Annihilation by Katie Salidas

Author:Katie Salidas [Salidas, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rising Sign Books
Published: 2016-01-25T16:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

STRYKER

Silence had fallen on the house in the hours after they’d agreed to help find Lana. Daylight had come and forced the vampires into hiding. Idira had been gracious enough to provide sleeping space in her basement free from natural light.

The room was sparse and cold compared to the rest of the house, but that mattered little to them. They’d all done their fair share of sleeping rough over the last few months. All that really mattered was that they were safe for at least a few hours to recharge.

Stryker watched over Mira as she slept on the ground, covered in an old throw blanket that had been rolled up for storage. Seeing the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, Mira looked almost herself, but he knew the second she woke, her struggle would begin again.

It was hard to believe anything could have broken her indomitable spirit. Mira had been as hardheaded as they came but equally as pure of heart, though if anyone had said the latter to her face they would have met with the tip of her sword. She played the bitch well publicly, but that was just for show. She guarded her heart like no other, but he’d seen past all the walls she erected straight into her soul. And from that moment she’d captured his heart.

Still, now, seeing her lying there peacefully, he couldn’t imagine what torment she’d endured. Given that she was a vampire, physical scars would never show. However, he’d noticed the damage done to her hands: fingers no longer tipped with nails.

He should have been there for her. Guilt weighed on his soul like a ton of bricks. He had to make right what had happened to her. The people who had caused this pain would suffer. And Mira deserved to take her retribution for it – but broken as she was, he felt that even a small victory might further damage her soul.

Justine stirred, rolling over to face him. “You need sleep.”

“I’m not tired. And someone needs to watch over you in case―”

“You think Idira is going to double cross us? Turn us in as an exchange for her daughter?”

“The thought had crossed my mind, yes. But I was more concerned with Mira and her fragile state.”

Justine sat up and glanced over at the sleeping vampire. “I can hold my own against her.”

“Even you know that’s a lie. I’m afraid for her,” Stryker sighed. “I cannot even begin to understand what’s going through her mind.”

“Bloodlust.” Justine shrugged. “We all feel it, like an itch that needs to be scratched. You learn to ignore it over time. But in her case, I think the itch has become a full body rash.”

Her eloquence shocked him. He sat speechless for a moment, thinking about what Justine had said. “We can’t let her kill anymore. If what you say is true, she’s losing her grip on reality, and bloodshed will only compound it.”

“You be the one to tell her that. She’s a Gladiator.

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