Rule Read Free Page B

sounded like a groan echoed around us.
    “Te-ssa?”
    A growl roared through the vision, escaping through my thoughts and into the collector’s. How could he speak? How could he dare to call her name after what he did? None of it made sense except that I was seeing the last moments of a dying man. One who was suffering through his end in great pain, or so I hoped.
    “He’s still alive?” The bald man faltered in his steps, but managed to make it inside the waste room. The door shut behind us and we lowered him to the ground next to the other pile of dead bodies.
    “I’m out of here,” I said, stepping back, wiping the blood on my shirt. “My shift’s over. See you tomorrow.” The concern over the human was outweighed by my hope that I could catch a glimpse of the Axis woman again. All I could think about was how rich her blood must have been.
    “Wait… What am I supposed to do about him?”
    I glanced down at the soldier whose reputation had made its rounds in our city. My head shook in disappointment. There was such talk about whether or not he’d last in our world. The majority hadn’t thought so. Guess they’d been right.
    “You heard the Axis woman. Let him die. Nothing you can do anyway, guy blew his fucking brains out. He doesn’t want to be alive no more, anyway.”
    “Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, put him out of his misery?”
    My loyalty pushed through, filling my chest with love for the kind who took me in. Who gave me what I needed. “ Nah … let him suffer. Bastard deserves it. He hurt our Master.”
    I pulled back, breaking from the collector’s memories and neck, gasping for air. The man crumbled in my arms. I’d taken too much blood.
    “Thank you,” I said, breathing heavily. “Your loyalty has earned you a reward.” A smile tugged at the man’s lips, even though he could barely open his eyes. “I will send Demetrius. He will take care of you.”
    Although the old me would have dropped the man to the ground without regard for his safety, I wasn’t him anymore. I was Austin’s Ruler. That changed things. Changed me.
    I lowered the collector to the ground, taking care to lay him down without letting his head drop to the cement. As I headed back to leave, I gave one last look to where they cremated the bodies. Hunter was dead. And he’d gone out as painfully as he could. That was enough for me.

 
    Chapter 3
     
    “What do we have?”
    As I looked around the table at the other eight members before me, I could see their nervousness. Although another week had gone by, I hadn’t gotten much better in the stability department. I wasn’t sick anymore. I did more than my fair share of killing and feeding, but there was a wildness that had imbedded itself inside me. A recklessness that was beginning to spiral out of control. I’d always been one to love a fight. Now, the battle was within myself. It left my power projecting itself like a poisonous curtain, blanketing everyone within a twenty foot radius.
    “Marie has sent a message.” Bufar’s hand was slightly shaking as he held out the fancy sealed envelope. I took it, clenching my jaw as I let my claw extend and rip through the expensive material.
    Dear Master Marko Delacroix,
    I am sad to inform you that I won’t be returning to Austin for quite some time. Although I have held court with Master Aetas, there are still things he wishes to know. I’m not sure when I will be allowed to leave.
    My deepest condolences.
    Mistress Marie Bardot
     
    P.S. My heart is broken for you. Please take strength in knowing Tessa loved you until the end.
    I crumbled the paper, clenching it in my fist as pain squeezed my chest, making its way through every inch of my body. Bufar and Anastasia, the closest members to me, shifted uneasily. The need to scream or break down was there, but I couldn’t let them see me like that. Somehow I managed to get myself under control.
    “What else?” Irritation was in my tone. Anastasia took a deep breath