Sin's Dark Caress Read Free

of a Neon Tears user. The most effective way into the system was through the multitude of tiny veins in the sclera or white of the eye. However, overuse could lead to permanent damage, even blindness. It was only one of the several new designer drugs hitting the street recently. No one knew where the narcotics came from, only the chaos they left in their wake.
    Movement blurred on the windowsill above the kitchen sink as Vincent finally appeared and began cleaning his ebony velvet coat.
    â€œThere you are,” she said, picking up the huge black cat.
    He acknowledged her with a sharp meow, his yellow feline eyes shining.
    â€œHello, baby. What’ve you been up too, hey?” She kissed him on top of his slightly misshapen head. She’d rescued him as a battered week-old kitten from a Dumpster a few years back. He was so tiny then, with only one ear intact and half his tail missing. She’d hand-raised him with a bottle, cleaning and caring for him like a baby until he was able to look after himself. The bond between them was still strong.
    He let out a drawn out, half purr, half mew—his way of saying, “I’m happy to see you too, now where’s the food?” While she’d never formed the familial bond with the orphaned cat, she’d learned to interpret his ways.
    His single intact ear pointed toward her, then he suddenly hissed and struggled out of her arms, landing on the countertop with his half tail burred. Her pendant warmed against her skin and she could’ve sworn she felt it move.
    â€œWhat’s the matter with you?” she asked, moving to pick him up again, but he came up on his toes with arched back and hissed even louder at her pendant.
    Bianca sighed and unhooked the clasp behind her neck. The necklace slid into her hand, and she took it into the living room. Vincent followed her, still looking spooked and puffed up; he eyed the pendant warily as she placed it on the table by the sofa.
    â€œThere you go, you silly thing. Is that better?” She scooped him up and rubbed his soft tummy. “Let’s go find you something to eat.”
    â€œM’ow,” he replied, and craned around her arm, keeping both eyes on the pendant.
    B ianca woke on the sofa, dressed only in her robe. The television spewed the latest news into the room in brilliant high-def. The streaming headlines flowed across the bottom of the screen while a far-too-chirpy reporter chatted about the abysmal state of the economy. Her shoulder pinched from the awkward position she’d fallen asleep in. She wiped a sheen of sweat off the back of her neck.
    Why was it so hot in here?
    The imitation fire with glowing fake logs blazed in the fireplace. She hadn’t turned it on, at least not that she remembered. But then again, she’d been pretty wiped after a warm shower.
    Vincent purred madly in front the flames. She stretched to ease the tension in her aching muscles from sleeping on the sofa, dropping her hand to her chest.
    My pendant!
    It wasn’t on the table where she’d left it, and she dropped to her hands and knees to search the floor under the table and the sofa.
    It had to be here somewhere.
    But where? Vincent lifted his head and looked at her. His what-the-hell expression almost made her laugh, until she saw the gold chain protruding from under his left paw.
    Weight lifted, she laughed with relief and crawled over on all fours. “What’re you doing with that?”
    The cat’s only ear flicked back and his eyes narrowed as his head dropped a little lower. The purring stopped.
    â€œCome on, puss,” she said, reaching for the chain. “Let me have it.”
    He growled and swiped at her hand with sheathed claws.
    â€œYou’re a crazy cat. One minute you can’t stand to be near it, now you won’t give it back.”
    A strange low hum pulsated through the apartment, making it feel like every molecule in her body was vibrating. It came