Holocaust (The Deadwood Hunter Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

she met Derrick’s eyes again. “How bad is she? I altered it from last time.”
    “She’s unconscious.”
    “I’ll give you the antidote but first, you must agree to my terms.”
    “What do you want of me, Lucy?” He sighed, knowing she’d give nothing for free.
    “Not you. Maura.” She smiled.
    “I cannot speak for her.”
    “I thought you were close. Knew her every desire.” Tone hardening, she continued, “Regardless, you agree to my terms or she dies. Your choice.”
    “You’d really let her die?”
    “She could be dead already, Derrick. Do hurry up.”
    Derrick had never hated Lucy so much. How he’d love to wipe the smug smile from her face. “What are your terms?”
    “Maura is to stop fighting against me. We must show the hunters we are a united front, a force not to be trifled with.”
    “She’ll never agree to that.”
    “Do not dismiss me so quickly. In return for her loyalty, I will treat Maura as my equal. No more orders, no more secrets, but she must show willingness. The moment she steps out of line, the deal’s off. So what will it be?”
    “I don’t have a choice. It’s this or her death.”
    “Oh, Derrick, don’t be so glum. I’m sure she’ll forgive you. Or kill you.” She laughed, clapping her hands together. “Now be a good boy and give her this. I am rather fond of my daughter’s talents.”
    Lucy withdrew a small vial filled with golden liquid from the nearby drawer. Derrick took it from her without another word, his previous estimation of Lucy not being behind Lexia’s poisoning slipping away. There was a look, a smugness to her that said he’d just been played.
    As he opened the door, Lucy added, “Oh and, Derrick? If Maura does go back on her word, not only will that shifter die, but you and the other two will also. Mark and Linda is it?”
    Derrick didn’t correct her. There was no point. Marcus and Belinda would be in danger whether he said anything or not. I’ve just played right into her hands. Regardless, he knew it was too late – the deal agreed upon. Taking off at a run, Derrick stopped for no one as he made his way through the compound to save Lexia.

Chapter 5

     
    When she woke, it wasn’t from the pain of her wound – although that was a dull ache in her side – no, what she felt existed deep within herself, at her very core. The kind of pain that festered over time, devouring her from the inside out. A pain born from guilt and self-hatred, and an unimaginable loss that no amount of time could ever heal.
    Lexia’s agony consumed her. She no longer sensed the dark shell of Maura encasing her, suffocating her. Maura’s darkness numbed Lexia’s pain, so as the poison worked its way through her bloodstream, it stripped away the dark power that had kept the crippling emotions at bay.
    She wished for it to come back. She didn’t want to be Lexia. She didn’t want to remember all the horrible things she’d done. Didn’t want to wake every day knowing she could never go back to the man she loved.
    Only she had no choice. It was time to wake and face the things she’d done. It was time to be Lexia again.
    Lexia kept her eyes shut for a second longer and breathed deeply through the pain. Opening her eyes, she saw Derrick watching her, always watching her. Emotions evident in every gold fleck of his eyes.
    “Welcome back, Lexia,” he greeted, his cool, controlled mask slipping back into place. “It’s been a while,” he continued with a smile.
    Lexia sat upright, grimacing as her wound stretched. Looking around at her friends, who’d stuck by her even as she’d become a monster, she felt a flicker of happiness to have met them. “So what did you have to do to get the antidote, which by the way, doesn’t work all that fast?” She felt like crap.
    “Well…” Derrick started, turning away and avoiding eye contact.
    “Derrick, what did you agree to? What did she want from you this time?”
    He turned back. Clasping his hands behind his