Dead Awakenings Read Online Free PDF Page A

low voice. “We need to take care of that arm, bud, and Ronan’s barely hangin’ in there.”
    Even though Victor spoke in a hushed tone, she knew Luca heard him perfectly. She felt Luca move; he slid in without a glance toward her . She pressed her lips tightly together. If he was bound and determined not to look at her, she could be just as determined not to look at him.
     
     
     
    Close to four thirty in the morning the car stopped at the gate of what appeared to be a very large estate. Ornately carved, the wrought-iron entrance bore a floral and bird pattern. Victor rolled down his window and pushed a button on a call box. The mechanics of a camera moved somewhere above them, and then the gate creaked open. They started forward, and a white colonial home with a large circular drive set back from the road came into view. Beautiful flowers and lush, green grass carpeted the ground. Tall maple and birch trees stood like sentinels on the outer perimeter. A white marble fountain bubbled in the middle of the lawn, illuminated by lights. The house wasn’t the kind she was used to seeing either in New York or on the West Coast. Her brain perked for a moment at the realization that she remembered living in those two places.
    The home had black shutters and a bright red, inviting door. A barn stood off to the right. A white delivery van with the sign “East Coast BioWaste” on the side in large red letters was parked at the barn entrance. A kennel with about six dogs sat to the left of the house. The dogs barked and jumped at the approaching car. Their barking pierced her ears, forcing her to cover them to try and block out the sound.
    The car stopped to the left of the entryway. Everyone piled out but her. She sat, covering her ears, not moving till rough hands pulled hers away and shoved something into her ear canals, muffling the barking. She glanced up to see Luca’s cold stare. Just as the contacts had helped her eyesight, the earbuds helped her hearing.
    “Forgot I had those.” He spoke unapologetically. She had no idea how she had gotten into his head, but he still seemed to be shaken by the intrusion. He motioned for her to get out.
    Victor and Aron helped Ronan out of the car. She stepped out on her own, and a gust of moist breeze hit her in the face. The scents of grass, dog hair, the gas Victor had put into the tank, and water filled her nose. Cherry blossoms were a distant memory in the late fall, but their fragrance still lingered. She stood for a moment, entranced in the smells of the house grounds.
    Two men in black who she hadn’t noticed before walked forward with German shepherds on leashes. She watched as they approached, their sideways glances setting her on edge. She turned her back on them. She could only imagine how she looked.
    Another gust of wind blew in her face, and she smelled something different. Something sweet and tangy. Her stomach rumbled. The smell came from the direction of the barn. She heard movement in the barn. Intrigued she walked toward it. Her mouth watered, the scent growing stronger. Almost to the entrance she heard someone behind her call out. For a fraction of a second she turned to see Luca watching her. The rest of the men glanced over at her from their discussion. They were going to stop her, keep her from the food. Baring her teeth at them, she turned and ran straight for the barn.
    Yelling and the sound of footsteps ensued behind her. A blast of energy flew at her. She dropped and rolled. It passed over her head and dissipated a few yards in front of her. She scrambled to her feet and took off running, past the front of the white truck until she reached the barn. The delivery truck hung open, and two men leaned over a large red bag that had spilled open onto the ground. The bag smelled delicious. She growled and darted forward, startling the men. Their faces went white, but almost instantly one of them was knocked away by a blast of kinetic energy, out of her reach and