Falling from the Light (The Night Runner Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

should not hesitate to strike him. It will make him more comfortable.”
    There was no way me punching the guy was going to make anyone more comfortable.
    “That is screwed up.” I grabbed the sides of my stupid dress and pulled it up from where my backpack was trying to shove it off.
    “No, that is normal,” she said, “ mistress .”
    I growled. She knew I hated that, the titles that vampires gave to the humans they didn’t want treated like crap. Still, it was good to see the hint of a smile on her face as I left the container. Her sense of humor made Sora less scary. But only a little bit.
    The last box in the plane was the largest, stretching at least twice as wide as the others. It must have been the penthouse cage, separated from the others by about twenty feet, whereas the first two were only a couple of steps apart. I knocked twice before going in.
    It was dark inside. Not candlelight dim, but fully blacked out. I closed the door and swung my pack off my shoulder. Malcolm moved from my right to my left, pacing so silently that I felt but did not hear him.
    “So, hi. Buenos dias . Buongiorno . Hello. I think we missed that part of the greeting before.”
    “Hello.”
    He’d endured Bronson’s treatment, and we were leaving. Maybe, as quick as that, he was over it. Or maybe Thurston wasn’t the only male on this plane who was used to being kicked around.
    “You’re angry.” He didn’t ask it like a question. I held up a hand, disorienting since I couldn’t see it, but I knew that he could.
    “Soraya gave me the lowdown so you don’t have to explain.”
    “But you’re still angry.”
    “Why did you bring him if you’re prepared to end him?”
    The warm buzz of his energy softened as he approached. His chest materialized beneath my hand. He covered my hand with his, and the feel of him coursed over and around me.
    “If I’d left him behind, he would have been executed. At least here he gets to make the choice of whether to continue his existence.”
    “What? Why?”
    “It is Bronson’s territory. Even if Bronson does not swear it, his fealty isn’t negotiable. He assaulted you while I wore the cloak of power.”
    “Was that the cloak with the buzzard feathers on it?”
    “Those were raven feathers. Buzzard is so last year. And you know what I mean. Deceiving or assaulting the Master or the Master’s magistrate is equivalent to treason, which should make his existence forfeit. Bronson only released him with the understanding that he’d continue to be punished for every single transgression.”
    “You can’t decide not to punish him? Like, maybe give a guy a second chance?” Everything was so extreme with vampires. In how they defined themselves in relation to each other, and in how far they would go to hurt each other…and those who got in their way.
    “You don’t agree? Fine, then you’re fully in charge of him. Feeding, education, discipline.”
    “No. Uh-uh. No. I want less to do with vampires. Less.” The skin on the back of my neck prickled at the thought of trying to command one.
    “Then I’ll have to ask you not to challenge me when I inflict—”
    “Son of a bitch ,Malcolm.” I thumped my fist against his chest. “Fine. I’ll…deal with him.” Surely a vampire would accept direction from a human if his life was on the line. “But you don’t get to touch him. And neither does Soraya.”
    “Of course not.” He sounded way too happy about that.
    “You wanted me to accept responsibility for him, didn’t you?”
    “You’ll be an excellent guiding hand for him.” His hand brushed my cheek and he spoke softly. “Be harsh with him, Syd. Some vampires are prisoners of their routines, even if they aren’t good ones.”
    “That’s not limited to vampires.” I’d fallen into that trap as a kid, believing I had to accept the hands I was dealt because I didn’t deserve better. I was over that. Mostly.
    “You’re the definition of flexible. He can learn from