Read Online A Dark Kiss of Rapture by Sylvia Day - Free Book Online Page B

friend since grade
school. As he’d expected, Kim had been engaged once, shortly after
graduating from college, but she’d broken it off when she realized
she wasn’t ready to settle down.
    Shortly after ten, she went into the kitchen
to grab breakfast and he returned a call from Vashti that he’d
missed while indulging in Kim.
    “Vash.” He kept the video off and held the
phone to his ear. “News?”
    “The team of six I sent arrived this morning
and they’re already sweeping through what’s left of your list of
known Grimm haunts. They have orders to gather what intel they can
and pass it along to you. You’re primary, so stay available.”
    “Of course.”
    She snorted. “You could’ve been hunting last
night.”
    “Yes. And probably should’ve been. But it’s
my time now, Vashti. After all these years, it’s finally my time.
I’m not wasting it hunting down a crazy bitch who won’t be found
until she’s ready.” He heard the doorbell ring and pulled on his
jeans. “I rattled her cage yesterday. She’ll be crawling out soon,
because she’ll want to deal with this on her turf and I’ve
threatened to leave. I bet she makes a move by tomorrow, and I’ll
be out today making myself as easy a target as possible.”
    “I’ve emailed the cell numbers of your team.
Touch bases with them and—”
    Raze killed the call when Kim entered the
room with a dozen Black Beauty roses. There was laughter in her
eyes and a mischievous smile on her lips.
    “I guess this is a hint,” she teased. “I’m
glad you approve of my oral skills, since I certainly enjoy—”
    Shoving his phone into his jeans’ pocket, he
brushed past her on his way to the front door. “Did those just
arrive?”
    “Yes. Raze, are you—”
    “Lock the door behind me. Don’t open it for
anyone except me.” He was gone in a flash, taking the stairs at the
end of the hall, his heart racing with a sick panic. He raced down
the single flight of steps to the first floor and skid into the
lobby of the apartment complex in his bare feet. The lone elevator
car was empty and the doors sat open, but when he turned his head,
he saw the logo’d back of the delivery person disappearing out the
revolving glass door.
    A female. Blond hair tucked up under her
ball cap.
    Bloodlust hazed his vision. Her ladyship
hadn’t expected him to be there when she went after Kim and she was
arrogant enough to forego the quick kill. She wanted to play, like
she had with the Cubs fan.
    He pursued, uncaring of his bare feet and
chest. She was climbing into the back of an unmarked van when her
driver—Lake—saw him. The vampress hit the gas, sending Francesca
tumbling into the interior. Raze dove into the open doorway,
tackling the baroness as the van jerked back into the flow of
traffic to the blaring of horns and squealing tires.
    She fought, her claws raking into his flesh,
her fangs bared as she hissed like a wild creature. A gun went off,
the bullet whistling by his head. Raze crushed her to his chest and
rolled, using her body as a shield against the shooter in the
passenger seat. Her ribs cracked in the vise of his grip.
    Her scream pierced his ears. As Lake skid
around a corner, they nearly fell out of the open van door. Gaining
his knees, Raze threw Francesca backwards into the passenger,
startling the man into firing. The bullet lodged in her back, her
eyes widening with agony. Horrified by what he’d done the man
dropped his gun and it slid on the metal floorboard into Raze’s
waiting hand. He took out the minion with a shot to the head and
grabbed Francesca by the wrist, yanking her into him so he could
pierce her throat with his fangs.
    As her blood pumped down his throat, he
caught everything she knew—every plan she’d made, every minion
she’d told about those plans. He learned the identity of the
traitor who’d been providing her with Fallen blood and he knew how
to find the names of those he needed to hunt. Not so many, but that
wasn’t