Memory Zero Read Online Free Page A

metal stairs.
    One flight down. The old man stared up at her, a grim reminder of her fate if she wasn’t fast enough. Onto the second flight. Was that a footfall? She didn’t dare look up; she just kept on running.
    She hit the lower landing, then grabbed the rail and leapt over it. She landed awkwardly, and pain curled like fire up her leg. But she ignored it and ran for her car.
    A sighing sound carried across the howl of the wind. She caught a hint of movement out of the corner of her eye, but before she could react, something hit her hard and flung her sideways.
    She struck the ground with a grunt of pain, her weapon flying from her hand. She twisted, throwing punches at the heavy weight that had landed on top of her. His curses stung the night, and then he caught her hands, his grip like iron as he held her still. She found herself staring into eyes that were an odd, green-flecked hazel, and not entirely human.
    Not Jack or the creature. Someone else entirely. Someone she hadn’t sensed.
    “If you want to live, remain still and be quiet,” he ordered, his gaze burning into hers for a second before flicking away.
    “Get the hell off me and I may consider it,” she muttered,twisting left and right in an effort to dislodge his weight.
    “That creature hunts by sound and movement alone. Remain still, and we might escape with our lives.”
    A soft snarl ran across the wind. She stopped fighting and turned her gaze to the fire escape. A kitelike shape leapt off the second flight of stairs and landed awkwardly near the boxes. It made several odd snuffling noises before turning blind eyes in their direction. Her fingers twitched, pressing the trigger of a weapon she no longer held. The stranger glanced down at her, his odd-colored eyes holding a warning.
    It went against her every instinct to remain still, to resist fighting, and her muscles quivered as she fought to do both. The creature took a lumbering step in their direction. Her breath caught somewhere in her throat. At the other end of the alley, the howling wind tugged at the garbage bins. One fell and rattled toward the road, spewing paper and food scraps across the pavement before rolling away. The creature roared, then swung around and ran out of the alley.
    The stranger released her and scrambled to his feet. She lurched forward and grabbed his wrist.
    “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not leaving until you tell me what the hell that thing is.”
    A slight smile creased the corners of his lush mouth. “And what gives you the right to detain me?”
    “I’m a cop, mister. You’re under arrest.”
    “For what? Saving your life?” He pried her fingers away from his wrist, his own fingers warm and slightly rough against hers. “Sorry, but I have a creature to stop. Arrests will have to wait.”
    He moved so swiftly that he almost seemed to blur. One blink and he was gone.
    The night didn’t appear to be getting any saner, she thought sourly. First her partner had become a vampire, and then she was hunted by a kitelike monster, only to be rescued by a man who could blur his form and soar into the wind. Even shapechangers didn’t move that fast—did they? She didn’t really know much about them, despite her years on the force.
    Knowing she probably didn’t want an answer to that question, she slowly climbed to her feet. Pain fired up her right leg, and her ankle suddenly felt encased in iron.
Great, just great. The night from hell and a busted ankle to boot. Maybe the best idea is to just sit here and wait for the cavalry to arrive
. The thought made her frown, and she glanced at her wristcom. Four minutes had passed since she’d pressed the emergency beacon, and nine since she’d first requested help. Why wasn’t anyone here?
    She glanced around for her weapon and saw it sitting in a puddle ten feet away. She hobbled to it, doing her best to ignore the protests from her ankle. As she bent down, that weird sliver of heat prickled a warning across her