Lian/Roch (Bayou Heat) Read Online Free PDF

their homeland, was like trying to trap a wild animal.
    Thankfully they’d stumbled across the information that malachite could weaken the beast inside them, making it possible to bind them in the heavy-duty chains that Stanton had personally designed.
    It wasn’t always successful, as they’d discovered on more than one painful occasion.
    But it was all they had.
    For now.
    “Ah, Hank, I did question whether you were suitable to take on a position of authority and clearly my fears were well-founded,” he drawled.
    Despite his lack of intelligence, Hank did possess a finely honed instinct for self-preservation.
    “No…” he rasped, his fear throbbing in his voice. “I mean, of course I’ll get him.”
    “Good.” Stanton smiled, his gaze sliding toward the tree-lined street just visible over the high hedge. “You know what happens to people who disappoint me.”
    “Yes, sir. I’ll contact you as soon as I have him.”
    “You do that.”
    Stanton returned the cellphone to his pocket, lingering on the balcony to enjoy the morning sunlight. The autumn air was crisp, but still warm enough to encourage him to delay his return to the house.
    It was the unmistakable ping of his computer that at last forced him to turn and enter the long, ivory and gold room he’d chosen as his office.
    The lofted ceiling with gilt cornices matched perfectly with the Louis XIV furniture and Persian carpets, creating a Versailles vibe. The ornate elegance might offend some men, but Stanton had spent his early days dreaming of the day he would be surrounded by luxury.
    This suited him just fine.
    Crossing to the cherrywood desk, Stanton settled himself in his chair before he touched the button on his computer to connect with the caller.
    “Yes, master?”
    The screen flickered, but it remained too dark to reveal more than a vague outline.
    “Have you managed to retrieve my prize?” a dark voice demanded.
    Stanton felt a chill inch down his spine. He’d only seen his master in the flesh on one memorable occasion. He still had nightmares.
    But the man had turned Stanton’s life from one of grim survival to endless possibility.
    For that he was willing to give him unwavering, unconditional loyalty.
    “We are still searching,” he was forced to admit.
    The man made a sound of annoyance. “My patience grows thin.”
    “I understand,” Stanton soothed. “I have several warriors poised to infiltrate the Wildlands, but the Pantera remain on heightened alert.” He resisted the urge to clench his hands in frustration. Emotions were the enemy. Success came from a clear head and a precisely formulated plan. And if events outside his control interfered in his scheme, then it was his duty to find a way to use that interference to his advantage. That was how he’d earned his current position on top of the Organization. And how he intended to stay there. “It is impossible to enter their territory unnoticed.”
    There was a husky rattle as the Master struggled to breathe. “What we need is a distraction.”
    “My thoughts precisely,” Stanton promptly agreed. “I hope I might have one.”
    “The sooner the better, Stanton.” The warning was unmistakable. “For all our sakes.”

 

     
    Chapter 4
     
     
    Sage felt hope spike at Lian’s soft promise to reveal the truth of her strange powers, only to be swiftly replaced by a wary disbelief.
    “How could you know what’s wrong with me?” she demanded, pulling her fingers out of his hands.
    He scowled, but he allowed her to step away. “To start with, there’s nothing wrong with you,” he growled.
    “I’m not normal.”
    “Thank god,” he assured her. “Normal is boring. You’re blessed.”
    Blessed? She shuddered when she remembered the neighborhood children who ran away when she started to talk to the misty figures that no one else could see. Or worse, when she had a vision of a disaster before it happened.
    Ah yes, and then there was the time she’d accidentally set