Read Online E.R.I.C. (The Almost Series Book 2) by Christina Leigh Pritchard - Free Book Online

my eyes.
    Eric held Nick by the neck.
    “Eric?” I said. His eyes were red and volts of electricity seemed to be shocking him.
    “Get out of here, I don’t know how long I can resist,” he said.
    “Go, Darla,” I stammered. “Get in the raft and leave.”
    “Not without you.”
    “Get in!” I shoved her.
    “Go!” Eric’s voice deepened. “Go now!”
    “Let’s kill the keeper, first,” I said.
    Eric’s fingers tightened around his throat.
    Nick’s legs flailed and he tried to pry Eric’s hands away. “No, please, I couldn’t help it! My dad said I had to—that you’re connected to your A.M.I.E.”
    “Tell your father that he is now facing that gut feeling we spoke about,” I said. “Tighter, Eric.”
    Nick gasped, tears pouring down his cheeks. His mouth opened but he couldn’t respond.
    “Tell N.I.C. that if he wants to keep you alive then he needs to understand that he must stop trying to kill me. I plan to save you and his program from future termination.”
    Nick attempted to nod.
    “Let him go, Eric.”
    He obeyed immediately, grabbing Darla instead.
    Eric submerged her, his eyes a shining red.
    “Stop it!” I screamed. “Stop it, Eric!”
    His head turned as if maybe he might’ve heard me.
    “Help us escape!”
    Eric released Darla, his body convulsing. I hurried to the emergency raft, looking back at my Eric.
    Was that Dr. Cole coming up behind him?
    “Go on, get out of here.” I told Darla. I shoved her raft forward.
    “Shay!” she screamed.
    Amie shook her head. “No, no, no, my Shay, escape while you have the opportunity!”
    I dived for my backpack, grabbing another useless prototype.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    Will Power
     
    E.R.I.C.
     
    Kill the human host.
    I had her. My mom was fighting, wrapping her tiny fingers around my large paws. Her legs kicked and I held her around the neck—ready to crush her.
    “Stop it, Eric!” Shay screamed. “Help us escape this place!”
    Shay…
    I needed to resist—for my annoying cream puff.
    I let go of my mother.
    Volts of electricity raced through my body. I floated, bobbing as whoever controlled me shouted orders.
    Kill your human host!
    Do it now!
    My arms rose. Something inside me fought this time. I couldn’t let them kill Shay. She was my little cream puff. Sure, I hardly knew her, but we were connected somehow—far more than I had been to my so-called brother, Nick, who had really only been a spy sent to study me.
    Why had things been so fun if it wasn’t real?
    Did Nick have no control over his actions, just as I had none when I was reprogrammed?
    I grabbed Nick.
    He was the enemy.
    He tried to kill Shay.
    I tightened my grip around his neck, dunking him. He struggled, gasping for air.
    I lifted him out of the water.
    He’d tried to kill my Shay. I thought he’d been my brother.
    I submersed him.
    Why’d she let him live if he was the enemy?
    I pulled him out of the water.
    “Stop it!” Nick screamed. “It’s me, bro! I was just being forced to attack her!”
    Dr. Cole was inches away. She swam at us quickly.
    I knew what she was planning to do.
    She was going to reset me.
    I watched Shay shove Darla’s raft towards the Miami border. My body shook fiercely, begging me to catch her before she escaped. The emotional anguish and exhaustion from fighting against myself finally got to me. I vomited right on top of Nick’s head.
    “Dude!” He pushed against me. “Gross. Let me go!”
    I released him.
    Dr. Cole was behind me.
    At least Shay would live.
    I closed my eyes. I could feel the evil doctor’s breath on my neck.
    I was going to be terminated before I could ever find out who controlled me.
    I’d never find out why I was able to resist my reprogramming due to my connection to Shay.
    And I’d never know if my brother was as helpless to the scientists’ experiments as I.
    Why did I feel Shay’s presence?
    I opened my eyes.
    My cream puff held a hammer above her head.