Read Online Darkest Fire by Tawny Taylor - Free Book Online Page B

horrible life”—she tightened her hold on her baby sister—“we have each other now, and that’s all that matters.”

    The leader of the Chimera tossed the car keys into the air and smiling, caught them. He pointed at the wall of hunting trophies. “The old man taught me a thing or two about hunting, most of it illegal but damn practical. Being a practical man, I listened. I learned. And now I’m going to put what I learned to use.”
    “What’s hunting got to do with anything?” For a smart guy, his second in command, Leonard Clancy, was very stupid sometimes.
    “Didn’t I tell you to stop taking that shit? It’s rotting your brain.” He smacked the joint out of Clancy’s mouth. It sailed across the room, hit the wall, and landed on the floor. “If you’re hunting deer and you want to draw it out so you can get a clear shot, what do you do?”
    “Ummm. Use a call?”
    “Yes. Exactly!” He smacked Clancy on the back. “Now you’re thinking.”
    Clancy’s face screwed into a mask of confusion. “But what kind of call do you use for a griffin?”
    “Well, it’s not a call so much as bait. We’re fishin’, not hunting.” He extended his arms. “You’re looking at it.”
    “You’re the bait?”
    “Yes. And you know who the hunter is?”
    Clancy’s grin was disturbing enough to make the Chimera’s leader second-guess himself. Could he really trust this moron? Sadly, he was the only man among the Chimera members he’d even think to trust.
    “Don’t get yourself too worked up. You’ve got to stay in control. Can you do what I say?”
    Clancy nodded. “Sure. I can. What do we do first? You’ve got to know where to drop the bait if you want the prey to find it.”
    “Now that’s the most intelligent thing you’ve said all day.” He turned to the map he’d hung on the wall. Years ago, he’d pasted a big red star on the spot where his predecessor had been defeated. “All animals are creatures of habit, even humans,” he said, thinking aloud. “We should go there.” He pointed at the red star. “Back where the bastards made their last kill. They can’t resist going back. But this time it’ll be different. We’ll win.”

6
    R in had always possessed a very vivid imagination. As a child, she’d learned to escape into fictional worlds, magical places where parents were always nurturing and gentle, food was plentiful, and there was nothing to fear. But even after employing her wildest imaginings as she’d ridden to her new home, she hadn’t visualized this.
    This couldn’t be his house. It was too freaking enormous. No, it had to be a museum, an office building, or something. As the car rolled to a stop on the side of the contemporary building, a long span of windows glistening in the waning sunlight, she twisted to exchange a questioning look with Lei over her shoulder.
    “What an interesting building. What is it, your office?” Rin asked.
    Drako cut the engine and opened his door. “My—your home. Our home. Wait here.”
    “Home?” She shot Lei another look. And as he strolled around the front of the car, she mouthed the word “home,” eliciting a shrug from her sister. Her door opened, and she swiveled around to give Drako a thank-you smile. Looking serious and maybe a little distant, he offered his hand. “My things?” She motioned toward the trunk as she stepped out of the vehicle.
    Drako unlatched Lei’s door. “Don’t worry. I’ll get your stuff later, after I’ve shown you and your sister around.”
    “Okay.” With her sister following, she let Drako lead her up to what would be, from this day forward, her home. She whispered a little “Wow,” when they stepped inside. Her voice echoed louder than she’d expected, and she clamped her mouth shut.
    This was where she would live? It was hard to fathom.
    They’d entered into what she’d describe as an atrium. They were at the back of the house. Straight ahead was a walkway that led deeper inside, and to