Release (The Protector Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

between each of his words. “You take advice from demons and let a kid tell you how to run things. If you want to be sent to your deathbed instead of listening to a tried and true experienced hunter, you’re on your own.”
    Eric shoved his shoulder into Tiki as he walked by. Tiki stepped back to keep his balance but didn’t react otherwise. As the steel door slammed shut behind Eric, an awkward tension fell over the room.
    “Well…that didn’t quite go as planned,” Marcus said.
    “Screw him,” I said. “We can’t trust him so we don’t need him.”
    “Yes we do,” Marcus said. “Eric runs the biggest crew of rogue hunters on this side of the country. He may be…difficult at times, but don’t kid yourself, we need his numbers.”
      “You’re both right,” Grams said. “We need the numbers, but numbers don’t mean crap if they’re just as likely to stick a knife in your back as they are in Riley’s.”
    “Eric may be a lot of things, but a traitor is not one of them,” Marcus said.
    “I think it worked out quite well. Look at me, I’m fabulous.” Grams grinned, revealing perfectly straight but stained yellow teeth.
    “That isn’t right, Grams and you know it.” Willy said.
    “Hogwash! That son of a bitch doesn’t appreciate his life, so someone ought to make him.”
    “Edna…” Marcus said.
    “Oh, fine.” She waved him away.
    Grams’s magic pulsed and her skin stretched out and the creases returned. The color her hair had gained faded back to gray, and its healthy gloss returned to frizz. The bags beneath her eyes returned, and the warmer tones to her skin were gone.
    “So what do we do now?” Rayna asked.
    “Let’s give Eric a few days to cool off and then I’ll talk to him. We’ll see where we stand after that,” Marcus said. “Until then, if everyone will bring whatever they can find here, we’ll start the research.”
    Everyone was in agreement and began to gather their things. Kate stopped in front of me on her way to the door and squeezed my shoulder. “Don’t take what Eric said seriously, Chase. You’re a good hunter and your heart is in the right place. Your mother would be proud of what you’re doing.”
    I forced a half-smile. “Thanks.”
    “I mean that. You’re doing good work here. Keep it up.”
    I nodded and she offered me a smile. Kate was around my mother’s age but she looked much older. Years of running an underground hunter outpost hadn’t exactly been a glorified lifestyle.
    People chatted amongst themselves and slowly began to break away from the meeting one by one. Any of the residual anger that lingered inside me drifted away as Rayna approached.
    “Well, that was…intense,” I said.
    “You’re telling me.”
    “Can you do stuff like Grams just did?”
    Rayna laughed. “Short of magically picking a lock and a few other minor spells, I can’t do much. I sure as hell can’t do that.”
    “That’s because you’ve never been trained,” Grams’s raspy voice said. “But that’s about to change. You got that little kitty of yours in check?”
    “Excuse me?” Rayna arched a brow.
    “The kitty. You know, that little fuzzy beast inside your—”
    “Yes,” Marcus said. “She’s shifted multiple times now and gained control over her beast.”
    “Good. Then she can come with me.”
    “I’m not sure if now’s a good time.”
    “Now is as good a time as any. She’s got her beast in check and we’re trying to stop an apocalypse. We need to see what she can do.”
    “What are you two talking about?” Rayna asked.
    “We’re talking about you and the fact that this coven runs in your blood,” Grams said.
    “Edna,” Marcus said.
    “What? Was it a big secret?”
    “Well no, but…”
    “Then don’t Edna me.”
    “Wait, what?” Rayna asked. “My mother was a Triquerta like Grams?”
    “I should’ve told you sooner,” Marcus said. “I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”
    Rayna stayed silent a moment, her eyes