Read Online DarkWind: 2nd Book, WindDemon Trilogy by Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Free Book Online Page B

woman.      
     
    Caitlin was shivering as she walked to the sickbay. The mere thought of an alien being such as Cree being able to track her across time and space was terrifying. That he was an assassin had not been made clear in the scroll they had found. The writing had labeled him a beast of some kind; but it had not stated he was a cold-blooded killer created and designed to track and terminate people.
    The first person Caitlin encountered as she entered sickbay was Lisa Mahon. “I need to talk to you,” Lisa said urgently, taking Caitlin’s arm.
    “What is it?”
    “Hush,” Lisa warned and led Caitlin into the lab where Helen Bryan, Cathy Atherton, Pat Rasey, Barb Fuller, and Marti Holloway, the Orion’s Maintenance Chief, were already gathered.
    “Did you see any of our men on your way here?” Lisa asked, closing the door to the lab behind them.
    “No,” Caitlin answered, “but I...”
    “That’s because none of our men are on board the Orion,” Helen informed her.
    “What?” Caitlin gasped.
    “All the men are gone and the seven of us are the only women on board,” Marti stated.
    Caitlin’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious!”
    “Serious as a heart attack! The men started disappearing about an hour ago, then the women vanished,” Cathy explained. “I’ve done a diagnostic of the entire ship and we’re it, Cait.”
    “Just us and them,” confirmed Lisa.
    Caitlin shook her head in denial. “No, that can’t be. There were two S.P.s with McGregor when he came to find me. They...”
    “I’ll wager next month’s credits they ain’t on this ship now,” Helen told her.
    “Then where are they?” Caitlin questioned.
    “Maybe floating around somewhere out there,” Lisa snorted jerking a thumb over her shoulder to indicate space.         
    “You think they’re dead?” Caitlin shook her head. “No, I don’t...”
    The door to the lab shushed open and the women shrieked, scrambling across the room and away from whatever threat had presented itself. They shrieked again as the two side doors of the lab slid back to reveal two men they’d never seen before.
    “What are you doing in here?” McGregor demanded as he pushed past the unknown men who had opened the main lab door. His intense scrutiny settled on Caitlin. “Why are you not tending to Cree?”
    “Where are our men?” Caitlin flung at him.
    “You’re looking at them,” McGregor told her. “Now get out there and see to him!” With that said, he walked back into sickbay.
    “You’re looking at them?” Caitlin questioned, her heart pounding in her chest.
    “Caitlin, do something!” Helen sang, grabbing Caitlin’s arm.  
    Her knees weak, her heartbeat out of control, Caitlin shook off her friend’s hand and practically ran from the room.
     
     
    McGregor was bending over Cree, holding a cup to the Reaper’s lips as Caitlin stormed up to them. “Where are our men?” she shouted.
    “Lower you’re voice, woman!” McGregor ordered. “He is in pain!”
    “You’re going to be in a lot worse pain if you don’t tell me where our men are!” Caitlin threw at him.
    “Woman!” McGregor snarled, “if you do not...”
    “Stop!” Cree whispered and he snaked out his hand to grab McGregor’s wrist.
    McGregor stilled immediately, but turned an angry look to his friend. “Khiershon, she...”
    “Be quiet,” Cree said. His voice was little more than a breath of sound and he winced as he spoke. The pain in his throat was so great he closed his eyes to will it away.
    “See what you’ve done?” McGregor asked Caitlin. “The man is in agony and you have-”
    “Shut up, Iyan!”
    McGregor’s mouth closed with an audible click. One look at his clenched jaw, tightly curled fists and rigid shoulders was enough for Caitlin to know the man was on the verge of committing mayhem if not out and out murder.
    “I just want to know where our men are,” she said, her words directed at Cree. The Healer