Wild Passion by Lori Brighton Read Free Book Online Page A

“I don’t know.”
    He released a humorless chuckle. “You don’t know? Why
do I find that hard to believe?”
    Suddenly Adelaide slammed back against a pew. The
edge dug into her back, the pain almost unbearable.
    “So damn stupid, just like your father.”
    “How would you know my father?’ she hissed, her
muscles flexing, but her limbs wouldn’t budge. Why couldn’t she
move?
    He smirked, strolling toward her. “We shared parents.
He was my brother.” He shook his head. “We had abilities… abilities
that we could have used to our benefit. But he refused, mad about
his treasure hunting. Insane bastard.”
    The entire room spun. She heard his words, yet
couldn’t seem to understand. This man was her uncle. This man had
abilities… some sort of perverse ability to control her body.
    He turned, facing her. “Listen and listen well.
Return the statue or you die.”
    Adelaide couldn’t breathe. He was her uncle, surely
that should have counted for something. But she knew in this greedy
world, with this statue that men fought over, her own uncle would
kill her. “It’s gone.”
    Her entire body lifted, hovering over the stone
floor. Adelaide gasped, but she could do nothing. Suddenly she was
flung backward by unseen hands. She landed to the hard, stone
floor, unable to hold her arms forward to take the impact of the
landing. Her skull bounced against the stone, pain shooting down
her neck and back. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, but she
couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes. Pinned to the
ground, useless, unable to move her arms or legs. From far away,
someone screamed, but her uncle didn’t mind that there were
witnesses.
    He knelt before her, and smiled. “Helpless.”
    “Maybe for now,” she whispered. “But I have a power
you don’t.”
    He narrowed his eyes. “I know all about your powers,
Dear. Why do you think I’ve hunted you down? I’ve been doing my
best to find all of my nephews and nieces. So tell me, what is my
future?”
    “I know you’re going to try to kill me. I also know
you’re going to die in the process.” She was lying. She hadn’t a
clue what would happen, but he didn’t need to know that.
    “You think to frighten me?” He laughed, looking
thoroughly amused. “Well then, if it’s going to happen, we should
start the process, shall we?” His hands were at her neck, cold
fingers pressing down on her throat. The face that hovered over
hers was hard, those blue eyes lacking a soul. The air was cut from
her body. Stars danced along the edges of her sight, her lungs
burned, her throat aching. In her mind she clawed at his hands,
kicked at him. In reality, she did nothing. Adelaide tore her gaze
from him and focused on the stained glass. The blues and purples in
the window blurred together.
    The light faded. She closed her eyes, attempted to
see her future, but she could see nothing.
    The world went quiet. The pain faded. Adelaide
floated in nothingness.
    “Adelaide?”
    Someone called her name. He sounded so far away,
barely audible.
    “Adelaide, come back.”
    But she didn’t want to return. Returning would mean
pain, fear. Warmth surrounded her, giving form to her body once
more. She must return, she had no choice. Wrapped in a cocoon of
heat and safety, she suddenly found herself rushing through
air…through time. Through the darkness, a pinpoint of light was
coming closer…closer…
    She slammed into something hard. Adelaide’s lashes
lifted. Cold air entered her lungs, too much, too soon. She gasped,
so startled she bolted upright. Concerned faces wavered around her.
Bea, the woman she’d met in India. Her brother’s wife. Then Colin
was there, her brother, a man she knew she’d see again, but hadn’t
realized it would be now, saving her life.
    “Do you remember me?” Colin asked, his golden hair
like a halo around his handsome face. A veritable angel come to
save her soul.
    Her hands went to her throat. The skin didn’t