Tall, Dark and Dead by Tate Hallaway

Author:Tate Hallaway [Hallaway, Tate]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-01-07T07:06:08+00:00

* * *

Sixth House

KEYWORDS:

Stress, Cleanliness, Weakness

I looked up to see three priests in black suits and collars with heavy weaponry, all of which was pointed at me. Including, I realized, a redheaded guy holding a bow so slender and long I had to assume it was the longbow Sebastian had talked about earlier. The redhead regarded me warily over the fletching of his arrow. I thought I recognized his gray-green eyes as those that had spotted mine under the couch.

Just as I pictured in my mind’s eye, I found Sebastian pinned to the oak window frame by a huge arrow sticking out of his chest.

Something about the way he hung there, unmoving, made Sebastian seem more than just skewered. The slackness in his body reminded me of Parrish’s earlier behavior. I wondered if the “transfixing” Leader Guy mentioned was a kind of magic keeping Sebastian immobilized, but he was able to flash me a weak smile when he saw me.

The machine gun had ripped up a space next to his feet and there was plaster dust and wood splinters everywhere, not to mention a ragged hole in the wall.

I was so never getting my security deposit back.

Especially considering all the bloodshed about to come.

Wary of the guns trained on me, I sat upright very slowly. Leader Guy stepped forward. Or, at least, I assumed it was him from the machine gun he toted in his beefy hand. Plus he looked the part: silver hair chopped into a flattop, perpetual grimace, steely gray eyes. All he was really missing was the stub of a cigar sticking out of the corner of his mouth; otherwise he fit the whole sergeant-of-a-secret-armed-religious-force to a T. I was happy to notice the rake of Barney’s claws across his cheek.

“Where’s the book?” He growled at me, or, at least I think he did.

I put a finger in my ear and wiggled it, trying to kick-start my eardrum. My hearing was returning, but there was still a nasty roaring sound that overlaid everything.

“If you’re talking, I can’t hear you,” I said, or, I imagine, shouted, since I could hardly make out the sound of my own words.

He brought the barrel of the machine gun level with my nose. “Listen carefully, miss. I’ll ask you once again. Where is the grimoire?”

Lilith uncoiled in my guts, searing me with a whiplike sting. I clutched at my stomach, fighting not to double over. One of the other priests, a black guy with a gorgeous knot of short dreads, had the sense to take a step back and sight his weapon. I wondered if he was their sensitive. The fear I saw growing in his eyes made me fairly certain he was. It’d be such a shame to bury him; I hoped he was smart enough to run.

“Safe-deposit box,” Sebastian volunteered quite suddenly. “I have the key with me.”

“You’ve decided to talk?” Leader Guy sounded as incredulous as I felt.

“I hate seeing a damsel in distress,” Sebastian said. He tried to

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