Read Online Terra Nova (The Variant Conspiracy Book 3) by Christine Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christine Hart
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the surface of the small glass device.
“Just think, after Terra Nova is released, you won’t even have to wait for the successful completion of The Compendium to start flying during the day, out in the open. And my days of wheeling around town will be over.” Adelaide poured herself into a loveseat at the side of the room.
“We’re all anticipating a great deal more freedom.” Ralph put his phone back in his pocket.
“Well, I guess we should get going.” I clamped my hands together as though the useless gesture might spur us onward.
“Where to? You got someplace better to be?” Adelaide moved over to the kitchenette fridge, opened the door, and browsed with two tentacles while a third held the door handle.
“Rose and I were just going to grab some lunch.” Melissa’s words were much more believable than mine.
“Would you mind bringing it back here? We’d like some of whatever you’re getting. Ivan hooked me up with a new van so we could do the door-to-door thing. Ralph can get me out of the van and into a building, but that’s about all we can manage without making a scene. I never thought I’d say this, but I miss American drive through windows. It made life so much easier.” Adelaide closed the fridge, obviously dejected.
We all perked up as the alarm’s door chime sounded again.
“Did you leave the door unlocked?” Adelaide asked Ralph.
“No, of course not,” said Ralph.
Adelaide rolled her lovely eyes.
Footsteps filled the hall again. It was far too much noise for one or even two people. Ilya, Faith, Cole, and Jonah spilled into the kitchen completely undisguised. Ilya looked positively ill. They all stopped short as they saw the four of us, fake Rose, fake Sage, Ralph, and Adelaide.
“What the hell is this now?” Adelaide slammed the fridge door shut.
“Sorry . . . I—” Ilya dropped to his knees clutching his stomach. He retched, and then threw up the disgusting remains of his breakfast.
“He ate a chocolate bar that had nuts in it or something,” Cole explained to me, ignoring Ralph and Adelaide.
“He’s allergic to cashews!” shouted Faith, glaring at her brother.
“He dropped our disguises to keep yours going.” Jonah regarded me apologetically. His eyes darted to Ralph and Adelaide, watching them as they glowered at us.
“So why are you here?” Melissa took a step backwards, preparing for the obvious.
“We couldn’t be sure Ilya was holding your illusions in place.” Jonah stepped between me and Ralph.
Ilya groaned and I felt the familiar mist of his illusion fading away.
“I knew it!” Adelaide glared at me, then Melissa.
“You brats are a day late and a dollar short,” said Ralph.
“I think you’d better turn around and go back to wherever you came from. You made a go of saving all those stupid grubby humans. And you failed. You’ll live,” said Adelaide.
“And nobody else will.” Pipes in the wall groaned as Jonah’s temper rose.
“You’re such a self-centered bitch!” Faith’s words oozed with hatred.
“Watch it, punkette. I’m in a good mood today, but you’re changing that.” Adelaide smoothed her hair back with a tentacle.
“That beak in your throat isn’t enough to save you now,” Faith took a wider stance to brace herself.
Adelaide’s face lit with shock as Josh jumped out from the back hallway knocking Ralph to the floor. She reared up and opened her mouth wide. Her hooked throat tendril shot out toward Josh, but I was ready. I held my arm out, willing a hard grip on Adelaide’s hook. Josh and Ralph wrestled on the ground.
Adelaide gave a confused grunt and I lifted my other hand, holding her steady remotely. I could feel her strength while she struggled to break free. “I can’t hold her for long. Somebody better do something!”
Faith reached out and shot a stream of fire at Adelaide’s hooked tendril which floated in mid-air, held by my sheer willpower. The fire connected with the tendril and ignited with a
“Just think, after Terra Nova is released, you won’t even have to wait for the successful completion of The Compendium to start flying during the day, out in the open. And my days of wheeling around town will be over.” Adelaide poured herself into a loveseat at the side of the room.
“We’re all anticipating a great deal more freedom.” Ralph put his phone back in his pocket.
“Well, I guess we should get going.” I clamped my hands together as though the useless gesture might spur us onward.
“Where to? You got someplace better to be?” Adelaide moved over to the kitchenette fridge, opened the door, and browsed with two tentacles while a third held the door handle.
“Rose and I were just going to grab some lunch.” Melissa’s words were much more believable than mine.
“Would you mind bringing it back here? We’d like some of whatever you’re getting. Ivan hooked me up with a new van so we could do the door-to-door thing. Ralph can get me out of the van and into a building, but that’s about all we can manage without making a scene. I never thought I’d say this, but I miss American drive through windows. It made life so much easier.” Adelaide closed the fridge, obviously dejected.
We all perked up as the alarm’s door chime sounded again.
“Did you leave the door unlocked?” Adelaide asked Ralph.
“No, of course not,” said Ralph.
Adelaide rolled her lovely eyes.
Footsteps filled the hall again. It was far too much noise for one or even two people. Ilya, Faith, Cole, and Jonah spilled into the kitchen completely undisguised. Ilya looked positively ill. They all stopped short as they saw the four of us, fake Rose, fake Sage, Ralph, and Adelaide.
“What the hell is this now?” Adelaide slammed the fridge door shut.
“Sorry . . . I—” Ilya dropped to his knees clutching his stomach. He retched, and then threw up the disgusting remains of his breakfast.
“He ate a chocolate bar that had nuts in it or something,” Cole explained to me, ignoring Ralph and Adelaide.
“He’s allergic to cashews!” shouted Faith, glaring at her brother.
“He dropped our disguises to keep yours going.” Jonah regarded me apologetically. His eyes darted to Ralph and Adelaide, watching them as they glowered at us.
“So why are you here?” Melissa took a step backwards, preparing for the obvious.
“We couldn’t be sure Ilya was holding your illusions in place.” Jonah stepped between me and Ralph.
Ilya groaned and I felt the familiar mist of his illusion fading away.
“I knew it!” Adelaide glared at me, then Melissa.
“You brats are a day late and a dollar short,” said Ralph.
“I think you’d better turn around and go back to wherever you came from. You made a go of saving all those stupid grubby humans. And you failed. You’ll live,” said Adelaide.
“And nobody else will.” Pipes in the wall groaned as Jonah’s temper rose.
“You’re such a self-centered bitch!” Faith’s words oozed with hatred.
“Watch it, punkette. I’m in a good mood today, but you’re changing that.” Adelaide smoothed her hair back with a tentacle.
“That beak in your throat isn’t enough to save you now,” Faith took a wider stance to brace herself.
Adelaide’s face lit with shock as Josh jumped out from the back hallway knocking Ralph to the floor. She reared up and opened her mouth wide. Her hooked throat tendril shot out toward Josh, but I was ready. I held my arm out, willing a hard grip on Adelaide’s hook. Josh and Ralph wrestled on the ground.
Adelaide gave a confused grunt and I lifted my other hand, holding her steady remotely. I could feel her strength while she struggled to break free. “I can’t hold her for long. Somebody better do something!”
Faith reached out and shot a stream of fire at Adelaide’s hooked tendril which floated in mid-air, held by my sheer willpower. The fire connected with the tendril and ignited with a
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