Empire of Blood (Book 2): Fading In Darkness Read Online Free Page B
Author: Robert S. Wilson
looking at the floor. He reached his hand out and she screamed, but he didn't flinch as he continued to gently set his hand under her chin. Her flesh quivered at his touch as he lifted her head to reinitiate eye contact. She tried to look away with just her eyes, but he gripped just tightly enough to move her head so no matter where she tried to divert her eyes, they would still be locked in his general direction.
After a moment of this, she gave up rebelling and returned his gaze lamely, her body still shuddering with horror.
"There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it, little lass? Now tell me... what's your pretty little name, girl?"
She opened her mouth to speak and her teeth chattered violently as a faint, hoarse groan uttered from the back of her throat.
Jack released her chin and brought the back of his hand down the side of her face in a soft caress. " Shh . I suppose I've overestimated your ability to keep cool under pressure. I do believe I'm scaring the willies out of you. That just isn't very fair, now is it?"
The girl nodded, a sweat-soaked curl coming loose from behind her ear.
"Yes, I know. How about we even the odds just a little, eh? Give you a fair chance. Whattayasay ? "
She nodded again and with that, Jack stood and stretched out his arm in a "right this way" gesture. She looked at him with an expression of surprise and made her way up from the floor, sliding against the corner as she stood shaking.
Jack took several steps back to clear a path to the door. "Go ahead. I promise, I won't bite..."
The girl took a single, cautious step, then another. Then, she took several more in more rapid procession.
"...Just yet."
She stopped abruptly, her body convulsing with fear. Jack smiled and winked at her almost solemnly. She seemed to relax some causing Jack's patience to thin. But he knew if he waited it out, his reward would be a hunt and fear so much more than he was already savoring. She took several more steps and was merely a few feet away, the smell of her sweat and blood nearly mesmerizing.
The next step she took, before she had a chance to even set her foot down, Jack crept down behind her shoulder and whispered in her ear with a tender inflection in his voice.
"If you want any chance to get away, now's the bit where you'll want to run, lass."
The little girl's shoulder fluttered with every syllable. "Run with all of the fury your little precious feet can stammer out."
There was no hesitation. Her little body erupted into a run straight through the doorway. Her tiny black dress shoes clapped against the flooring as she raced down the hallway. It took a deeply calculated will to keep still as she went. He stood there waiting like a granite statue. But as soon as she got to the corner and turned at the main hallway, he finally let go.
He shot forward after her with the stealth and grace of a lion. Air blew back his hair from his eyes and friction warmed his flesh from the quickness of his sprint.
Chapter 4
Submit Unto Caesar
Hank pulled into the vast parking lot of the local Imperial Church and parked in a secluded area. He killed the engine and sat there staring into the steering wheel of the car. He'd spent more time in his own head lately than ever before in his life. The most important things he had to say and do, for now, had to be kept to himself. Otherwise, the Emperor would know them too.
The sun was setting over the horizon beyond the parking lot. He'd been having to adjust his sleeping schedule in order to prepare for his first visit back to the city of the dead. He pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. He walked toward the huge church, the bottoms of his shoes slapping against the blacktop and echoing across the parking lot.
Two sentries greeted him at the door as he went to enter. One had a long scar across his right cheek. The other had a high forehead resembling that of a Neanderthal. Both had short, trimmed black hair.
"The
After a moment of this, she gave up rebelling and returned his gaze lamely, her body still shuddering with horror.
"There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it, little lass? Now tell me... what's your pretty little name, girl?"
She opened her mouth to speak and her teeth chattered violently as a faint, hoarse groan uttered from the back of her throat.
Jack released her chin and brought the back of his hand down the side of her face in a soft caress. " Shh . I suppose I've overestimated your ability to keep cool under pressure. I do believe I'm scaring the willies out of you. That just isn't very fair, now is it?"
The girl nodded, a sweat-soaked curl coming loose from behind her ear.
"Yes, I know. How about we even the odds just a little, eh? Give you a fair chance. Whattayasay ? "
She nodded again and with that, Jack stood and stretched out his arm in a "right this way" gesture. She looked at him with an expression of surprise and made her way up from the floor, sliding against the corner as she stood shaking.
Jack took several steps back to clear a path to the door. "Go ahead. I promise, I won't bite..."
The girl took a single, cautious step, then another. Then, she took several more in more rapid procession.
"...Just yet."
She stopped abruptly, her body convulsing with fear. Jack smiled and winked at her almost solemnly. She seemed to relax some causing Jack's patience to thin. But he knew if he waited it out, his reward would be a hunt and fear so much more than he was already savoring. She took several more steps and was merely a few feet away, the smell of her sweat and blood nearly mesmerizing.
The next step she took, before she had a chance to even set her foot down, Jack crept down behind her shoulder and whispered in her ear with a tender inflection in his voice.
"If you want any chance to get away, now's the bit where you'll want to run, lass."
The little girl's shoulder fluttered with every syllable. "Run with all of the fury your little precious feet can stammer out."
There was no hesitation. Her little body erupted into a run straight through the doorway. Her tiny black dress shoes clapped against the flooring as she raced down the hallway. It took a deeply calculated will to keep still as she went. He stood there waiting like a granite statue. But as soon as she got to the corner and turned at the main hallway, he finally let go.
He shot forward after her with the stealth and grace of a lion. Air blew back his hair from his eyes and friction warmed his flesh from the quickness of his sprint.
Chapter 4
Submit Unto Caesar
Hank pulled into the vast parking lot of the local Imperial Church and parked in a secluded area. He killed the engine and sat there staring into the steering wheel of the car. He'd spent more time in his own head lately than ever before in his life. The most important things he had to say and do, for now, had to be kept to himself. Otherwise, the Emperor would know them too.
The sun was setting over the horizon beyond the parking lot. He'd been having to adjust his sleeping schedule in order to prepare for his first visit back to the city of the dead. He pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. He walked toward the huge church, the bottoms of his shoes slapping against the blacktop and echoing across the parking lot.
Two sentries greeted him at the door as he went to enter. One had a long scar across his right cheek. The other had a high forehead resembling that of a Neanderthal. Both had short, trimmed black hair.
"The
Readers choose
John Dickinson
Haven Kimmel
Karpov Kinrade
Sait Faik Abasiyanik
Ilsa J. Bick
Luke Romyn
Deborah Crombie
Dana E. Donovan
Alan Hunter
Mia Amano