Read Online Hidden Trump (Bite Back 2) by Mark Henwick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Henwick
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inspection before turning back to us.
“Imagine if Basilikos heard so much as a rumor of this. They’d do anything to get hold of Amber and test this theory of yours.”
I shivered at a fragmentary memory of the windowless cell in Obs, strapped down, unable to move. They’d been testing their theories too. I got a sudden, vivid recollection. There had been a voice one time. I couldn’t see the speaker, but I’d heard him call me ‘it,’ like I was a piece of meat on a slab. And Basilikos would be worse.
“No word of this outside.” Skylur glared around at us.
I let a trickle of hope warm me. He’d let Diana save David, and he wouldn’t do that just to kill him. They even seemed to accept Pia had made a genuine mistake. And now he seemed to be concerned for me and my wellbeing. At least all the shocks had displaced that cold fury. We might just get out of this in one piece.
There were, of course, a couple of other ‘little’ matters that hadn’t been touched on yet. Maybe I’d get away with it tonight…
Diana came and stood in front of me and my heart sank.
“Amber?” Her voice was soft, slightly puzzled. Her hand slipped over my shoulder and gently pulled me towards her. I felt as if I was falling. She came to rest against my neck. The sigh of her breath rushing in was as loud as the frantic thudding of my heart.
Her head came back up almost immediately.
“What?” said Skylur, registering her shock. “What now?”
This wasn’t good.
“Her marque has changed,” Diana said.
“She’s changed her own marque?” There was something in the way he said that. That was very bad.
“I don’t think so,” Diana said hurriedly. “But her marque has picked up something of the Were. Amber?”
I cleared my throat. “Everyone said it wasn’t possible for Athanate and Were to cross-infuse.”
Skylur came over, brusquely pushing my head back as he bent over my neck. I forced myself to stand still for his examination.
“How did you do this?” he asked. His voice was back to its icy worst again.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand anything about what’s going on. I’m not trying to do anything.” I tried to calm myself. “I met with Alex Deauville, the contact you gave me for the werewolves.”
“And?”
“And nothing! A bit of kissing and cuddling. You didn’t tell me it wasn’t safe.”
“One thing after another,” Skylur snapped, returning to his seat. “Sit.”
I went back to the stool, Diana to her chair. Bian perched on the edge of the sofa behind me.
“It should have been safe,” Diana said. “Any ideas on how this infusion happened?”
“Yes,” I said reluctantly. “A complete guess, but when I left David’s, I was passing out from blood loss. Alex came and picked me up. Maybe it happened then, when I was weakened.”
“Combination of circumstances?” Skylur looked at Diana.
She shrugged. “It can’t be just that. In all the centuries, that must have happened before. I’ve never heard of it resulting in a mixture like this.”
They fell silent, looking at each other.
“Why’s it so important?” I asked. Was this some purity issue with them?
“You’re full of puzzles and worries for us already,” Diana said. “Have you really passed through crusis without help? If you did, how did you have such a low level of the Blood? How was your Blood able to change David’s marque? What type of Athanate bit you?” She sighed. “Now, you’re adding Were to the mix.”
“Your reluctance to discuss how you were bitten leaves us guessing,” Skylur said. “I’m not prepared to base the safety of House Altau on a guess, nor can I leave you free in my mantle.”
Despite my best efforts, the demon got control of my voice. “You tell me why it’s so goddamn important, and maybe I’ll tell you what happened.”
It went quiet. Skylur’s eyes bored into me. “You forget yourself, House Farrell. It would be easy for me to get the answers I need from you.
“Imagine if Basilikos heard so much as a rumor of this. They’d do anything to get hold of Amber and test this theory of yours.”
I shivered at a fragmentary memory of the windowless cell in Obs, strapped down, unable to move. They’d been testing their theories too. I got a sudden, vivid recollection. There had been a voice one time. I couldn’t see the speaker, but I’d heard him call me ‘it,’ like I was a piece of meat on a slab. And Basilikos would be worse.
“No word of this outside.” Skylur glared around at us.
I let a trickle of hope warm me. He’d let Diana save David, and he wouldn’t do that just to kill him. They even seemed to accept Pia had made a genuine mistake. And now he seemed to be concerned for me and my wellbeing. At least all the shocks had displaced that cold fury. We might just get out of this in one piece.
There were, of course, a couple of other ‘little’ matters that hadn’t been touched on yet. Maybe I’d get away with it tonight…
Diana came and stood in front of me and my heart sank.
“Amber?” Her voice was soft, slightly puzzled. Her hand slipped over my shoulder and gently pulled me towards her. I felt as if I was falling. She came to rest against my neck. The sigh of her breath rushing in was as loud as the frantic thudding of my heart.
Her head came back up almost immediately.
“What?” said Skylur, registering her shock. “What now?”
This wasn’t good.
“Her marque has changed,” Diana said.
“She’s changed her own marque?” There was something in the way he said that. That was very bad.
“I don’t think so,” Diana said hurriedly. “But her marque has picked up something of the Were. Amber?”
I cleared my throat. “Everyone said it wasn’t possible for Athanate and Were to cross-infuse.”
Skylur came over, brusquely pushing my head back as he bent over my neck. I forced myself to stand still for his examination.
“How did you do this?” he asked. His voice was back to its icy worst again.
“I don’t know. I don’t understand anything about what’s going on. I’m not trying to do anything.” I tried to calm myself. “I met with Alex Deauville, the contact you gave me for the werewolves.”
“And?”
“And nothing! A bit of kissing and cuddling. You didn’t tell me it wasn’t safe.”
“One thing after another,” Skylur snapped, returning to his seat. “Sit.”
I went back to the stool, Diana to her chair. Bian perched on the edge of the sofa behind me.
“It should have been safe,” Diana said. “Any ideas on how this infusion happened?”
“Yes,” I said reluctantly. “A complete guess, but when I left David’s, I was passing out from blood loss. Alex came and picked me up. Maybe it happened then, when I was weakened.”
“Combination of circumstances?” Skylur looked at Diana.
She shrugged. “It can’t be just that. In all the centuries, that must have happened before. I’ve never heard of it resulting in a mixture like this.”
They fell silent, looking at each other.
“Why’s it so important?” I asked. Was this some purity issue with them?
“You’re full of puzzles and worries for us already,” Diana said. “Have you really passed through crusis without help? If you did, how did you have such a low level of the Blood? How was your Blood able to change David’s marque? What type of Athanate bit you?” She sighed. “Now, you’re adding Were to the mix.”
“Your reluctance to discuss how you were bitten leaves us guessing,” Skylur said. “I’m not prepared to base the safety of House Altau on a guess, nor can I leave you free in my mantle.”
Despite my best efforts, the demon got control of my voice. “You tell me why it’s so goddamn important, and maybe I’ll tell you what happened.”
It went quiet. Skylur’s eyes bored into me. “You forget yourself, House Farrell. It would be easy for me to get the answers I need from you.
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