Mist and Shadows: Short Tales From Dark Haunts by Yasmine Galenorn

Author:Yasmine Galenorn [Galenorn, Yasmine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw
Publisher: Nightqueen Enterprises LLC
Published: 2014-10-13T22:00:00+00:00

Two weeks later I’m back in the chair. A long scratch trails down my left cheek.

Margaret fingers it gently. “Patrice?”

I close my eyes against her touch and Patrice’s face flashes before my eyes. Beautiful emerald eyes surrounded by black bruises, faint purple streak down the cheek where my knuckles caressed her soft skin. Stood with the razor over my wrists for an hour after that until she came in and took it out of my hands. I told her what they did to me. Next morning she packed. I watched her go in silence.

“She’s staying in New York with a friend for awhile.” I don’t tell her that I told Patrice what they did to me. They’d hunt her down and silence her.

“You’re bitter.” Margaret scribbles a note down on her pad.

“Bitter? What makes you think I’m bitter?” An acrid taste sizzles in my mouth. “No shit, I’m bitter.” I’m antsy, I want whiskey...I want to go to Joe’s and drink until I pass out. But they’d find me. The SYSTEM doesn’t let go of Jumpers that easily. “Christ, I had one year left, Margaret. Why me?”

Margaret shrugs. She’s resumed her doctor-patient stance and whatever friendship we had is gone. She looks at me clinically and smiles. I want to wipe that fucking grin off her face but I remember what she said about the Methoclide.

“You’re one of our best. Every year of experience gives you a better chance to control the drugs. You’re heading towards fifth year.”

I see a syringe on her tray. Long needle with a very sharp tip, and there is one drop of fluid leaking out the end. “My insurance is up-to-date, isn’t it?”

She nods then the mask slides away and she grabs my hands in hers. “Don’t walk. Please don’t walk out. We can’t afford to lose another Jumper.”

“Why is it so important to control that creature?” I squeeze her hand so hard that she winces, but she doesn’t pull away. I hear a snap. Her index finger starts to swell.

Margaret is shaking now. I don’t know whether it’s from the pain or the fear that I’ll walk. I don’t really care.

“Lisa, we know that one of those creatures followed a Jumper back from the Rift Zone. They can travel through the Rift—we were right about it being a shortcut. Now, it’s out there, waiting. We don’t know what we’re up against and we need a defense.”

“But because of its nature, we have no way to fight it.”

She nods. “Exactly. None of our weapons have done any good. The military is breathing down Algor’s neck. I’m begging you, please don’t walk. You owe Algor your allegiance. In less than nine months, you’ll be free.”

Free...and violent. Without Patrice. “Answer me one question. You said it didn’t swallow up any of the Jumpers?”

“We’re pretty sure that they all walked willingly. Williams initially came back from the Rift and told us about it...told us how seductive the energy was. The second time we sent him out, he didn’t return.

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