Night Unbound Read Free Page B

dreams.
    Thoroughly confused, she took the most shaded route back to the house, darted inside, and locked out the daylight.
    â€œAre you mental?”
    Lisette jumped at the question.
    Tracy squinted at her through eyes puffy from sleep, her blond hair a tangled mess. Matching Lisette in height and slender of build, the Second wore only a large man’s T-shirt that didn’t quite reach mid-thigh and clutched two 9mm’s. “What the hell were you doing out there?”
    Lisette shrugged, feeling foolish. “I thought I heard something.”
    â€œWell, next time send me out to investigate. That’s what I’m here for.” Almost every Immortal Guardian was assigned a human Second for just that purpose: so they could do the things immortals couldn’t (or shouldn’t) do during daylight hours because of their photosensitivity.
    Flicking on the safeties, Tracy headed into the kitchen. “Let me get you some blood to heal those burns.”
    Lisette listened as Tracy set her weapons down, opened the refrigerator door, and delved into the special compartment that contained bags of blood.
    Zach had walked into her dream. She was sure of it. But, if he weren’t here, how had he accomplished it? And what had caused those wounds to open up on him like that? She had never seen that before, either in a dream or in reality.
    Finding no answers, she followed Tracy into the kitchen and took the bag of blood she offered. “Thank you.”
    Tracy yawned.
    â€œGo back to bed,” Lisette told her. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
    Nodding, her Second collected her weapons, then shuffled out of the kitchen and down the hallway.
    Lisette let her fangs descend and sank them into the bag, siphoning the blood directly into her veins. Her skin ceased burning. Blisters swiftly healed. Pink faded.
    Tossing the empty bag in the trash, she returned to her bed.
    But she found no more sleep that day.
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    Zach struggled to hold on to the image of Lisette—racing to his side, swords drawn, ready to defend him from his attackers. He saw again her drop those swords and, face stricken, hold out her arms to catch him as he fell.
    He could have felt those slender arms wrap around him, hold him close, then ease him down to the ground . . . as he had once done for her.
    But the pain had finally gotten the better of him.
    Too many blows to count had sealed his left eye shut. Sweat and blood stung his right eye as he cracked it open and peered around the dimly lit cavern. So cliché.
    â€œDecided to join us again, have you?” a voice drawled.
    â€œI told you he couldn’t block us forever,” another murmured.
    If only . . . Zach thought bitterly.
    â€œResume,” the first voice commanded.
    Agony sliced through Zach as another bone in his right wing snapped. Though he made no sound, he jerked involuntarily. The thick chains that cut into his wrists and dangled him from the cavern’s ceiling jingled as he swung slightly. Needles pricked every inch of his arms. Or at least, that was what it felt like. He had been hanging thusly for a very long time, his arms supporting all of his weight.
    More feathers fluttered down from his broken wings, disappearing into the darkness that consumed the floor far beneath him. A whip opened his flesh again. And again. Blood seeped from wounds and trailed down his body in tiny tributaries that merged at his ankles before slithering down to cascade over his toes.
    He had long since lost all track of time. Lisette had said she hadn’t seen him in four months. His confrontation with Seth had transpired shortly after Zach’s last encounter with her. Had he really been here that long? Or had those few seconds with Lisette merely been a fantasy?
    â€œWhere do you go when you do that?”
    Zach ignored the question. Just as he had ignored all of those that had preceded it.
    Another bone in his wing broke.
    Bastards .
    â€œHe