Read Online Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1) by Kylie Griffin - Free Book Online

deadly poison the males used to paralyze their prey. During training, and while on patrol, they were usually capped to avoid accidental poisoning of Master or human prey.
    Placing her hand on the alpha male’s hide, she gently stroked the coarse pelt. The pungent, musky odor coming from his fur was almost overwhelming. She kept her breathing shallow as she smoothed her hand along his side. The bristles on his neck lowered the longer she petted and murmured reassurance. She focused her thoughts on that rather than the pounding of her heart.
    She’d never imagined having to use the commands employed by the Na’Hord Masters in charge of training the Vorc . The many hours spent in the pens treating the warriors for injuries sustained during obedience lessons now seemed fortuitous.
    Hoping the Lady would forgive her, she honed in on the beast’s life energy beneath her hand. Like all wild animals, the energy was pulsing and raw, hard to link with.
    “I’m sorry,” Annika murmured and aimed one, focused burst of energy straight into his heart, just as she had done with the guards, and stopped it. Her power surged through her, burning like the flames of a fire, but necessary to end the Vorc ’s life instantly. She bore the pain as the huge body jerked, then dropped to the ground.
    An earsplitting howl shattered the night air. She barely turned to face the female when she was knocked from her feet. The massive weight on top of her drove the breath from her lungs.
    “Annika?” Kalan’s shout broke through the Vorc ’s incensed snarls. Annika twisted her fingers in the fur at the animal’s neck as her claws ripped through her dress. Hot pain scored her side. She twisted, trying to avoid being shredded completely. Needle-sharp teeth sank deep into her forearm; agonizing tendrils of fire lanced every nerve and muscle. She screamed.
    “Annika!” Boots scrambled on rock. Glancing up, Annika saw Kalan descending the cliff.
    “No!” Her warning came out as a hoarse whisper.
    The Vorc released her arm and went for Annika’s face. Annika locked her hands around the straining neck and jerked her head aside. The female’s jaw snapped so close to her ear, she felt the hot, moist breath on the skin of her neck. The Vorc lunged again. Agony tore through her shoulder as her teeth pierced skin and muscle then grated on bone.
    Desperate, and knowing the Vorc would kill Kalan once he made it to the ground, she drove a second burst of energy into the female. The animal howled in pain then collapsed, her life energy quickly fading from the fatal blast.
    Nausea washed through Annika, closely followed by throbbing pain. Sucking in deep breaths, she pushed the female’s corpse to one side and rolled to her knees. Something warm and wet ran down her arm. She sat back on her heels. With a shaking hand, she touched her shoulder then stared at the blood covering her fingertips.
    “Annika? Are you all right?” Kalan’s bootsteps crunched on the pebbled ground. He appeared at her side, peering from her to the lifeless Vorc .
    “I’m fine.”
    Kalan’s gaze narrowed at how hoarse and strained her voice sounded. Shadows and darkness hadn’t let him see much of her struggle with the Vorc but he recognized the metallic scent of blood.
    Annika swayed as she pushed to her feet. “I told you to stay in the cave!”
    Ignoring her reprimand, he caught her arm and felt a hot stickiness soaking the sleeve of her dress. “How badly are you hurt?”
    “The Vorc need to be disposed of… can’t leave them to rot.” She pushed against him. “Their Masters will search for them when they don’t return… the river will wash them downstream…” Her slurred speech made his decision easy.
    “I’ll take care of them.” He urged her toward the ledge behind them. “Sit. Before you fall down. Tell me where you’re wounded.”
    “Shoulder… forearm.”
    Kalan tore strips from the bottom of her dress, wadded them and, using his fingers to feel