Read Online No Peace for the Damned by Megan Powell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Megan Powell
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erupted, launching Theo through the air. I stood shocked as he landed on his back several feet from where I stood.
The others jumped to action. Shane guarded Heather and Jon as they rushed to Theo’s side. Marie and Cordele took up defensive posts with Charles between them, each one ready to kill for their fallen teammate.
“You see!” Marie shouted. “She’s using training as an excuse to take us out!”
The three in front went for their guns. I hunched in a defensive position, ready for an attack.
A crash at the house had us all turning. Thirteen and Banks raced through the back door, their movements tight with purpose. Another Network member had been found dead.
Our standoff instantly fell to the back burner. Thirteen and Banks gave orders, and the team moved without question. Theo got to his feet, rolled his shoulders in a stretch, then followed in pace behind Jon and the others. He didn’t look back at me once.
Thirteen briefly nodded to me, but Marie was the only one to look back. She paused at the back door to glare at me over her shoulder. Then she slammed the door shut, leaving me alone in the field. The sound of their cars shook the air until they disappeared in the distance. Then all was silent.
I stared at the cloud of gravel dust covering the driveway, my mind numb.
I’d lost control of my power. The energy released at Theo’s touch—I couldn’t have stopped it. Not even if I’d tried. My knees gave out and I hit the ground.
What the hell was happening to me?
I closed my eyes. Bright colors flashed in my mind. Red and yellow—the colors had haunted my dreams all week. On the estate I’d never slept soundly enough to dream. But here, I dreamed every night. Maybe that was the problem—I was too well rested.
I held up my hands in front of me. Power rose beneath my fingers then ran down my arms and into my chest. My whole body swelled with energy. I felt the power pulse, felt the strength of my muscles and the heat of my senses. Whatever had happened before, I was in control now.
“This is bullshit and you know it!” I yelled at Thirteen from the front porch. Since I happened to be outside when he arrived, he hadn’t bothered getting out of his car. Nice.
“I’ve done everything you’ve asked, Thirteen. There’s no reason I shouldn’t come. You just don’t want to give up what little control you
think
you have over me.”
“I never said that.”
“Yeah, well, you thought it.” Actually he hadn’t, but I didn’t care. I was pissed.
The funny thing was I hadn’t even thought of joining the others on a mission until he suggested I shouldn’t go. Now, I was adamant. Why the hell shouldn’t I go? It wasn’t like they were storming the estate or anything. They found fingerprints on the latest recovered body that led them to one of Uncle Max’s public guards. As if going after a Kelch bodyguard was a big deal. Thirteen just wanted to keep me the Network’s dirty little secret.
His hands clutched at the steering wheel.
“OK, you want the truth?” He looked up at me and squinted into the early morning sun. “The team doesn’t quite trust you yet, Magnolia. You have no real field experience. They have no way of being sure that you’d have their back in a real fight.”
“Of course they don’t trust me! They’re smart people, most of them. They
shouldn’t
trust me. God knows, I sure as hell don’t trust any of them. But that doesn’t mean I can’t go, that I have to stay here all the—”
“It’s dangerous. This man works for your family.”
I waved that off. “I’ll stay invisible. I’ll be prepared. Aren’t you taking him into custody, anyway? He wouldn’t get the chance to tell anyone even if he did see me—which he wouldn’t.”
He shifted the car into gear. “I’ll call you later this afternoon.”
“But, but…”
The car window started sliding shut.
Son of a bitch!
The porch creaked with my tempered power. “At least tell me where you’re
The others jumped to action. Shane guarded Heather and Jon as they rushed to Theo’s side. Marie and Cordele took up defensive posts with Charles between them, each one ready to kill for their fallen teammate.
“You see!” Marie shouted. “She’s using training as an excuse to take us out!”
The three in front went for their guns. I hunched in a defensive position, ready for an attack.
A crash at the house had us all turning. Thirteen and Banks raced through the back door, their movements tight with purpose. Another Network member had been found dead.
Our standoff instantly fell to the back burner. Thirteen and Banks gave orders, and the team moved without question. Theo got to his feet, rolled his shoulders in a stretch, then followed in pace behind Jon and the others. He didn’t look back at me once.
Thirteen briefly nodded to me, but Marie was the only one to look back. She paused at the back door to glare at me over her shoulder. Then she slammed the door shut, leaving me alone in the field. The sound of their cars shook the air until they disappeared in the distance. Then all was silent.
I stared at the cloud of gravel dust covering the driveway, my mind numb.
I’d lost control of my power. The energy released at Theo’s touch—I couldn’t have stopped it. Not even if I’d tried. My knees gave out and I hit the ground.
What the hell was happening to me?
I closed my eyes. Bright colors flashed in my mind. Red and yellow—the colors had haunted my dreams all week. On the estate I’d never slept soundly enough to dream. But here, I dreamed every night. Maybe that was the problem—I was too well rested.
I held up my hands in front of me. Power rose beneath my fingers then ran down my arms and into my chest. My whole body swelled with energy. I felt the power pulse, felt the strength of my muscles and the heat of my senses. Whatever had happened before, I was in control now.
“This is bullshit and you know it!” I yelled at Thirteen from the front porch. Since I happened to be outside when he arrived, he hadn’t bothered getting out of his car. Nice.
“I’ve done everything you’ve asked, Thirteen. There’s no reason I shouldn’t come. You just don’t want to give up what little control you
think
you have over me.”
“I never said that.”
“Yeah, well, you thought it.” Actually he hadn’t, but I didn’t care. I was pissed.
The funny thing was I hadn’t even thought of joining the others on a mission until he suggested I shouldn’t go. Now, I was adamant. Why the hell shouldn’t I go? It wasn’t like they were storming the estate or anything. They found fingerprints on the latest recovered body that led them to one of Uncle Max’s public guards. As if going after a Kelch bodyguard was a big deal. Thirteen just wanted to keep me the Network’s dirty little secret.
His hands clutched at the steering wheel.
“OK, you want the truth?” He looked up at me and squinted into the early morning sun. “The team doesn’t quite trust you yet, Magnolia. You have no real field experience. They have no way of being sure that you’d have their back in a real fight.”
“Of course they don’t trust me! They’re smart people, most of them. They
shouldn’t
trust me. God knows, I sure as hell don’t trust any of them. But that doesn’t mean I can’t go, that I have to stay here all the—”
“It’s dangerous. This man works for your family.”
I waved that off. “I’ll stay invisible. I’ll be prepared. Aren’t you taking him into custody, anyway? He wouldn’t get the chance to tell anyone even if he did see me—which he wouldn’t.”
He shifted the car into gear. “I’ll call you later this afternoon.”
“But, but…”
The car window started sliding shut.
Son of a bitch!
The porch creaked with my tempered power. “At least tell me where you’re
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