Read Online Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland - Free Book Online Page A

resisted the urge to slug him. I was getting better and better at that. “Where are we going to meet?”
    Without answering my question, he slipped out of the tack room, closing the door behind him.
    I reached it quickly, but with Jimmy quick just wasn’t good enough. He’d not only closed the door but locked it.
    I slammed my fist against the wood. “What the hell?”
    “You need to stay put, Lizzy. They know where you live. You’ll be safe here, and I’ll be back for the meeting.”
    “You can’t leave me behind.”
    “I think I just did.” His voice got farther away.
    “Sanducci!” I hit the door again. “Let me out!”
    Silence was my only answer.
    Did he think I’d never been locked up before? I’d be out of here in no time.
    Then what?
    Jimmy was right; I couldn’t go back to my place. Not now, perhaps never. I bit my lip, worried about Megan, my job, my apartment.
    “Any advice?” I asked the empty room. “Or are you only going to come to me in dreams?”
    As I muttered to myself, I looked around for something to use on the lock. Flicking the light switch, I cursed when nothing happened. The electricity was either out or disconnected. Probably the latter. Who would need electricity on an old farm that was no longer used? In truth, having it would be worse than a neon sign stating: HERE 1 AM; COME AND GET ME!
    I glanced at the single small window high up in the western wall. The sun sparkled on the dirty pane—red, pink, orange—the sky behind it was a dark but brilliant blue. What light I had wasn’t going to last much longer.
    I checked the doorknob, which was shiny and new, damn near unpickable, even if I’d had the tools to pick it. I should have known Sanducci would buy the best. Frustrated, I rattled the door.
    And something on the other side rattled back.

Chapter 10
    “Sanducci?”
    That something growled. The growl didn’t sound human. It sounded more—
    Rrrarrrr!
    “Cat,” 1 murmured. “Damn big one.”
    The thing slammed against the wood, snarling now, scratching, trying to make its way to me.
    I felt exposed, my hands far too empty. Where in hell was that knife?
    My gaze searched the floor. The light had faded to a pale gray, shot through with streams of pink. Pretty if I’d had the time to daydream. The way my life was going, daydreams would become a fond memory. Nightmares were going to be more my style.
    At first I didn’t see the knife anywhere, and I had a panicked moment thinking Jimmy had taken it along. Then I caught the last flash of the dying sun off something just under the edge of the cot.
    I went onto my knees and grabbed the hilt, feeling so much better with its now familiar weight in my hand, despite the remnants of Jimmy’s blood on the blade. Turning, I faced the door just as the big beasty crashed into it again. The wood split down the middle like a melon.
    “Wonderful.”
    I glanced at the knife. Silver worked on most shape-shifters. I knew that firsthand. I was pretty certain what was out there was some variation of the berserker I’d already killed, but it could be just a big cat.
    I snorted. Just ?
    The thing snarled again, and I tilted my head. Sounded like a cougar, although it would be kind of odd for a cougar not only to wander so far south but to stroll into this barn and get a hard-on for me. Shape-shifter made a lot more sense, and that it did brought home to me how much my life had changed.
    The door creaked alarmingly as the thing threw its body against the wood. I couldn’t stay here. If the animal got in, it would kill me, despite the silver weapon. The room was too small. The beast would break through and rush me. I’d have nowhere to retreat, no way to maneuver.
    I’d lucked out with the bear. I doubted I’d continue to have that kind of good fortune with everything else. My sole chance was to escape somehow, then either run and hide, or if I had to, stand and face it. My gaze scanned the small room.
    Anywhere but here.
    I had a cell