Fledgling (The Vampire Manifesto, Book Two) Read Online Free PDF Page A

moments of her existence.
    She acted as if to speak, then restrained her words, not knowing what to say. “The perception of the serpent is blind.”
    Connor visibly groaned. “Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me?”
    “What?” I exclaimed. “I don’t get it.”
    “The perception of the serpent is blind.” She reiterated, this time with more zeal.
    “It’s because it was stolen, given to the lamb, just before the sunrise.” He replied in agitation.
    “But why were they stolen?” She persisted.
    “Because I am the Shepard of my flock.” He finished, sighing impatiently. “And I do what I choose to protect it.”
    “What does that mean, Connor?”
    Girard seemed conspicuously at ease, not entirely, yet some of the distress and utter desolation that had plagued her before was beginning to dissipate.
    “She’s Modus Operandi.” Connor jeered.
    “Yeah, you say that like I’m supposed to know what that means.”
    Girard directed her riposte towards me. “We analyze the occult, the paranormal, the interplanetary, dating as far back as…”
    “You do nothing of the sort.” Connor contradicted. “You’re simply humans with like to flirt with catastrophe until it flirts back.”
    “We’re academics.” She refuted.
    “You’re glorified librarians who live with their nose stuck in some antediluvian manuscript for their entire life until one day you get a bug up your ass and elect get into the thick of it and intermingle with whatever the hell it is that you’ve been reading about.”
    “Wait, so we’re not killing her then?” That was the only thing that I cared about.
    “No.” Girard declared.
    I gave her a long hard look, then glanced regretfully at Connor. “Really?”
    Connor squinted his eyes to the point they were almost slits. I could tell he was mulling the idea over in his mind.
    “Connor!” Yelled Girard.
    “Don’t.” He exhaled harshly. “Just because you might have read something about me in some arbitrary manuscript somewhere, you don’t get to say my name like you know me. You have no idea who or what I’m about.”
    I was totally confused. “So you’re not my Principle then?”
    “Yes.” Staci said.
    “But you’re also in this cult called Modus Operandi?” I asked.
    “They’re not a cult Madison, but yeah, I’m one of their operatives…”
    Connor scoffed. “You mean one of their imbecilic, suicidal librarians with a death wish!”
    Girard inclined forward a bit. “Suicidal and death wish pretty much mean the same thing you know.”
    Connor looked at me. “She has jokes.” He turned back towards Staci Girard. “Why do you have jokes?”
    “Because you’re not going to kill me.” Staci proclaimed. “You need me.”
    “Why were you following us?” I asked.
    Girard seemed self-assured in her position suddenly, as if the fact that she belonged to some obscure cult of librarians that I’ve never heard of would save her. “Promise you’re going to let me live and I’ll tell you.”
    “I promise I’ll kill you if you don’t.” He countered.
    “You’re a noble man Connor. We have extensive archives chronicling your life. Give me your word and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
    Connor didn’t even contemplate the request. “I’m going to count to one and then I’m going to rip your heart out of your chest.”
    “Please…” She implored.
    “One.” Connor was across the table, grabbing her by the neck. He slung her across the full extent of the room, her body slamming against the back wall. He was on her in an instant, his hand at her chest, his fingers pressing into her.
    “Waitwaitwaitwait!” She screamed.
    Connor backed off a step, then in a blink, appeared next to me, resting comfortably in his chair.
    Girard was breathless, holding her chest. There were five little blood discolorations on her blouse, situated around her heart where his fingers had begun to penetrate her flesh.
    “See…” Connor gave me that devilish