jinn 03 - vestige Read Online Free PDF

clipping his shoulder, and stood up.
    He chuckled, not even glancing at his arm. “That’s one.”
    “I’m not scared of you.”
    He watched me, still as a corpse. “You will be. Where’s Thomas?”
    “Corbin, I haven’t slept for thirty-six hours. Don’t try my patience.”
    “ Your patience?” In a blink he was beside me, knocking the gun from my hand. “What about my patience? I’ve waited years to find Thomas. You will not stand in my way or your friendships will cease to matter to me.”
    “And which friendships are those?”
    His eyes were deep, dark pools. “I’m a much better friend than an enemy, kitten.”
    My right fist connected with his throat, as my fingernails on my left hand sunk in just above his kidney. He tried to pull me toward him, but I fought without seeing or thinking, taking bits of flesh from him. He hit me hard. Pain shot through me as a rib snapped. I kicked him in the face, pushing him back from me. We stared at each other, crouched, ready for the next attack. Calling me kitten was a mistake.
    “Get out of my house,” I growled through clenched teeth.
    He shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere. Until I have Thomas, you’re my new best friend.”
    I scoffed. “We’ll see about that. At least get out of my bedroom. I’m taking a nap.” I sat on the bed and took my boots off. When I looked back up he was gone. I lay back in bed, but my adrenaline was going and sleep was impossible. Fucking Thomas, still causing me problems though I hadn’t seen him since he left that night. It didn’t escape my notice that he left before the fight even began. He was coward, but he was my coward to deal with. Whatever problem Corbin had with him, mine predated it.
    A few restless hours later I came back out. Corbin was looking though my cell phone. I thought about shooting him again, but it seemed like a waste of a bullet. I simply plucked the phone from his hands, gathered my stuff and headed for the warehouse. If Corbin wanted to follow me there, it was his funeral.
     

 
     
    I cleared my throat, different responses running through my mind: It’s none of your business. That’s ridiculous. Please don’t tell. “I’m getting help.” The lie slipped through my lips, and I closed my mouth to keep more from coming out.
    Quintus studied me, and I held his gaze, hoping I looked honest, until I had to turn around to flip the girl’s sandwich.
    “What exactly is your ailment?” he asked.
    I sighed. “It’s a combination of things. The wound caused when they killed the angel still hurts, and I was already weakened from freeing the jinn.” I didn’t know any of this for certain, but in all my walking and thinking, it was the conclusion I had arrived at. It made the most sense.
    “Keeping this from Holden isn’t fair,” Quintus said. “He loves you.”
    I nodded. Despite everything that happened that was probably still true or he would have left. I scooped the grilled cheese onto a plate and cut it diagonally just like my mom used to do for me, then I set it down in front of the girl. She frowned at me, but ate the sandwich all the same. “I love him too—and that’s why he doesn’t need to know. There is nothing he can do to help me and all it will do is distract him from what he needs to focus on.”
    “Mammon,” Quintus said with a nod. “But who is helping you?”
    “Uriel.” I smiled at him. “I’m going to be okay.”
    He let out a breath. “Fine. I will respect your wishes, but for the record, it’s not right.”
    “Noted,” I said. “Now get out of here. We’ll be fine. I’m feeling much better. Thank you.”
    He came forward and kissed my forehead. “Call me if you need me for anything.”
    I patted his arm. “I will. Thank you.”
    With that Quintus left. I sat at the small table across from the little girl who was still happily eating, and dropped my head down against the soft, worn wood. What was I doing? Of course Quintus was right. I should tell