Dead Shifter Walking Read Online Free PDF Page B

out
of the car, pointing at Darren, and shrugging. “She ain’t right,”
he finished as though that was enough of an explanation.
    I uncrossed my arms shifting my backpack. “You
think?” I asked, not fully voicing the question if she was one of
ours.
    Jerry shrugged. “I ain’t never met her, but from
what they be describing, can’t hurt to check it out.”
    I sighed, instantly regretting my decision.
“Let’s go.”
    Mark hung back, whispering with Darren before
following Jerry and me to the SUV. I gave Jerry a hard look as I
got into the back seat. He smiled wildly, motioning Mark to take
shotgun.
    “I like Jerry; fuck this up and I’m not above
removing a few key body parts,” I warned, snuggling down in my
seat.
    Jerry glared at me in the rearview mirror
“Really?” he mouthed.
    “Geez, just kidding,” I said to relieve the
tension in the air. I suppose I should cut Mark some marginal sort
of slack; at least he was finally venturing to where his heart
led.
    “Do you want to know what we have observed?”
Mark said as I put my ear buds in.
    “Nope,” I answered, moving my hair from the wet
mark it had created on my black t-shirt, still regretting not
drying it.
    He raised an eyebrow, so I explained, “I’m going
to enjoy my music while you and Jerry discuss whatever the hell you
want, or nothing. Not interested.” I hit play, shoving my ear buds
in.
    Mark opened his mouth to say something, but I
saw Jerry’s mouth moving and Mark closed his own, turning around to
talk with him.
    I closed my eyes, listening to Miranda Lambert,
my favorite female county artist. She was a woman after my own
heart, without the Executioner job title, but with an unstable life
and desire for revenge.
    I sighed, letting my thoughts run wild. My
control was renewed after dancing and I had no worries of leaking
into their conversation. Darren’s daughter being a succubus was
wildly possible. I had never met his wife, but occasionally the
power of a succubus ran untapped, never exposed or weak enough, it
was never noticed, and those lucky souls blended into humankind,
never knowing they had a minefield of power. Blend untapped
succubus blood with the powerful shifter blood of Darren and it
wasn’t surprising at all that, at four years old, Hannah was
starting to display unmanageable traits. I could only imagine how
annoyed Darren must be, a genuine smile spreading across my face,
imagining his little angel’s outbursts.
    I pulled my focus back to the SUV, watching
Jerry and Mark’s conversation change as Mark gave the final
direction, pulling into a long driveway that led to an equally
massive house. It was less Georgia mansion and more modern with
clean lines and chrome.
    Pulling out my ear buds, I exited the SUV
without waiting for Jerry and Mark, pulling in a clean breath in
the predawn hours. It was quiet; I didn’t feel any kick, no
lingering emotions to denote an untrained child of our
bloodline.
    Darren exited the house almost running towards
us. “Took you three long enough to get here. I’ve been
waiting.”
    I gave Mark an annoyed look. “He’s scared,
Olivia,” he whispered.
    I reigned in my annoyance, walking towards him.
“She awake?” I asked tucking away my mp3 player.
    He flicked a glance toward Mark, running his
hands through his disheveled hair. I took a new look at Darren,
noticing the black bags under his eyes, which I had originally
assumed to be from excessive drinking and partying, the wrinkled
outfit, and the fear in his eyes. Mark was right. He was more than
scared; he was terrified. True to my form, I was only making things
worse not better; I didn’t want to kill anyone tonight.
    “Darren,” I said softly, standing in front of
him, easing my tense shoulders and relaxing my stance, “take me to
her, please.”
    He searched my eyes, noticing the change.
“Olivia, she is everything to me,” he pleaded, his eyes moist.
    “I know,” I said with a small smile and a gentle
touch on his