Read Online Eternal Hearts by Jennifer Turner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer Turner
Ads: Link
other. “That’s Rattle .”
She arched a brow at the glaring twins. “Oh, how charming.”
Thomas shifted between his feet, his irritation more than evident. “Why did you ask for this meeting?”
Stryker tipped her head from side to side, calculating how quickly she could bait them. “I wanted to strike a deal with you. We both have, shall we say, a common interest?”
“What?”
“Well, I’m sure we’d both like to see Lord Christian Locke meet his end. Yes? Maybe suffer a
fall
from grace?” Her stress on the word was solely for her own amusement.
His eyes narrowed. “You have my attention.”
She wasted no time. “I can tell you where and when to strike at him. He’ll be all alone, and I can plainly see,” she said as she purposefully let her gaze wander over their clothes, “you’re more than powerful enough to finally rid me of him. And when you do, I’ll take his place as the Lord of Chicago, and the city will be mine.”
He straightened. “Why would we trade one Bloodsucker for another?”
“Because I’ll give you free passage into the northern woods again. You can establish homes there, and I’ll allow you to pick off any Chicago vampires who have outlived their usefulness.”
Victory tingled through Stryker as silent rage built in the werewolf’s eyes. She almost had him. She drew a deep breath and blew out a sigh. “That’s far more than Locke ever gave you, isn’t it? Wasn’t it his order that drove you out of the northern woods two years ago? If I remember correctly, didn’t his Enforcement Team kill some of your women and children before you fled?”
A low growl rumbled in his chest. “His Enforcement was destroyed, too.”
She offered a curt nod. “They were, but they were quickly replaced.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Thomas, let’s be honest with each other. Locke has given you nothing but heartache and defeat. But I, well…I’ve come through on every promise so far. I can give you what you crave most as well as a place to call home again. How do you lose in that?”
The yearning for revenge glowed behind his feral eyes.
Biting back the smile threatening to cross her lips, Stryker went in for the kill. “Do we have a deal?”
Thomas turned to the twins, who looked at each other for a long moment before they finally nodded. With their seeming approval, he turned back to her. “Yes.”
She pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her red vinyl cat suit and held it out for him. “This is where and when to strike, along with my phone number. Call me when it’s done.” When he reached for the note, she pulled it back a bit. “Would you do me the courtesy of a small favor though?”
His eyes narrowed again. “What?”
She couldn’t hold back her smile any longer. “When Christian begs you for mercy, send him my regards.”
With nothing more than a quick nod, Thomas snatched the paper from her hand and turned away.
Stryker followed suit as the snapping of muscle and bone filled the air again, but when she cast a glance over her shoulder to see if they’d finished shifting forms, all three were gone.
She pulled a cigarette from her pocket, paused for a moment to light it, and then sauntered towards the street. Admiring the shadow her lean body cast on the ground, she smiled. Caught by the icy winter wind, her black satin trench coat whipped about, sending darkness crawling over the walls of the alley.
The image was something from legends. Not only was it elegant, but predatory, and magnificently evil.
She hastened her steps, her blood practically simmering with excitement. It had taken just over three years to lay the groundwork for her plans, but soon she’d have her revenge.
Under the rule of Lord Christian Locke, vampires in Chicago were forbidden to kill each other. It was also verboten to publicly attack another vampire, especially one who had a human following.
Stryker took a drag off her cigarette and blew out a cloud of white
She arched a brow at the glaring twins. “Oh, how charming.”
Thomas shifted between his feet, his irritation more than evident. “Why did you ask for this meeting?”
Stryker tipped her head from side to side, calculating how quickly she could bait them. “I wanted to strike a deal with you. We both have, shall we say, a common interest?”
“What?”
“Well, I’m sure we’d both like to see Lord Christian Locke meet his end. Yes? Maybe suffer a
fall
from grace?” Her stress on the word was solely for her own amusement.
His eyes narrowed. “You have my attention.”
She wasted no time. “I can tell you where and when to strike at him. He’ll be all alone, and I can plainly see,” she said as she purposefully let her gaze wander over their clothes, “you’re more than powerful enough to finally rid me of him. And when you do, I’ll take his place as the Lord of Chicago, and the city will be mine.”
He straightened. “Why would we trade one Bloodsucker for another?”
“Because I’ll give you free passage into the northern woods again. You can establish homes there, and I’ll allow you to pick off any Chicago vampires who have outlived their usefulness.”
Victory tingled through Stryker as silent rage built in the werewolf’s eyes. She almost had him. She drew a deep breath and blew out a sigh. “That’s far more than Locke ever gave you, isn’t it? Wasn’t it his order that drove you out of the northern woods two years ago? If I remember correctly, didn’t his Enforcement Team kill some of your women and children before you fled?”
A low growl rumbled in his chest. “His Enforcement was destroyed, too.”
She offered a curt nod. “They were, but they were quickly replaced.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Thomas, let’s be honest with each other. Locke has given you nothing but heartache and defeat. But I, well…I’ve come through on every promise so far. I can give you what you crave most as well as a place to call home again. How do you lose in that?”
The yearning for revenge glowed behind his feral eyes.
Biting back the smile threatening to cross her lips, Stryker went in for the kill. “Do we have a deal?”
Thomas turned to the twins, who looked at each other for a long moment before they finally nodded. With their seeming approval, he turned back to her. “Yes.”
She pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her red vinyl cat suit and held it out for him. “This is where and when to strike, along with my phone number. Call me when it’s done.” When he reached for the note, she pulled it back a bit. “Would you do me the courtesy of a small favor though?”
His eyes narrowed again. “What?”
She couldn’t hold back her smile any longer. “When Christian begs you for mercy, send him my regards.”
With nothing more than a quick nod, Thomas snatched the paper from her hand and turned away.
Stryker followed suit as the snapping of muscle and bone filled the air again, but when she cast a glance over her shoulder to see if they’d finished shifting forms, all three were gone.
She pulled a cigarette from her pocket, paused for a moment to light it, and then sauntered towards the street. Admiring the shadow her lean body cast on the ground, she smiled. Caught by the icy winter wind, her black satin trench coat whipped about, sending darkness crawling over the walls of the alley.
The image was something from legends. Not only was it elegant, but predatory, and magnificently evil.
She hastened her steps, her blood practically simmering with excitement. It had taken just over three years to lay the groundwork for her plans, but soon she’d have her revenge.
Under the rule of Lord Christian Locke, vampires in Chicago were forbidden to kill each other. It was also verboten to publicly attack another vampire, especially one who had a human following.
Stryker took a drag off her cigarette and blew out a cloud of white
Similar Books
