Read Online Sunset: Pact Arcanum: Book One by Arshad Ahsanuddin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Arshad Ahsanuddin
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vampire?” asked Faith.
“I’ve been redeemed,” Nick mumbled defensively. “I got my soul back.”
“Does that mean you lost it at some point?” asked Claire.
Nick met her eyes. “Yes.”
“When?” asked Toby. “How long have you been like this?”
“Over six years.”
June 2033; Castle Night, French Alps; Six years earlier
Nick picked his way through the rubble and flaming debris that littered the spiral stone staircase, breathing shallowly to avoid the acrid smoke. The white cloth of his short-sleeved shirt was stained with ash and blood. Reaching out with his mind, he scanned the main keep, starting with the lower levels and slowly working his way up, using a light touch that shouldn’t have been detectable by anyone less than a Third Order telepath.
A number of Triumvirate soldiers were scattered around the intersections of the major corridors, but the castle was so huge he was able to avoid them easily. He didn’t want to answer any awkward questions, and he knew that if he were caught, the Armistice Security forces would pin him down long enough for the Triumvirate to arrive and take charge. The soldiers would only be doing their jobs; he didn’t want to have to kill any of them.
To remain hidden, he kept to the shadows and back corridors, occasionally snuffing out the mystical white flames of the torches as he passed. He ignored the priceless tapestries that adorned the walls, as well as the bronze sculptures and marble statuary Luscian had plundered from every era in human history. His destination was one of the secret escape routes on the fourth level, and to get there he was reading from the map he carried in his mind—the one he had stolen from the vampire lord’s memories. It would lead him to a passage down the mountain and out of the layered jumper blocks Luscian had erected to keep unwanted visitors from teleporting into the fortress. Nick knew Luscian’s master codes to get through them, of course, but if he teleported through the blocks, it would leave a ripple in his wake that could be tracked.
He didn’t want to be followed when he left, nor did he have any desire to deal with the aftermath of the battle. Let the Triumvirate loot the place and burn it down, if they want. They deserve it for exterminating House Luscian. Good riddance. He idly continued his mental scan of the fortress up to the High Tower, where Takeshi had destroyed Luscian’s physical host, and found it to be oddly deserted. Then he realized a single mind waited alone on the upper battlements.
“Hello, Nick.” The unexpected voice boomed in his head.
Cursing to himself, Nick withdrew his psychic probes and tried to remain hidden.
“I know you’re there, Nicholas,” said the psychic voice in amusement.
Nick sighed and extended a tendril of thought out to the mind that had detected him. “Hello, Rory.”
“Come up and join me for a drink. You know where to find me.” Rory broke contact, leaving it up to Nick whether to accept the invitation.
Silently cursing himself for being overconfident in his new abilities, Nick changed course for the staircase up into the High Tower. He hadn’t detected anyone inside, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. Plenty of Sentinels in the upper echelons of Armistice Security were strong enough to mask their presence from him. Takeshi was by far the best, and Nick knew that wherever Rory was, Take wouldn’t be far away.
Nick made his way up the tower stairwell to the roof, stepping into the open air for the first time since he arrived. Night was giving way to dawn, the violet sky fading to dark blue as the stars began to wink out in the face of the rising light. However, Nick could instinctively feel that sunrise was still almost an hour away. Looking around, he easily found Rory standing between the crenellations of the chest-high stone wall that ran around the rooftop. He was facing east, toward the rising sun, and wore a long-sleeved black shirt, black
“I’ve been redeemed,” Nick mumbled defensively. “I got my soul back.”
“Does that mean you lost it at some point?” asked Claire.
Nick met her eyes. “Yes.”
“When?” asked Toby. “How long have you been like this?”
“Over six years.”
June 2033; Castle Night, French Alps; Six years earlier
Nick picked his way through the rubble and flaming debris that littered the spiral stone staircase, breathing shallowly to avoid the acrid smoke. The white cloth of his short-sleeved shirt was stained with ash and blood. Reaching out with his mind, he scanned the main keep, starting with the lower levels and slowly working his way up, using a light touch that shouldn’t have been detectable by anyone less than a Third Order telepath.
A number of Triumvirate soldiers were scattered around the intersections of the major corridors, but the castle was so huge he was able to avoid them easily. He didn’t want to answer any awkward questions, and he knew that if he were caught, the Armistice Security forces would pin him down long enough for the Triumvirate to arrive and take charge. The soldiers would only be doing their jobs; he didn’t want to have to kill any of them.
To remain hidden, he kept to the shadows and back corridors, occasionally snuffing out the mystical white flames of the torches as he passed. He ignored the priceless tapestries that adorned the walls, as well as the bronze sculptures and marble statuary Luscian had plundered from every era in human history. His destination was one of the secret escape routes on the fourth level, and to get there he was reading from the map he carried in his mind—the one he had stolen from the vampire lord’s memories. It would lead him to a passage down the mountain and out of the layered jumper blocks Luscian had erected to keep unwanted visitors from teleporting into the fortress. Nick knew Luscian’s master codes to get through them, of course, but if he teleported through the blocks, it would leave a ripple in his wake that could be tracked.
He didn’t want to be followed when he left, nor did he have any desire to deal with the aftermath of the battle. Let the Triumvirate loot the place and burn it down, if they want. They deserve it for exterminating House Luscian. Good riddance. He idly continued his mental scan of the fortress up to the High Tower, where Takeshi had destroyed Luscian’s physical host, and found it to be oddly deserted. Then he realized a single mind waited alone on the upper battlements.
“Hello, Nick.” The unexpected voice boomed in his head.
Cursing to himself, Nick withdrew his psychic probes and tried to remain hidden.
“I know you’re there, Nicholas,” said the psychic voice in amusement.
Nick sighed and extended a tendril of thought out to the mind that had detected him. “Hello, Rory.”
“Come up and join me for a drink. You know where to find me.” Rory broke contact, leaving it up to Nick whether to accept the invitation.
Silently cursing himself for being overconfident in his new abilities, Nick changed course for the staircase up into the High Tower. He hadn’t detected anyone inside, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. Plenty of Sentinels in the upper echelons of Armistice Security were strong enough to mask their presence from him. Takeshi was by far the best, and Nick knew that wherever Rory was, Take wouldn’t be far away.
Nick made his way up the tower stairwell to the roof, stepping into the open air for the first time since he arrived. Night was giving way to dawn, the violet sky fading to dark blue as the stars began to wink out in the face of the rising light. However, Nick could instinctively feel that sunrise was still almost an hour away. Looking around, he easily found Rory standing between the crenellations of the chest-high stone wall that ran around the rooftop. He was facing east, toward the rising sun, and wore a long-sleeved black shirt, black
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