The Rule of Thoughts Read Free

the ground, narrowly missing him. Heart in his throat, he looked up to see who was in the doorway.
    Two men. Both dressed in jeans and drab flannel shirts, they held some sort of old-fashioned wooden battering ram. They were both big, muscular, one with dark hair, the other blond. Neither had shaved for a few days, and intensity strained their expressions. And if Michael wasn’t mistaken,there seemed to be a hint of surprise hidden in there somewhere.
    They dropped the length of wood and stepped toward Michael.
    He shot backward, scrambling across the kitchen until he ran into the counter and lost his footing, dropping to the floor. The two men stopped just a few feet away, looking down at him with twin sneers.
    “Do I even need to ask?” Michael managed to say. He wanted to feel brave—to be brave—but the vulnerability of his human body suddenly hit him. It was something he’d never thought about in Lifeblood Deep . His world could end at any second.
    The two men didn’t answer; they looked at each other with puzzled expressions, so Michael spoke again. “I guess I do,” he murmured. “Who are you?”
    Both of them swung their gazes back to him.
    “We were sent by Kaine,” the dark-haired man said. “A lot has changed in the last day or two. We were sent to …  summon you to a meeting. He has big plans for you, son.”
    Michael’s heart sank. He’d hoped for more time. His mind spun with questions, but what came out of his mouth sounded plain stupid.
    “Well, you could’ve just knocked.”

The men actually helped him to his feet—the blond guy even dusted off Michael’s back. But both remained oddly silent, and the whole situation was beginning to take on an air of absurdity.
    “So,” Michael asked, “are you guys going to tell me anything? Your names, at least?” He felt oddly peaceful as he spoke, as if any immediate danger had been swept away by the man brushing the dirt off his pants.
    The dark-haired man straightened and folded his arms. His face showed no emotion as he spoke. “My name is Kinto,” he said, then nodded toward his partner. “This is Douglas. We were under the impression that you were still inside the Coffin, still undergoing the Doctrine transfer.”
    “Looks like we were … misinformed,” Douglas added in a gravelly voice.
    “Yeah,” Kinto agreed. “Looks that way.”
    Michael was still confused, but less so. At least the men knew about Kaine and the Mortality Doctrine. “So does that mean Kaine’s taken a human body, too? How many Tangents have done the same thing?” His mouth was still open when Kinto held up a hand to silence him.
    “Stop. Talking.” The man’s expression was all business. “If Kaine wants you to know something, he’ll make sure you do.”
    “You’ve been given a gift,” Douglas continued. “Life. For now, just be happy and do what you’re told.”
    “Fine with me,” Michael replied. His insides were a churning storm—lightning, thunder, sleet, strong winds, the whole bit—but he tried to display a sense of calm. He’d had way too many experiences lately that had ended in his being dragged away, and it was something he wanted to avoid if at all possible. He would go with these men until an opportunity to break away presented itself or until he had a revelation about what he should do.
    “Fine with you?” Douglas repeated, obviously surprised at the simple response.
    “Fine with me.” Michael swallowed. He’d just keep his comments to a minimum and go with it until a better plan developed.
    Kinto gestured toward the door. “Then let’s go. I don’t think I need to tell you not to try anything. Douglas will go first, then you, then me. Nice and easy.”
    “Life couldn’t be simpler,” Douglas said gruffly, though he broke his stern act with a smile. “You follow me, Kinto follows you. And all your dreams will come true.”
    The man didn’t wait for a response. He headed for the door and Michael fell in line behind