Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 142050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 710(@200wpm)___ 568(@250wpm)___ 474(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 710(@200wpm)___ 568(@250wpm)___ 474(@300wpm)
The fact that he was trying to process her like a problem brought the anger back. “Okay, fine, I’ll get someone else to teach me how to shoot—”
Instantly the TV was muted, and as her brother spun her around, both L.W. and Shuli sat up on the bed and leaned around the TV again.
“What did you say?” Rhamp demanded.
“You heard me.” Lyric made sure to meet those stares without flinching or apology. “I want to learn how to handle a gun.”
“Why do you need to know how to shoot.”
Lyric narrowed her eyes and thought of the woman in the purple dress. “I want to learn how to fight. In the war.”
There was a pause, and then her brother threw his head back and laughed.
Okay, so maybe Valentina hadn’t had a point about going to her brother.
“I’m serious!” And she was not going to demean herself by stamping her foot. But holy shit, she suddenly wanted to punch a wall. “Do you think I enjoyed being on the sidelines while you all got shot up behind that apartment building? I might have been able to help—”
Rhamp’s head re-leveled with a snap. “No. Absolutely no. You’re going to cut this shit out, right now. You are not the kind of person who can handle the field—”
“How do you know? When you guys started in the training program, I’ll bet you had to learn a lot. And practice. Why can’t it be the same for me?”
“Really.” As the others stayed silent, her brother narrowed his stare at her. “After the way you’ve spent the last ten years? You have to ask that.”
“There are females who can fight.”
“And they’re not Barbie, okay? They’re not you.”
As Lyric blanched at the dismissal, she opened her mouth to respond. Shut it. Tried again.
“I didn’t know you had so little respect for me,” she said in a voice that cracked. “Hell, I’m surprised you’re not embarrassed to claim me as your sister.”
Rhamp tossed up his hands. “I didn’t mean it like that—”
“I think you did.” As her eyes flooded with tears, she slashed at them angrily. “And I’m glad to know where I stand with you. I won’t bother you again—”
Her phone went off at the same time her brother’s did.
As they both took their cells out and Rhamp glanced at her with alarm, she knew this could only mean one thing.
She answered Qhuinn’s call at the same time her brother answered Blay’s.
“We’re coming,” she choked out before their sire even said a word. “Rhamp’s here with me, and we’re coming right now.”
When she hung up, Rhamp stepped to her. “Are you okay to dematerialize or should I drive you.”
His voice was the same, and so were the features of his face—and his height and muscularity, too. The offer to make sure she was okay was also right up his alley, and before, the gallantry had always seemed a reflection of his good character. Now?
For the first time in her life, she looked at her twin brother as if he were a stranger.
“You take care of yourself,” she said. “I’ve got me.”
On that note, she turned and headed for the door.
“Oh, come on, Lyric. Now is not the time—”
“I couldn’t agree more,” she muttered as she let herself out.
In the hall, she paused to collect herself. Then she headed for the guest suite next door so she could ghost away.
To her grandparents’ house.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Lash, son of the Omega, walked out into the city park on a metaphysical float, his footfalls so light over the undisturbed blanket of snow, he not only didn’t break through the surface, he left no prints. In response to his presence, the wind shifted direction, rounding about and coming restlessly from the north to riffle through his long black robes, while overhead, he brought with him a dark cloud cover that shut down the moon and the stars.
Coming to a halt, he looked to the river first. The Hudson’s current was sluggish and constricted by ice that was germinating from the shores. On the far side, the other half of Caldwell sparkled, the homes perched over the water like fallen galaxies. Turning to the south, he regarded the illuminated spears of Caldwell’s Financial District that rose from the tangle of their asphalt root systems, as well as the arching twin bridges that kept the two parts of the metropolis tethered together.
The Northway that flowed in and out of the spaghetti junction of exits that fed downtown was dotted with headlights, taillights.
It had been a very, very long time since he’d stopped and looked around.
With a curse, he rubbed his pounding temples. His head was aching and he felt alarmingly weak within his physical form. Likewise, unease weaved through the evil core of him, the sense that things were moving behind the scenes and being arranged to his disfavor dogging his consciousness.