Mortal Sin Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Hello, Sunshine,” she said.
    “I need you at Olivet ASAP.”
    “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
    “I don’t have time for your sarcasm. John disappeared after sending me a photo of a demon mark.”
    She hesitated. John Martinelli was one of the best and brightest under Rico’s tutelage. He was all stealthy and smart. “John disappeared how?”
    “I don’t know. That’s why I need you.”
    Demon mark.
    “The demon mark… one of the Seven?” Her voice cracked. She was excited and scared at the same time. Maybe she should learn patience.
    “We believe so, but I need you to confirm. Come to Olivet, then we’ll head to Victoria, Canada.”
    “I can meet you there.”
    “No. Olivet first, then Victoria. And leave Rafe and Anthony in Santa Louisa.”
    She hesitated. “We should all go. If this is one of the Seven, we need to have everyone ready to fight.”
    “Follow my orders, Moira. There’s more to this than the hunt. Get your ass here by tomorrow morning or I’ll recall you and you’ll be staying here permanently.” He hung up.
    Bastard. She resisted the urge to throw her phone across the room.
    She finished her coffee and wanted to leave, but she had to wait for Jared to take over babysitting Lily. Moira could knock her over with a feather, she was so wispy.
    “Is something wrong?” Lily asked.
    “What isn’t wrong?” But Moira had an idea… if Jared couldn’t keep his eyes on Lily at all times, maybe she would be safer under lock and key. Olivet could protect her. The thought of sending Lily there felt right, and for a moment Moira was relieved. One problem solved.
    Three young women turned the corner and walked past Moira and Lily, then through the main doors of the coffee shop.
    Her skin prickled.
    Witches.
    “Who are they?” Moira asked Lily.
    “They graduated last year. They all went to college together in San Diego and came home for the summer. Maybe a week ago? The tall brunette is Brianne Graves. Her family—oh, God. They went to Good Shepherd with us. Her mom was friends with my mom, but her mom died. Are they—?”
    “Yes,” Moira said. “At least one of them is. We need to go.” When Lily didn’t budge, Moira said, “Now.”
    “You have to stop them!”
    “From doing what? They have every right to be here. But we can leave. I need to protect you.”
    “What if they hurt someone?”
    “There’s no reason for them to hurt anyone, except to get to you. I’m responsible for you, and you alone.” She didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else. She didn’t even want to be responsible for Lily, but she’d promised Father Philip.
    Moira rose and saw Jared across the street, in front of the tree-studded park that took up one square block in the middle of town. He raised his hand in greeting and started across the wide, quiet street. At the same time he stepped off the curb, Moira felt a spell whirling through the air, like a tornado. Dark and malevolent and wholly aimed at Jared Santos. She looked around, suspicious, but everyone was going about their business.
    Everyone except the three girls who’d entered the coffee shop. The brunette, Brianne, flanked by the two blondes, stood in the window with identical half-smiles curving their lips as they stared at Jared.
    Moira jumped up, accidentally knocking over her chair. “Stay!” she ordered Lily and ran toward Jared. She had no idea how to protect him, or even what was coming after him, but he was in grave danger.
    Jared saw her running toward him and hesitated, worry clouding his face. Moira dropped her inner shields to get a better sense of what magic had been unleashed. She held out her hand, let the invisible spell touch her skin. And she knew.
    A delivery truck turned the corner much too fast. Moira couldn’t analyze whether the driver lost control of the truck or himself, but the spell was sending that truck right at Jared.
    He froze in the middle of the crosswalk. “Run!” she screamed, but he