Read Online Darkness Taunts by Susan Illene - Free Book Online Page B

I said.
    He stood. “Come with me.”
    I heaved myself up and followed him to his office on the second floor. He spun the combination on the wall safe behind the desk while I stood waiting. After opening it, he pulled out a very old-looking book and a much newer notebook.
    His fingers ran over the leather-bound cover in a kind of reverence. I could sense some kind of preservation spell on it and knew it must have been much older than it appeared.
    “This was in my family for several generations before my sister received it. After I turned her into a vampire, she gave it to me for safe-keeping. Gytha was the last surviving sensor of our line and when I turned her, it ended.”
    I froze. “Wait, Gytha was a sensor? I didn’t think we could be turned.”
    Nik’s eyes turned distant. “The survival rate isn’t high, but the times were too dangerous to keep her mortal. She was my last living relative and I didn’t want to risk losing her. Gytha hated her abilities enough it didn’t bother her to lose them. All of her immunity to magic went away. She retained a higher sense of awareness for anything supernatural, as well as sensors, but it only worked at close range.”
    “I had no idea it could be done.”
    He rubbed his face. “As I said, it rarely works, but it is feasible. It’s the reason I ask you to stay in on full moons. There are at least two cases I know of where sensors turned into werewolves.”
    Something new to worry about—as if I didn’t have enough. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
    “I thought you knew. Why do you think I blamed Lucas for Gytha’s death for so long? She must have found Henrik Nielson for him. None of us knew what the man looked like, but she could have figured it out.”
    “So what is this book?” I asked.
    He opened it and smoothed out the pages. All the text was in a language I couldn’t read.
    “This is where my family recorded all they learned about the supernatural races. Their strengths and weaknesses. Their habits. Everything they knew is listed here and none of it has been used since they died.” He lifted his gaze to mine. “Do you understand the importance of this?”
    I nodded. “Why show me this now?”
    He sighed. “You’ve been no more interested in using your abilities to help people than Gytha was in her time. Now that you’ve agreed to work on the demon situation, I’m willing to share this with you.”
    He handed me the spiral bound notebook sitting on his desk. “I’ve translated the parts of the book dealing with demons and, in particular, possessions. Use it for your work in Juneau. If you continue to show interest after you’re finished there, I’ll translate more.”
     I wanted to know what else might be in that ancient tomb, but I wasn’t sure I wanted the responsibility that came with finding out.
    My hands clutched the newer notebook tightly. “I can’t make any promises.”
    Resignation filled his eyes. “I understand.”
    “No, I really don’t think you do.”
    I walked out of the office and headed home.

Chapter Seven
     
    Kariann was kicking my ass and it sucked even more than all the other times she’d done it. To be fair, the six centuries she’d had to build her strength and experience gave her an unfair advantage. She’d smacked me with the flat of her sword at least a dozen times already. I was going to end up meeting Lucas tonight looking like a worn out punching bag—not that he’d care so long as I got the job done.
    “Thinking about pretty boy isn’t going to help you fight any better, little sensor,” Kariann derided.
    “What makes you think I’m thinking about Lucas?” I asked. Damn that last sword strike made my arm numb.
    She laughed. “You just gave yourself away. I had no idea who you were thinking about, but figured you’d tell me.”
    “Whatever,” I said. “I’m just pissed at him right now and not thinking clearly.”
    She struck at me again. “Sure you are.”
    I blocked and