Phoenix Contract: Part Three (Fallen Angel Watchers) Read Online Free

fingers flexed as she hesitated over the hilt, a small part of her resisting the enchantment. She shouldn’t…
    “Aiden, what are you doing?” Matthew’s demand, sharp and loud, broke the spell.
    Aiden jumped away from the sword, jerking her hand back. Pure fear jolted her entire body, causing her to tremble.
    “Nothing,” she replied automatically, meeting his eyes. But he’d seen, and he knew, and she hung her head in shame.
    “Never mind,” Matthew said, adopting a kinder tone. “It could happen to anyone. I’ll have to be careful not to let anyone near it alone.” He moved to the table and quickly wrapped the blade in its cloth, obscuring it safely from view. Then he locked it in the safe.
    Her hands shook, and her stomach twisted into a sick, tight knot. Panting, Aiden averted her gaze and took a moment to recover, trying to put her mind back in order.
    When she finally looked up, she discovered that Matthew had put on his long overcoat. He wore the heavy jacket even in the summer. Cold aggravated his arthritis which caused him a great deal of pain.
    “Where do you think you’re going?” Aiden demanded sharply, moving toward her mentor with the intention of stopping him. Doctor Henriques had made it perfectly clear that the priest needed to rest, or he’d risk a relapse.
    “As I said, I’m going out to locate Magnus. He’s Celtic and the sword is Celtic. They’re both museum pieces. It stands to reason that he might know something about it,” Matthew explained, pretending not to notice Aiden’s attempt to block him. He tried to evade, but she was both quicker and nimbler.
    “Oh no you’re not,” she forbid, giving him a hard, stern look through narrowed eyes. She put her hands on her hips. “You sit. I’ll go.”
    “But—”
    “No buts,” Aiden said. “Remember what the doctor said?” They traded stares, both frowning furiously, and then, to Aiden’s astonishment, Matthew gave in and sat down.
    “Oh, very well,” he complained. “But I wasn’t going very far. I sent Magnus home to rest, but I know he didn’t leave. He’s been stuck to me like glue for the last few weeks.”
    “You mean he’s here?” Aiden remembered Magnus’ disappearing act at the hospital, and hairs rose all over her body. She stared suspiciously at the shadowy corner near the bookcases.
    “Not here in this room,” Matthew corrected, dispelling some of her unease. “He wouldn’t eavesdrop on me like that. But yes, he’s close. I’d bet my last dollar.”
    “Here, you’ll need this.” He reached into his pocket and removed a small silver dog whistle.
    Aiden accepted it with a reluctant sigh. “Isn’t there some other way? I could call his name,” she said dubiously.
    “He might not hear you,” Matthew explained. “The whistle has a much better range. Just go on up to the roof and give three short, hard blows.”
    “And he’ll come?”
    “He’ll come,” Matthew said, suddenly smug and smirking. “I have him trained. Now shoo.”

Chapter Eleven

     
    Troy stepped into the crowded coffee shop and scanned the caffeinated throng: the noisy groups of friends, the intent intellectuals caught up in intense debates, the desperate students bent over books, the transient Goths, the Internet junkies tethered to their laptops, and even the occasional couple.
    The Alastor was somber and determined, dedicated to his purpose: the hunt. In centuries past, he might have been entering a bar or a brothel, a club or a cemetery. However, times had changed, and 21 st Century vampires had adapted, leaving the savvy modern hunter no choice but to do the same.
    Welcome to Starbucks.
    Troy moved with grace and deliberation, a wolf in a roomful of sheep. He exuded an aura of danger and excitement that had nothing to do with the veritable arsenal concealed beneath his brown leather jacket. He carried knives, guns, stakes, and a 14” short sword worn in a single strap, baldric and sheath across his back.
    The big