Blood Flows Deep in the Empire Read Online Free

take them down thanks to her kickboxing training, but that was wishful thinking. There were two of them and they were huge. Not to mention fuck-ugly and unnatural. Something deep down told her she’d never win against them, and damn it, she was listening.
    She cut through an alley and ran headlong into another. What the fuck is going on? Her whole life she’d been groomed by Nylicia, visited in her dreams, prepared to wait for Dyletri to come and get her so she could be sacrificed. So why, on the day he was supposed to come, were those things coming for her, too?
    She had to die in order to prevent the Fates from going rabid on the Universe. She knew this. Wasn’t happy about it, but had accepted it.
    But really, was it necessary to throw the two puke-inducing things behind her into the mix?
    More of Nylicia’s words came to mind.
    “Remember one thing. Life tends to throw at you the most painful of lessons in order to forge your soul and prepare you for your destiny.”
    Yeah, well, screw life lessons. This was just unfair. While she ran until she was out of breath, those two things seemed to be merely walking.
    Come on, Destiny. Give a girl a break!
    With her ribs starting to cramp, Ismini knew it wouldn’t be long before running became unbearable. She reconsidered stopping to fight. Should she continue running and put herself at a disadvantage? Or should she just stop and show them they’d just fucked with the wrong girl?
    Sure, she was confident in her self-defense abilities and had a few years of sparring under her belt, but could she really hold her own against two whatever-the-fuck-they-weres? Maybe if she wasn’t about to double over. But right now?
    Probably not.
    Out of nowhere, she heard a voice calling out to her. Screaming her name and demanding that she stop.
    Her heart lurched in her already heaving chest at the sound. For all she knew, it belonged to one of things following her, but something inside her told her otherwise. Her whole body suddenly screeched, urging her to stop.
    Her fear of the things following her faded, and she slowed to a halt. Eyes wide and searching, she braced herself with one hand against a brick wall. The other clutched at her chest as another roar went through her body, nearly knocking her off her feet.
    “Ismini!”
    That voice. Gods help her, who was that?
    She could guess. She wasn’t sure how, but she had a feeling she already knew.
    With each painful thump of her heart, Ismini became more certain of who was approaching her. Someway, somehow, her body recognized that voice.
    A figure appeared right next to her, seeming to poof into existence out of thin air. She gasped in shock, as a large hand landed on her shoulder and she felt a series of short electrical impulses through her. As if a live wire had ripped through her hoodie and gone straight to her skin.
    She shivered, the sensation spreading along her flesh. The world tilted, her perception bending in on itself, and her reality morphed. Pain exploded inside her. Whoever, whatever, was holding her turned her, steadying her.
    Ismini’s eyes widened in surprise when they met the powerful, blue gaze in front of her. Her tremors doubled. Towering over her was Dyletri.
    Dyletri.

Chapter 3

    Dyletri had just arrived outside Ismini’s apartment building when he heard what sounded like rubber tires screeching on cement. He turned instinctively to determine where the sound had come from.
    There, across the street. A small figure darted from behind one building and flew across the pavement, rushing for another alleyway. Her dark hair was loose and flowed wildly behind her as she ran. To his surprise, the light blue, purple, and white aura that flared in chaotic waves around her was one he knew well.
    Dyletri’s heart sped up in his chest, and he instantly dematerialized. Reappearing a few feet behind her, he peered at the running figure.
    He could sense no energy signatures close by, not even another human was near the alley.