Phoenix Tonic Read Free

baby brother can kill a mountain of men in a blink, and fart through his fingers. I like you more every year.” The smile slipped from his lips, quickly. “You know I have to inform the Monarch about this. New abilities don’t come about that often.”
    Kallian pursed his lips and nodded.
    His brother went back to his leather chair and settled in. “You might want to go back to the royal compound until you get your head on straight. We don’t know what you might unconsciously do with all those unknown powers. I’ll stay here and run things—”
    “Absolutely not,” he said. “I know you think you’re my babysitter, but you don’t need to be here. I can run things on my own.”
    Malachi leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “You’re breaking a dozen human laws, and you know the royals would shut us down. You don’t know all the hoops I’ve had to jump through to keep your little project under wraps.” Kallian glared at him, and he dropped his hands. “Look, you know I believe in what you are doing. Finding a cure for rampant human illness is a very noble deed. But it won’t bring back those men you killed. You were a fledgling, and it was an accident.”
    Kallian rubbed his chin. “Easy for you to say, every creature you killed deserved it. The men who attacked us only wanted help. They wanted a cure for their illness, and I’m going to give it to them.” His voice dropped. “It’s the least I can do.”
    The leather chair his brother sat in squeaked as he crossed his legs. “You can’t save everyone, baby brother. And you can’t save Miss Simmons, either.”
    Kallian slowly turned around and buttoned his Armani jacket. “If there’s nothing else—”
    “Actually there is.” Malachi cleared his throat and tilted his head toward the testing area. “The spider monkey escaped earlier. She’s somewhere in the facility. I’d appreciate it if you went to the lab and assisted the animal handlers.”
    Kallian shook his head. “Cinnamon escaped again? Glad to hear she’s doing so well. Is the new strain working?”
    Malachi shrugged. “We won’t know until we see the monkey’s reaction to you.”
    “Huh.” Kallian turned to leave. “If it is working, we may never find her.”
    As Malachi opened the door, a small noise drew their attention to the floor where a little brown and white monkey stared up at them. Cinnamon promptly scurried up Kallian’s leg until she came to rest on his shoulder.
    Kallian stroked her fur as he headed to the animal center. “I don’t think the new strain is working, Malachi.”

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
     
    The doctor couldn’t have just said I was gonna be dead next month. As Hailey looked into his empty eyes, she suddenly wished she hadn’t fired the last several oncologists.
                  “I’m sorry,” her heartbeat raced. “What did you say?” She struggled to sit up in the hospital bed.
    “Miss Simmons,” he cleared his throat, “you informed me from the beginning you didn’t want me ‘pussy-footing’ around the truth. You wanted me to tell you flat out what I know. And by these scans here,” he held up black and white films to the light, “I predict you have about six weeks to live. Maybe eight.”
    He was right. She had hired him for his candor. The other doctors kept saying things like “We’re not sure.” Or, “Let’s wait and see what develops.” Some would even discuss the truth with her parents, but not with Hailey. Did she look like she was twelve or something? If they’d shared their thoughts immediately, she would have been out doing all the things she’d always dreamed of sooner.
    Now she could barely walk as her body endlessly racked with pain. Her parents had gotten her the nicest room at the nursing facility, one in the corner with an extra window and no roommates.
    “How could you be so cruel?” She lifted her heavy eyes to see her baby brother face to face with the doctor. Well, at