Read Online The Bonding Ritual (Girls Wearing Black: Book Four) by Spencer Baum - Free Book Online
Authors: Spencer Baum
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hand on his forehead. “Go to sleep.”
She felt his body relax under her touch. He was there already. He was so in love that even in this semi-conscious state he had no trouble summoning a look of pure happiness when Nicky touched him.
“I wish I was there with you, Ryan,” she whispered. “But I’m not. I was once. I really was. But I’m not anymore.”
Ryan was completely out now. His breathing was slow and deep. He wouldn’t remember any of this interaction tomorrow.
“Something has changed in me,” Nicky whispered. “More than something.”
A lot of somethings.
Weeks locked alone in a dark prison cell. Seeing her mother, or rather, the monster Falkon had made of her mother.
Sharing memories with that monster, seeing the woman still inside, Celeste Amanda Allen, mother of two who sacrificed everything to protect her children. Was the encounter with her mother the reason she couldn’t summon the same feelings for Ryan she had when all of this started?
Maybe. Her mother had given her a purpose. Finish what I started, Nicky . Celeste Amanda Allen had looked pure evil in the eye and stood her ground. She gave Nicky the tools needed to destroy Falkon’s lab and erase all the data he had collected in decades of research. She ended her human life and became something else so she could finish the job she started. How could Nicky bear witness to such heroic sacrifice and not be changed?
How could she just walk away from this mission when it wasn’t finished?
Yes, Frankie was safe. Yes, Network agents had killed Bernadette and Renata, and Network activity had led to the death of Melissa Mayhew as well.
Yes, Jill had hacked into the database of Tremblay Property Management and stolen a terabyte of secret files about the vampires, their assets, and their mansions. Yes, through Jill and Nicky’s activities, they had all but assured that Kim Renwick wasn’t going to win Coronation.
By any measure, the mission was an enormous success. Any measure but one.
Sergio Alonzo was still alive.
I could have killed him, but I didn’t. I had the perfect opportunity to finish him and I couldn’t do it.
If Nicky left now, she knew she was taking a memory with her that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Sergio Alonzo, badly wounded from a fight with Falkon Dillinger, on his back, barely breathing. Nicky standing over him, a broken steel pipe in her hands.
Why couldn’t I do it? The whole reason I’m here. The reason Gia, Kendall, Patrick, and Dante gave their lives. The reason the Network spent millions to bring me here.
We did it all to kill Sergio Alonzo. We failed.
I failed.
Now they had to go. The decision was made. Renata’s mansion was in ruins and the clan would be on high alert. Samantha had a ninety million dollar lead in the Coronation contest.
And Sergio knew that Nicky wanted to kill him.
This mission was over.
Ryan’s body twitched, then he opened his eyes and spoke a complete sentence.
“It was worth it.”
“Shhh…go to sleep,” Nicky said.
“Nicky, this is what I want you to know.” Ryan was practically in a trance. His eyes were wide open, but he wasn’t really awake.
Nicky put her hand on his shoulder. “What are you trying to say to me? See if you can get it out so you can sleep.”
“Everything we went through in Italy and Renata’s mansion,” Ryan said. “I’d do it again to get to where we are now. It was worth it.”
Nicky looked at him for a few seconds, then Ryan fell back on his pillow and closed his eyes. Nicky watched him sleep for a time, then she whispered, “I think so too.”
Chapter 6
Her mother. The mission. The Network. Falkon. Frankie. Ryan. Sergio. The night sagged under the weight of it all, and Nicky found herself seated alone in the dining room, surprised that it was only 3:30. Had she taken a guess before looking at the clock, she might have said a few minutes before five, or even six. To her it felt like the sun should be coming up any
She felt his body relax under her touch. He was there already. He was so in love that even in this semi-conscious state he had no trouble summoning a look of pure happiness when Nicky touched him.
“I wish I was there with you, Ryan,” she whispered. “But I’m not. I was once. I really was. But I’m not anymore.”
Ryan was completely out now. His breathing was slow and deep. He wouldn’t remember any of this interaction tomorrow.
“Something has changed in me,” Nicky whispered. “More than something.”
A lot of somethings.
Weeks locked alone in a dark prison cell. Seeing her mother, or rather, the monster Falkon had made of her mother.
Sharing memories with that monster, seeing the woman still inside, Celeste Amanda Allen, mother of two who sacrificed everything to protect her children. Was the encounter with her mother the reason she couldn’t summon the same feelings for Ryan she had when all of this started?
Maybe. Her mother had given her a purpose. Finish what I started, Nicky . Celeste Amanda Allen had looked pure evil in the eye and stood her ground. She gave Nicky the tools needed to destroy Falkon’s lab and erase all the data he had collected in decades of research. She ended her human life and became something else so she could finish the job she started. How could Nicky bear witness to such heroic sacrifice and not be changed?
How could she just walk away from this mission when it wasn’t finished?
Yes, Frankie was safe. Yes, Network agents had killed Bernadette and Renata, and Network activity had led to the death of Melissa Mayhew as well.
Yes, Jill had hacked into the database of Tremblay Property Management and stolen a terabyte of secret files about the vampires, their assets, and their mansions. Yes, through Jill and Nicky’s activities, they had all but assured that Kim Renwick wasn’t going to win Coronation.
By any measure, the mission was an enormous success. Any measure but one.
Sergio Alonzo was still alive.
I could have killed him, but I didn’t. I had the perfect opportunity to finish him and I couldn’t do it.
If Nicky left now, she knew she was taking a memory with her that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Sergio Alonzo, badly wounded from a fight with Falkon Dillinger, on his back, barely breathing. Nicky standing over him, a broken steel pipe in her hands.
Why couldn’t I do it? The whole reason I’m here. The reason Gia, Kendall, Patrick, and Dante gave their lives. The reason the Network spent millions to bring me here.
We did it all to kill Sergio Alonzo. We failed.
I failed.
Now they had to go. The decision was made. Renata’s mansion was in ruins and the clan would be on high alert. Samantha had a ninety million dollar lead in the Coronation contest.
And Sergio knew that Nicky wanted to kill him.
This mission was over.
Ryan’s body twitched, then he opened his eyes and spoke a complete sentence.
“It was worth it.”
“Shhh…go to sleep,” Nicky said.
“Nicky, this is what I want you to know.” Ryan was practically in a trance. His eyes were wide open, but he wasn’t really awake.
Nicky put her hand on his shoulder. “What are you trying to say to me? See if you can get it out so you can sleep.”
“Everything we went through in Italy and Renata’s mansion,” Ryan said. “I’d do it again to get to where we are now. It was worth it.”
Nicky looked at him for a few seconds, then Ryan fell back on his pillow and closed his eyes. Nicky watched him sleep for a time, then she whispered, “I think so too.”
Chapter 6
Her mother. The mission. The Network. Falkon. Frankie. Ryan. Sergio. The night sagged under the weight of it all, and Nicky found herself seated alone in the dining room, surprised that it was only 3:30. Had she taken a guess before looking at the clock, she might have said a few minutes before five, or even six. To her it felt like the sun should be coming up any
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