Of Eternal Life Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    He craned his neck to the side, his ears taking in all sounds, even those a normal human could not hear. He could hear the air circulating in the vents. A fly buzzing down the hall to his left. The refrigeration unit in the vending machine to his right kicking on. Even water dripping in what he assumed was a bathroom on the floor above. He heard not one sound that would indicate human presence in the building.
    He grimaced, unnerved. His enhanced hearing capabilities had not failed him in the eight years since he’d tasted that damned —
    She stirred, moaning. He adjusted his load and steeled his nerves. He would just proceed as though trouble lurked around every corner; then his assessment of the facility being empty, right or wrong, mattered not.
    He moved forward, scanning each door, finding only empty rooms on the other side of the little rectangular windows.
    What kind of a research facility had no staff?
    A front. That’s what kind of operation would be devoid of patients and staff. This building was here to hide him .
    He increased his pace, certain now that no one was here to stop his escape.
    His cargo moved again, more conscious now. He tightened his grip.
    “Let me go!”
    He snorted. “How do we get out of here?”
    She wriggled, causing him to have to readjust his grip.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you!” She began to pound his back with her fists and aimed a kick at him. He grunted at the kick and dropped her to her feet. She staggered back and blinked up into his face.
    He leaned forward. “You’re coming with me. Now, you can come easily, or I can put you out. You decide.”
    She swayed where she stood. “Please,” she whimpered. “Please, don’t do this.” One tear traced down her cheek. Her knees crumpled, and he caught her as she lost consciousness again.
    His gut clenched. Her plea was identical to what the Tormentor had elicited from him over and over.
    The Voice whispered again, The One .
    He gritted his teeth. One thing was for certain: her involvement in his repeated torture deserved punishment. And he was going to mete it out.
    He spotted the front exit.
    He made the choice for Abilene. “We’re outta here.”
    • • •
    Abilene became aware of the constant hum of a car’s engine. Before she could utter a sound, she began to remember. Saving a stranger who did not feel like a stranger. His miraculous recovery. His weight on top of her. His head lowering to brush his lips against hers.
    She shivered. Delicious .
    She stiffened, remembering what had come after.
    Sick fear made her sit up straight. The man who had abducted her was watching her out of the corner of his eye. “Who are you?” she blurted.
    “You know who I am.” His tone was scathing. “You probably know more about me than I know about myself.”
    “I think there must be some mistake,” she began. “Who exactly do you think I am?”
    “Not gonna work, Abilene,” he gritted, using her name like a blow.
    “How do you — ”
    He cut her off. “I heard him say it, remember?” The car bounced as he pulled off onto a side road, then onto the shoulder. The bouncing intensified off road. He stopped the car. “Just after you admitted to me that he is your boss.” He looked at her as though he were waiting for her to confess to something.
    She shrugged, at a loss. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand — I don’t even know what you were doing there — ”
    He got out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He came around to her side, opened her door, and offered her a hand out. She stared at it in bemusement, and he jerked it behind his back, a look of chagrin crossing his face. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and moved to the bushes, twisting branches off and gathering them into his arms.
    What the hell was that? Manners ?
    She got out of the car on her own power and scanned their location, seeing a tight cluster of houses about half a mile away.
    He seemed to pluck the thought from her