The Dark Gifts Birthright Read Free

moment, a primeval urge to
scream, and then a raging joy. As if with the loss of that last
shred of humanity, she finally truly felt alive.
    No time for this Liz. Where are you? She thought as she scanned the area. Nothing but trees and none of
it familiar.
    In the midst of the darkness, preternatural
senses began to assert themselves. Cricket chirps and buzzing
mosquitoes filled the crisp still air. Her ears twitched as she
listened for the soft breaths of birds sleeping in their nests and
the gentle rustle of rabbits rolling over in their dens.
Concentrating on the sounds, her head moved from side to side and
waited for a sound that would give away his location. In that
instant, there came a sudden knowing, not a hunch or gut instinct,
but a distinct knowing that he was returning. She could feel him
probing, searching, seeking a scent, and knew he still hunted
her.
    Uncharacteristically raising her head, she
sniffed the air. She could smell him in the wind. His musky, sweet
scent floated in from the east. Then nothing. It vanished. Her head
snapped to the west. The faint call of a rooster from a nearby farm
crowing in the dawn drifted through the trees. Morning
approached.
    In the east, various shades of pink and
orange tinged the horizon. I need to find cover , she thought
as she hurried through the forest. That slight glow of dawn stung
her eyes, and her skin tingled. Goosebumps rose on her flesh, and
the sensation intensified, as if the poison in her blood had
reached her outer layers.
    Frantic, she turned in a circle searching for
a place to hide. There was nowhere to go. As the sun peeked over
the horizon, and the forest began to lighten, she noticed a
flickering through the trees in the distance. A beacon in the grey
haze of morning.
    Using her hand to shield her eyes, she rushed
toward the source. Tired and weak, her body moved out of necessity
until she reached a small cabin. A lamp in the front window gave
off a faint glow. The sun ascended higher in the sky and her skin
began to burn. Unnoticed, tiny spirals of smoke lifted from her
skin.
    The wood around the hinges splintered as she
yanked the door open. Liz took no notice of the cracking sounds or
damage. Her main concern was relief from the pain--
    And once again she was back in the dank cell.
“What the hell?” she hissed.
    However long it had taken them to read her,
enough time had passed for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. A
sliver of light beamed under the massive metal door holding her
in.
    Anger spilled over her in waves. “Who do you
people think you are? What is your problem?” she yelled. The
situation was ridiculous! She hadn’t done anything wrong. She
hadn’t killed anyone, caused any trouble, or broken any of
their laws. She’d done exactly what Michael told her to do. More
importantly, she’d done what she known was the right thing
to do. She hadn’t called her parents to explain her disappearance
or attempted to go home.
    This time she felt them enter. Numerous minds
probed her thoughts. Her body seized, shoving her back against the
wall as she fought to keep them out. It did no good. They took over
and as if by magic, she found herself in the cabin—
    Her eyes snapped open. Where was she? Bits
and pieces of the previous night sparked to life. I have to get
out of here. I have to find help! Scanning the room, her eyes
locked on an antique scrolled mantel clock over the fireplace. Six
p.m. She had slept for twelve hours.
    Sitting up, she swung her feet over the edge
of the bed. The shag carpet tickled her soles as she stood. Every
fiber caressed her skin sending shivers up her legs. She slid her
feet back and forth enjoying the tickling sensation. Droplets of
red adorned the legs of her jeans. Tugging her shirt away from her
body, she surveyed an identically colored stain covering her left
shoulder and sliding down the side of her pink tee shirt. “It's
ruined. I'll never get this out.”
    Drawing in a deep breath, the haze