Read Online Obsidian Wings by Laken Cane - Free Book Online

in her mind.
Without Ellis, the crew would be different. Less. As would the world.
    “Touchstone,” Lex echoed. “Yes.”
    And just that abruptly, as gooseflesh erupted on her skin,
Rune realized what was missing. “We should have included them all in that
circle.”
    “And we will,” Strad said.
    “Yes. Let’s get our twins. The crew is incomplete.”
    “Somebody give me a blade,” Lex said.
    Raze grinned. He slid a blade from its sheath, and without
hesitating, threw it.
    And though she knew what Lex was capable of, Rune tensed.
    Lex snatched the blade from the air. “Now,” she said. “I’m
ready.”
    Even the billowy hospital gown couldn’t take away from the
blind Other’s confidence, her strength, her badassery .
    Rune high-fived her. “Damn right.”
    And the dark, cold winter fled as the bright beginnings of
spring assumed command.
     
     

Chapter
Fourteen
    “Raze wanted to know what happened to me,” Lex told Rune
later, as they headed to RISC to meet the new master.
    Rune glanced at the girl. “Yeah?”
    “I didn’t tell him anything.”
    “He can handle it, Lex. If you decide to talk.”
    “Maybe,” Lex said. “I know he has a thing for me. Or he
thinks he does. But he doesn’t know what he’d be in for.”
    “Yes, he does. He does know.”
    “Maybe,” Lex repeated, and finished the ride staring out her
window, silent.
    When Rune pulled into the RISC parking lot, she sat for a
long moment watching Lex. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m better than I was before I fed from you.” Lex turned
her face toward Rune and offered her a quick smile. “My body is nearly healed.”
    “Nearly?”
    But Lex wasn’t ready to talk about it, and it was with
shameful relief that Rune acknowledged that. She wasn’t exactly eager to hear
about Lex’s torment.
    “I discovered,” Lex said as they walked to the building, “I
can survive anything that happens to me. I can even handle what the twins are
going through.”
    “But?” Rune opened the door.
    “I don’t think I can survive losing them. I don’t think I
can.”
    “You can,” Rune said. “You won’t want to. But,” she added,
unable not to, “we’ll find the twins. Alive.”
    “Not if we don’t hurry,” Lex said, her blunt honesty almost
too much for Rune.
    Ten days. They had ten days before the church killed the
twins. And that wasn’t a hell of a lot of time.
    When she walked into the conference room with Lex, she
didn’t automatically seek out the vampire master.
    Someone else held her immediate attention.
    “Elizabeth.” She was a little surprised by how happy she was
to see the woman. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
    Elizabeth Peel still wasn’t healthy, but she no longer
looked like she was about to kiss the grim reaper. She sported half-moons under
her eyes, stark against the pallor of her face. “Rune,” she greeted. “Hello,
Lex. I’m happy to see you’re both well.”
    “Are you back?” she asked Elizabeth.
    “I’m going to ease into work, but yes. I’m back.”
    “Good. How are Fie and George?”
    Elizabeth sighed. “George still isn’t conscious. Lane placed
Stefanie in emergency foster care until I can prove myself a worthy mother.
It’s a long process.”
    Lane was with River County Children’s Services and one of
the few people Rune would have trusted with Fie and George. “Fie will be okay
for now, then,” she told Elizabeth, who, despite her attempts at remaining
cool, was showing signs of worry. “You can trust Lane.” Still, she was
concerned. The child was a necromancer, and there were those who would be eager
to exploit her.
    “Yes,” Elizabeth said. “But Fie needs to be with me. I do
hate delays.”
    “Rune,” Bill Rice called.
    Raze and Jack walked into the room, followed by Owen and,
though Rune knew what it cost him, Ellis.
    She drew in a deep breath and didn’t pull away when Lex took
her hand. It was time to meet the vampire.
    With her crew beside her, she walked to