Time Thief (The Anomaly Trilogy) Read Free

her arms. She might see something human in this man, but she couldn’t forget he was dangerous.
    “You killed his wife.”
    God. Memories poured through Bay, ripping at her with sharp claws. “Yes. I did. And I’d do it again.”
    His lips tightened. He grabbed her arm in an unyielding hold. “I’m taking you in.”
    “To the police?”
    “No.” He pulled out a cellphone. “Your little…ability means the police can’t handle you. Leven can.”
    Fear was a horrible spill of bile in her mouth. But she refused to let this man see it.
    She lifted her chin. “The others he sends usually try to hurt me first. Knock me around, beat me.” She wrapped her other arm around her stomach. She didn’t want to remember the ones who tried to touch her.
    Gray eyes darkened as he lifted his phone. After a few curt instructions, he shoved it back in his pocket and towed her toward the door.
    Bay cast one last glance around the loft. Goodbye, Mara. Bay wouldn’t come back here. She’d miss the woman. The self-assured redhead had become the closest thing Bay had had to a friend in years.
    It seemed she was destined to always say goodbye to those she cared about.
    After checking the hall was empty, her captor dragged her back onto the street. A chill winter wind whipped along the sidewalk, tossing the ends of her hair across her face. He’d left his coat inside but appeared impervious to the cold.
    She studied his hard jaw. She had to find a way to get to him. It was her only chance.
    “You aren’t like Leven’s other goons.”
    Silence. He didn’t take his gaze off the road.
    “You’re military.” Wasn’t hard to guess. The guy moved with trained precision.
    “Was.”
    God, how could one word hold so much anger?
    “Why are you doing this? Working for Leven?”
    The man turned his head slowly. “Because he promised me the chance to hunt and kill time thieves.”
    Bay’s rapid heartbeat thudded in her ears. She was wrong. This man wouldn’t help her.
    Hunching her shoulders, she stared down the street. Saw the black SUVs speeding in their direction.
    “He lied to you.” She lifted her face to the cold wind. “He’ll let you hunt us, but he won’t let you kill us.”
    Her hunter frowned. “Of course he will. That’s what this is all about.”
    She gave a painful laugh. “No. The only thing Gabriel Leven wants is control of my power.”
    ***
    She was lying.
    Sean tightened his grip on her as Leven’s men screeched to a stop at the curb.
    Leven had promised Sean revenge.
    As the car doors opened, Sean combed through his conversations with Leven. The man had never actually said what he’d do with the thieves once they were captured. He’d just told Sean he’d have all the resources he needed to hunt them and bring them in.
    Damn it . Now was not the time to let doubts creep in. He’d finally caught her. A dangerous time thief he’d been tracking for months.
    Remember the guys. The ones he’d promised to protect, who’d been butchered without a chance to defend themselves.
    Leven’s men got out of the vehicles.
    Sean saw them raise their guns.
    He didn’t stop to think. He pushed the thief sideways. As she stumbled, he followed her, pushing her to the ground.
    Automatic gunfire sprayed the footpath with a roar.
    The thief was already moving. She scrambled across the ground, headed for a parked car ahead of them. Sean followed.
    His mind registered that the men weren’t shooting to kill her.
    Sean crouched with his back pressed to a late-model Chevy. He drew his SIG-Sauer and returned fire. He sent a few well-aimed bullets into the engine block of the lead SUV.
    Then there was silence.
    “We just want the thief, Archer.”
    Sean recognized the voice. One of Leven’s inner circle. “Then why the hell are you shooting, Gordon?”
    “You’ve outlived Mr. Leven’s employment. Now send the thief out.”
    Sean looked down at the woman beside him. Her pale green eyes were wide. He saw fear buried in their