Burning Ember Read Online Free PDF Page B

reception desk and found the check book in the drawer. He leaned down and, picking up a pen, started filling in the check. He wanted to get her off the subject before she asked any more questions he couldn’t, and didn’t, want to answer.
    “Ten thousand.” Trinity muttered, but her eyes were still on the passage that Zane had disappeared down.
    “Whoa.” Archer snapped his body up straight. “Trinity, that’s a bit excessive don’t you think?”
    “I just sucked most of the life out of the vampire and gave myself a nice badge of honor.” She held up the hand she’d hovered over the candle, blisters covering it from the burn. “All so I could give you an epic spell, and besides…” She shrugged. “A woman’s got to eat.”
    Archer rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue with her as he filled in the rest of the check. “Dimi’s going to have an aneurism,” he muttered as he tore off the check and held it out for Trinity. “Thanks. I do appreciate you dropping everything to come and help out.”
    “You’re welcome, but…” She glanced back down the passage again.
    “He’ll be fine, don’t worry. I’ll call you if I need more help.”
    “Okay, you do that.” She took the check. “And, Archer?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Be careful with that pyro, I’m kinda fond of your furry butt, and I don’t like losing my friends.” Trinity tucked the check into her coat pocket and walked to the elevator without another word.
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Scarlet stumbled over an exposed tree root and fell hard, skinning her hands and tearing the knees of her jeans. She didn’t have time to stop and cry in frustration as she wanted to. She had to keep moving. Somewhere in the depths of this forest, something was hunting her.
    She gasped for breath and straightened. Ignoring the sting in her palms and knees, she started running again. She was beginning to wish that whatever was toying with her would kill her and end her misery. It had been chasing her since the night before, and Scarlet was sure she was being herded, or at least, made to run in circles.
    Every time she decided to head in a different direction, bone chilling laughter would start up around her and not stop until she’d gone in the direction it wanted her to go in.
    “Run, little Pyro. Run to die.” The disembodied voice wrapped itself around her, causing Scarlet to stifle a scream and run faster. She ducked right around an old oak tree she was sure she’d run past several times already. The repetition made anger and frustration surge in her chest.
    Scarlet didn’t know how she was still moving. Fatigue should have put her down a long time ago. “Just let me rest.” She stopped and pressed her hands on her thighs as she bent forward gasping for breath.
    Her only consolation was that despite the pitch dark of the forest, she could see very well. For some reason, her night vision had improved exponentially, and it wasn’t the only one of her senses to improve. Her sense of smell was sharper. She could taste the mulch from the fallen leaves in each breath she sucked in, but she didn’t understand why this was happening, because she was developing abilities she’d never had before.
    “No. If you stop, we will kill you.”
    This time the voice was right in front of her, and Scarlet was startled. Her head snapped up, and a small squeal of fright escaped her lips. She saw a tall blond man, leaning against a tree. He seemed completely comfortable, as if he was standing in the middle of someone’s living room instead of a dark forest at night.
    He was watching her like she was fascinating, but then he lost interest in her, and dropped his head to inspect his nails. “But we are going to kill you anyway. The only reason you are still alive is that Luke likes to play with his prey.” He had an upper-class British accent when he spoke, each word enunciated to perfection
    “Why?” Scarlet managed to gasp through ragged breaths, fear cloaking her