Read Online Sacred Bloodlines by Wendy Owens - Free Book Online Page B

upward to a leg that was dangling over the back of Michael’s couch.  It was covered in worn, dirty, tattered pants, spattered with blood.
    Gabe watched through the cracked door, his concern for Michael growing by the minute.  The room had at least a dozen people buzzing around it.  The men swarmed the injured man who was on the couch near the fire.  Gabe rose onto the tips of his toes in an effort to catch a glimpse of the victim, but had no luck.  
    Gabe continued staring.  Finally Michael came into view.  With a very solemn look on his face, Michael knelt on the other side of the couch with all but his head disappearing.  
    “Anthony, tell us what happened?”  Gabe heard Michael mutter.  
    A flash of light and movement in the corner caught Gabe’s eye.  Looking for the source, he saw a mirror.  In it was the injured man’s reflection.  He was a younger man.  Gabe thought he looked to be in his mid-twenties but with the screwed up aging in this place, who knew.  He had a weaker chin but that could have been due to the way he was slumped onto the couch.  The man’s hair was sandy in color and looked coated in greasy sweat.  Gabe wondered for a moment who the man, Michael called Anthony, might be, if he might also be a Guardian.
    Gabe cringed as he caught site of Anthony’s mangled hip and leg.  The pants he wore were torn away and the exposed leg wrapped in bandages; deep red blood seeping through.  He saw Michael was holding Anthony’s hand.  There were bloody scratches trailing all the way up the poor injured man’s shoulder.  Gabe felt his empty stomach twist at the site of the injuries.  What horrors had occurred to leave him in such a state?
    Anthony was staring into the fire.  Gabe could see the terror of what the man had seen replaying in his eyes.  “They know Michael,” Anthony repeated over and over again in a soft trembling voice.  As he continued to repeat the words, his voice grew in volume until suddenly he began to shake violently.  Michael grabbed his hand tighter, trying to steady him.
    At last, after calming Anthony, Michael asked, “What do you mean they know?”
    Anthony sat quiet for a moment.  The entire room was hushed as they waited in anticipation.  
    “There were so many of them.  I tried to get away, but they were everywhere.  Michael, I tried to fight them but I...”  Anthony’s eyes grew larger as his story unfolded.  He pulled Michael’s hand up to his chest and looked into his eyes intensely.  “I thought they were going to kill me, but they wanted me to live.  They told me to come back and tell you they know the chosen one is here and they’re coming for him.”  With that, all of the bystanders erupted in panicked tones.
    Gabe heard his name murmured repeatedly throughout the room in hushed but panicked tones.  
    “How can they know of the prophecy?” One of the men cried out.
    “Do you think they know where we are?”  Another man asked, his voice cracking.  Michael stood, he patted Anthony’s hand before releasing it.  Then he began to pace.  He didn’t say anything for a moment, just continually paced, clearly thinking hard about what he had just heard.
    A moment later, Michael froze and turning to face the small gathering of people raised his hands.  The room fell silent as he looked to the men who were waiting for his wise words.  “Clearly they have found out about Gabe’s destiny somehow.  It’s not important how.”  Michael began.  Gabe’s stomach sank as when heard Michael say his name.  “However, I don’t believe they know where the manor is.  If they did, they would be upon us now.  I think they released Anthony in an effort to track him or in hopes we would try and evacuate Gabe, giving them an opportunity to attack.”
    A few of the men mumbled some words, agreeing with Michael.  Another asked what they were going to do.  A man closer to Gabe shouted that it wasn’t safe to keep Gabe on the