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

ripped out as if it was an apple.
    “Oh God.” Staci whispered.
    Connor swallowed, then took another bite of the heart. Everything up to his forearm was drenched in blood. “Why you?” He asked Girard. “Why did they select you?”
    “They…” I could tell she was losing it. “They knew who I was.”
    “That you were Modus Operandi?” I asked.
    “Yeah.” She said. “They knew I had the resources to locate him.”
    “So much for your secret society being a secret.” He remarked. “And they forced you to pursue me?” He asked.
    “Yes.”
    “They knew you’d get caught.” Connor tossed the heart on the table. “They presumed I’d kill you, save them the time of having to do it themselves later on.”
    Girard turned her head as Connor came close, only inches from her face, his mouth and chin saturated with blood.
    “Is it everything you imagined?” He asked. “Is it just like how all your documents portrayed it when you were reading them in secluded comfort, next to a roaring fire and a spot of tea? Did the anecdotes of Vampires and Werewolves excite you?” He licked the side of her cheek, streaking blood across her face as she squirmed to get away.
    I took ahold of him, hauling Connor away from her, jostling him up against the wall. “Enough.” I demanded. He tried to go back at her, but I pushed him away again, my hand on his chest holding him in place. “We need to go Connor.”
    The entrance to the Red Room opened up as our host appeared once more. “Mr. Prometheus, need I remind you the reason behind the creation of the Red Room?” She was agitated, yet still kept her tone civilized.
    Connor was staring me down, expecting me to back off, but I didn’t. Just because he was stronger than I, didn’t mean I was scared of him. Once he realized that I wasn’t going to clear a path to Staci Girard, he relaxed somewhat, then smiled, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt.
    He turned towards our host. “No, I’m perfectly aware.” His tone belied a serenity that I knew he wasn’t in possession of. “However the fact that the 20twelve Lounge has been infiltrated by Agents of the Defense Initiative, I took it upon myself to rectify the situation.”
    “The Defense Initiative?” The host’s eyes became just a tad wider. “Then…”
    “Colonel Steven Hawking.” Connor finished. “Either he’s already on the premises, or he’s extremely nearby.”
    “Then…I thank you for your promptness in dispatching our undesirable guests.” She gave a curt head nod. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll need to apprise management of our situation.”
    “Certainly.” Connor replied.
    “Colonel?” I asked. “This Hawking dude works for the government?”
    Connor merely stared at me, declining to answer. I turned towards Girard. “Well?”
    She seemed hesitant to answer at first. “Colonel Steven Hawking. Born well before World War 1, he was experimented on by both the Bulgarian and United States government, ultimately becoming the recipient of the Legacy Serum. Out of the thousands of individuals that were tested on, he was the only survivor.”
    “I thought you didn’t know anything about who was hunting me?” Connor reminded sarcastically. “And this is who you wanna throw your hat in with Madison?”
    I ignored him. “Legacy Serum?” I repeated. “What the hell is that?”
    “It gave him…” Girard hesitated, selecting her words judiciously. “Extra human capabilities. Heightened strength and durability, Alpha level regenerative qualities, including a nearly inactive ageing gene. During World War 2, he was inducted into the United States Marines and subsequently was given Presidential authorization to conceive an off book, black ops division called the Defense Initiative. Its mandate is to deal with things like…” Her voice trailed off.
    “Like us, Madison.” Connor completed.
    “Jesus.” I wasn’t sure to make of what I was hearing. “He’s a goddamn Super