Between Light and Dark Read Online Free PDF

matter to you, but it is, in truth,
gravely important." Axiom closed his eyes, dismissing her.
    Laurell's jaw dropped. He seriously intended to ignore her
and go to sleep. Fine. She didn't care. She'd had enough of
his crazy stories anyway. And the exhaustion she'd experienced ever since they'd met was catching up with her.
    Her limbs responded slowly as she yanked the covers
back from the bed and crawled atop the mattress. She
didn't bother to remove her shoes or socks, just in case she
got an opportunity to make a run for it during the night.
Maybe while Axiom slept she could look for a way out or at
the very least search for a weapon in the kitchen. She was
dubious about her ability to fend him off should he decide
the time was ripe for-what had he called it? Oh yeah, a
mating-but she'd put up a fight he'd not soon forget.
    She pulled the comforter up to her chin. Axiom turned
off the lamp near the couch. The couch springs screeched
in protest as he settled into his makeshift bed.
    "Go to sleep." His words sliced through the darkness as
though he knew her plan to stay awake and attempt escape.
"You are weak from the yearning, as am I. I can only ward
for both of us for so long. Especially when we are this close.
Tomorrow, I will teach you to ward for yourself."
    What was this warding thing he kept mentioning? She
opened her mouth to ask him, but couldn't get the words out.
Her mind was foggy. What was it she was supposed to do?
Something important. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but
for the second time that day, she fell into darkness.
    Today, I'll escape. The words reverberated in her brain as
she woke. Laurell opened her eyes and surveyed the unfa miliar room thinking she'd slept very well for someone
who'd been kidnapped. Bet Axiom would say it was from the
yearning. More likely it was from the drugs he'd given her.

    Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she bolted upright
in bed. The details of the day and night before flooded into
her mind. She crept from the bed to the couch, half
expecting Axiom to still be asleep on it. It was empty. Realizing she alone occupied the room, her heart slowed.
    She exhaled and the air clouded. Without the warmth
from the fire, the room had grown frigid.
    Laurell shivered and slipped into her coat. She crossed
the room. As she'd suspected, the only door to the apartment was locked. And after tearing the place apart, she located no phone. She did manage to find a sharp kitchen
knife, and she wrapped it in a kitchen towel that had a
ridiculous picture of a dancing block of cheese on it. She
carefully tucked the weapon in her jeans, but seriously
doubted her ability to use a knife on the man.
    She was not a violent person, and he was more than
twice her size, but having it gave her some small measure of
comfort. Realizing Axiom could return at any moment, she
began a mad scramble about the place.
    There were only a couple windows, set up high. A
dresser along the far wall caught her attention. Ten minutes and a lot of muffled groaning and strained muscles
later, she was able to push the dresser under the window.
She climbed atop it and found herself at eye level with one
of the windows.
    Hiking her body up to the window ledge with nothing to
lever herself could present a problem. Laurell scanned the
room again and spotted a small step stool in the kitchen.
    She placed the stool on the dresser and climbed up on it.
It teetered precariously, and she sucked in a breath and
stilled her movements. The window had no latch; it clearly wasn't meant to be opened. She'd have to break it. Gritting
her teeth, she performed a mental checklist of the items in
the room that could be used to smash the glass.

    "Do not even think of it." Axiom's voice broke through
her thoughts, and she jumped in surprise, losing her balance.
Her frantic swipe at the window ledge proved ineffective.
She careened backward and straight into Axiom's arms.

     

Axiom held