Read Online Immortal Coil by C. I. Black - Free Book Online

cautious, since Jade was one of two dragons who could see multiple souls in a single body. But if he asked another drake, even a friend, to open a gate, more questions would be asked and that friend could be put in danger—and he wasn’t going to do that to a friend. Which meant Jade was his only option and he’d just have to pray he was too useful to Regis to be reborn when he body-hopped to a new male vessel later.
    Now he really needed Anaea to hand over control.

CHAPTER 8
     
     
    Anaea parked the car on the top of a six-story garage on 3rd Avenue and turned off the engine. She still couldn’t believe what was happening. But her acceptance, or not, of the situation didn’t stop anything. Of course, how she could explain the man in her head and the attempt on her life was beyond her.
    Grab the bag and head to the stairwell.
    She did as instructed. There wasn’t anything else she could do. Well, she supposed she could go running to the closest psychiatrist. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t. Perhaps she could beg Mark for help since she was now in Newgate . But the voice in her head hadn’t tried to take control of her body since the hotel room, three hours ago. She didn’t even know his name.
    It’s Hunter.
    She jumped and sucked in a slow breath, trying to still her racing heart. God, how intrusive. Listening to her thoughts. Of course, he was in her head and might not be able to help himself. But still no excuse to act on what he overheard. She was going to have to be careful what she thought about.
    That made her snort. Sure, she could control what she consciously thought about, but not any of the unconscious thoughts.
    Hunter, huh? she asked, dragging herself back on topic. Is that a name or a title?
    She felt what she could only describe as a shrug in her mind.
    Both.
    I see. She concentrated on him, trying to find more meaning in that single word. If he could hear her thoughts, maybe she could hear his. But his answer was ambiguous and so was any sensation that came with it.
    Dropping the keys in the garbage bin by the door to the stairwell, she took the concrete stairs down to the street. It wasn’t fair that he could keep his thoughts from her and yet hers were an open book.
    More like a megaphone announcement.
    “Would you stop that?”
    Don’t speak out loud.
    She bit her lip. So now what?
    Now we visit a friend of mine. Turn left here.
    She stepped into the flow of pedestrian traffic shadowed by the towering skyscrapers. Here in the heart of the city, the vehicular traffic was thick and plumes of exhaust clouded the street. The snow had stopped falling but the sidewalks were edged with filthy brown mounds and cars splashed slush on those too close to the edge.
    This friend will solve this little problem of mine... ours?
    She could feel him trying to figure out what to tell her. Hints of emotions and thoughts flitted too fast and too ephemeral for her to catch and examine.
    Not exactly.
    At least he hadn’t outright lied. She didn’t know if that made her feel better or not. She pulled Pearl ’s coat tighter around her. With only an oversized T-shirt and no hat, she was starting to really feel the cold. It had been fine in the car with the heater blasting, but now out on the street where the wind whipped down the road and the tall buildings created a wind tunnel, it went right through her thin clothing and chilled her to the bone.
    Should I even bother asking what ‘not exactly’ means? she asked, recognizing the ridiculousness of the question.
    No answer. And more hints of thoughts.
    Great. It was probably something she needed to know and he wasn’t going to tell her.
    Stop here at the bus stop and get out some change from the side pocket of the bag.
    She unzipped the small pouch and pulled out a handful of coins. You’re going to have to explain it sooner or later.
    No, I’m not.
    You really think keeping me in the dark is an option?
    A mix of emotions swirled through her, then he spat out