Atlantis Awakening Read Online Free PDF Page A

flashed between him and Erin and knocked his gun hand up so the pistol fired into the air. Then, wrenching the gun away, he smashed the bastard’s face with his fist and smiled as the man hit the ground. He knelt to check Erin’s pulse, which was strong and steady, and was relieved to see her eyelids were already flickering. The man groaned, and Ven grabbed him by the neck and yanked him up off the ground.
    â€œNice silencer. Now tell me who you are and why you’re here.”
    The man flailed in Ven’s hand, feet kicking the air and hands struggling to peel Ven’s fingers away from his throat. He made choking noises as his face darkened.
    â€œOh, my bad. Guess you have to breathe to be able to talk,” Ven said, loosening his grip a fraction. “Now spit it out before I kill you just for fun.”
    The man’s eyes glared hatred at him. That and something else. Terror, maybe. “If I tell you anything, they’ll kill me.”
    â€œYeah, well, I hate to sound like a B movie, but if you don’t talk, I’ll kill you.”
    â€œYou don’t understand.” The man practically spat the words at him. “There’s killing and then there’s killing. Do your worst.”
    And then he laughed in Ven’s face, and almost before Ven heard the sharp report of the gunshot a hole blossomed in the middle of the man’s forehead.
    Ven dropped him and whirled around to face the new threat, only to see another dark figure by the trees flash a sword through the air and slice the head off of the kneeling figure who held a gun in a two-handed position. The shooter immediately began to dissolve into slime.
    Remembering the witch, Ven shot a look at where she’d fallen, only to see she’d disappeared. He shot up into the air and scanned the area, but came up with nothing. Leaping back to the ground, he moved to place himself between Erin, who was still lying silent on the ground, and the new threat. The slime had almost entirely melted into the ground. “Vamp.”
    â€œYes, he was. As am I,” the one with the sword called. “But better the vampire you know, isn’t that the old saying?”
    Ven recognized the voice and felt marginally better. But only marginally. “Daniel. Or Drakos. Or whatever your name is. I think that’s ‘the devil you know.’ And don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to have the help, but what exactly are you doing here?”
    Daniel stepped forward. He looked the same as he had the night he’d betrayed his former master Barrabas to the Atlanteans, for whatever twisted reason he might have had.
    â€œDevils, vampires, is there really any difference, metaphorically speaking?” Daniel paused and inclined his head. “Lord Vengeance. It is…interesting…to see you here.”
    â€œI kinda thought Anubisa had killed you in D.C. for what you did.”
    Daniel’s mouth twisted. “I removed myself from the battle when she appeared. Luckily her back was to me at the time, although who can tell what vision a goddess of the night may have? Perhaps I owe you a debt for her death on that day.”
    â€œYeah, well, consider us even, then. Where did that bloodsucker—uh, no offense—come from? And did you see a female witch get by you?”
    Daniel pointed to the driveway. “He drove a car and parked it just behind the tree line, then headed here to back up this one, I presume. I saw no female, nor sensed any beating hearts other than the three of yours—now two.”
    Ven glanced down at Erin, who was finally stirring, thank Poseidon. He desperately wanted to scoop her up off the ground but he wasn’t about to trust a vamp—even one who’d maybe just saved his life—any farther than he could throw him. Maybe not even that far. “What’s going on, Daniel? Why were they after Erin? Why are you here?”
    The vampire’s eyes narrowed, and he