the
courtyard, and they tossed me into the cargo area. I