Desired by Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

house, a shower helped process the surreal scene she’d witnessed. Wincing from the pain, she changed into the only other clothes she owned, pulling on fresh jeans, a tee shirt, and a thick navy hoodie. With only soap and a washcloth, she’d cleaned the wound as best she could. Donald had handed her two aspirin as she went upstairs and told her to keep quiet, he was in enough trouble already. Her shoulder was throbbing, the cut deep. It really needed stitches.
    Good luck with that. They wouldn’t take her to a doctor, and no way was she letting one of them put a needle through her skin. The shoulder would have to wait. Back in her room she noted Gloria and Jean’s cots were still empty. It was unusual for both of them to be out later than her. Worried, Maggie tossed and turned, groaning when her shoulder made contact with the lumpy mattress before falling into an exhausted, fractured sleep.
    Waking up, she rolled over. Big mistake. She saw little goblins dancing in front of her eyes, bile rose up, and her stomach threatened to revolt. Swallowing several times, she waited for her body to realize she didn’t need to flee. The feeling remained. Voices screamed in her head—not safe, run. What was happening?
    There was a shadow under the door to the room. Maggie listened, trying to decipher what woke her. Voices.
    “Jean didn’t point out one of those slippery bastards tonight. The bitch let him kill Frankie. I saw him when he made himself visible to talk to the pub owner and pay for the damage, otherwise she would have gotten away with it. Gloria lied for her, saying she didn’t see anyone either.” Shaking his fist, Bruce continued, “They won’t be working with us anymore. I took them both to the basement.”
    Donald’s voice sounded weak and reedy when he chimed in. “I lost Jones. Some bloke he cheated at cards. The freak said she didn’t see anyone tonight, hasn’t for the past month. Maybe the ability wears off after a time?”
    “Maggie’s lying, or she’s useless. Either way, it’s time. Take her to the basement then grab a few hours’ sleep, you look like you’ve been on a three-day bender.”
    The men shut off the hall lights. Maggie stayed still as a statue, listening to the footsteps receding down the corridor. Her thighs shook, muscles clenching, the salvia pooling in the back of her throat as she fought not to retch.
    Gloria and Jean were dead.
    She was next.

Chapter 6

     
     
    Thursday, November 2 nd
     
    The next thing Robert knew, it was exceedingly early, the sun was barely awake, and his blasted powers were gone. He was in a cell he was very well acquainted with—the dungeon of Edinburgh Castle.
    Dank, filthy, and dim. He shook his head, it was bad enough to relive it, couldn’t the gods at least let the bloody floor be clean? Sighing, he lifted his foot as a rat scurried across the straw and ran into a cell next to him.
    Grimacing, Robert consoled himself with the thought it would all be over in twenty-four hours and he could go back to his life. Every year unless the unthinkable happened, Shadow Walkers relived their death anniversary and were powerless for the twenty-four time period surrounding the event. Then it was over until the next time. Good thing. There was a particularly valuable shipment of artifacts he was to pick up and deliver to Wales. The black market thrived and the more things changed the more they stayed the same. Though he never thought he’d live to see the day England and Scotland would be physically separated. Towards the end of the nineteenth century there were catastrophic weather events, the tectonic plates of the very earth shifted, causing incredible change and damage. Now there was a channel between the two countries and while devastating for all who lost their lives, it was a godsend, time wise for sailing. Instead of going all the way around, he simply went across and took care of business.
    During his first life as he liked to think of it, vices