Read Online It Happened One Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton - Free Book Online Page B

hurried him out. She glanced back at Nate, who was eye to eye in an argument with the maitre d’.
    Far beyond, across the restaurant, Dru saw Jack stand up and crane his head to look. Even from this distance, she could see the worry wrinkling his forehead. Beside him, the white-haired investors took their eyes off Tonya long enough to turn and peer severely toward the commotion.
    She reached one arm up to Greyson’s broad shoulder and gently pushed him out through the door. “Keep walking. Outside. Deep breaths. Sit down, if you can.”
    Nate caught Dru by the arm and yanked her back. “Where do you think you’re going?”
    â€œNate, let go.”
    Greyson, heedless, stumbled outside.
    Dru tried to pull away but couldn’t. “Look at him. He needs my help.”
    â€œHe needs to be arrested.” Nate sounded worried. “Listen, he’s drunk. Or on drugs. I’m not letting you go anywhere with him.”
    She stared Nate in the eye. “If you don’t let go of my arm, this instant, Greyson could die. Do you want that on your conscience?”
    â€œDie?” He blinked. “You can’t be serious.” Still, he released her arm.
    Dru ran out the door and into the parking lot.
    â€œWhy don’t we call an ambulance?” he called after her, but she kept running.
    Ranks of shiny Mercedes, Lexus, and BMWs lined the pavement. Well-dressed couples came and went, some chatting, some holding hands.
    She peered in every direction. No sign of Greyson.
    A skinny valet with a bad complexion gestured toward the corner of the building. There, a path led around to the softly lit gardens tucked away behind the restaurant. Greyson leaned against the wall, his silhouette hunched in pain. As Dru watched, he lurched into the garden and disappeared from sight.
    â€œThanks!” Dru said breathlessly to the valet as she ran after Greyson. “Big tip later!”
    Behind the restaurant, the garden felt hushed and close. Wide stone pathways meandered through the fragrant garden flowers, wet from a recent dousing with sprinklers. Empty wrought-iron chairs and tables sat scattered about. In the center, a hot-tub-sized lily pond glimmered under warm lights, crowned by an arched wooden footbridge.
    Greyson, his back turned, leaned heavily against the wooden railing at the foot of the bridge, making it creak ominously. With a groan, he sank to his knees.
    Dru ran over to him and took his stubbled chin in both hands, tilting his face toward the light. His irises glowed like hot coals. His skin was flushed red, deeper than a sunburn, the color of brick. He grunted in pain, revealing a row of sharp teeth.
    It was happening. Happening right now, right in front of her. Greyson was transforming into a demon.
    An ice-cold rush of fear shot through her. Her mind raced, searching for a solution.
    He gazed up at her with pleading eyes. “What’s happening to me?”
    Dru dug frantically through her purse for crystals. “Greyson, listen to me carefully. I need you to look into my eyes and focus on your breathing. Keep it slow and steady for me. Can you do that?”
    He did. Great, billowing breaths. Too powerful to be human.
    She knew she had a quartz wand in her purse. A simple quartz wand, maybe three inches long. But she couldn’t find it. Just makeup, receipts, several pens, spare key fob for Nate’s new Prius, a Groupon she’d never used. In anguish, she dumped her purse out on the wet stone pathway and sorted through the mess with shaking hands.
    Greyson heaved out a tortured breath and dropped to all fours. His hands clawed into the mulch and dirt, veins bulging. His skin darkened.
    His AC/DC cap tumbled into the flowers and vanished, revealing the stubby horns on his head. They were twice the length they had been a minute before.
    She found her quartz wand. About the size of her thumb, six-sided, and pointed at both ends. One of the most-powerful tools she