Read Online Death's Shadow by Darren Shan - Free Book Online Page A

the Lambs.” I know about the Lambs from the memories of Bill-E and Beranabus.
    “But the Lambs didn’t execute him,” Meera says, her expression fierce.
    “No. I’m assuming the other werewolves were family members scheduled for execution too. But all of them wound up here.”
    “The guys with the guns . . .”
    “They were probably working for the Lambs.”
    We stare at each other, then at Dervish lying unconscious by our feet. And the temperature of the room seems to drop ten degrees.
    Meera doesn’t understand why the Lambs would do this. They sometimes keep werewolves alive, to experiment on them in an attempt to unlock their genetic codes and discover a cure. But only with the parents’ permission.
    “I can picture them keeping the beasts alive on the quiet,” she says. “Very few parents care to commit their children to a lifetime of laboratory misery, even if they’ve turned into werewolves. It’s no surprise if the Lambs told them their kids had been executed, then kept them alive to study.
    “But why bring them here to attack us? And how did they organize them? They were working as a team, as if they’d been trained. I didn’t think you could do that with werewolves. Even if you could, why send them against
us
?”
    That’s the key question. According to Meera, Dervish never had much love for the Lambs. They originally formed to execute children who’d turned, but over the decades they acquired more power and branched out into more experimental areas. Dervish didn’t approve of that, especially since he didn’t think science could find a cure for a magically determined disease.
    “The Lambs never liked Dervish either,” Meera says. “They thought if he explained more about demons, it might help them with their studies. But they’d no reason to attack him. At least none that I’m aware of.”
    “Maybe it’s me,” I mumble. “Grubbs turned into a werewolf — temporarily — and because of his magical powers, the Lambs couldn’t stop him. Maybe they’re afraid I’ll turn too and become a menace.”
    “But they don’t know you’re one of the family,” Meera says. “Dervish told them nothing about you. There’s something we’re missing. . . .”
    We spend hours debating the mystery. We get no closer to the truth, but at least it helps to pass the time. During the discussions, I think of another reason why the Lambs might have targeted me. But I say nothing of it to Meera, deciding to wait until the other Disciples arrive, so I don’t have to repeat myself.
    Someone knocks on the door leading to the yard. Meera and I were both half-dozing. We jolt awake at the sound and I strengthen the magical fields around the doors and walls. Then a man shouts, “Little pigs, little pigs, let us come in!”
    “Idiot,” Meera grunts, but she’s smiling. “It’s Shark.”
    “I know. I remember his voice from Bill-E’s dream.”
    I remove the spells and the battered door swings open. A tall, burly man in an army uniform enters, followed by an elderly Indian woman who walks with a limp.
    “Sorry we’re late,” Shark says, hugging Meera and lifting her off the floor.
    “How is he?” Sharmila asks, hobbling directly to Dervish.
    “He’s been like that since the attack,” I tell her. “No change.”
    She stares at me suspiciously. “You must be Bec. I have heard about you.”
    “The dead girl who came back to life,” Shark says. He’s looking at me oddly. “I thought you’d be more like a boy, considering . . .”
    “. . . I stole Bill-E’s body?”
    “Yeah.”
    “There’s nothing of Bill-E left,” I tell them. “Except his memories. That’s how I know you and Sharmila.”
    Shark frowns. “I never met him.”
    “I did,” Sharmila says, “but many years ago, when he was very young.”
    “I know. But he met both of you.” I grin weakly at their confusion.
    “Bec can tell you about that later,” Meera snaps. “What’s happening outside?”
    “Nothing,” Shark