Of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Read Online Free PDF Page B

the corner with a clatter from the broom. As he scrambled to his feet, he heard her curse as he stepped on her hand, but he was too panicked to apologize.
    Evil ? She couldn’t be evil. She was his mate! He could never love an evil person, and she had been paired with him; therefore, it had to be a mistake.
    Dahlia got to her feet and walked toward where he was plastered against the door, and Jericho could feel himself cringe as she got closer.
    “Jericho?”
    He had to know for sure. When she stopped before him, he raised his hand and brushed his fingertips across her cheek. Just as she turned her face into his palm, the Knowledge spoke to him again: evil .
    Jericho lurched away and bent double, hands on his knees. He clamped his teeth shut as his stomach tried to void everything he’d eaten that day. He saw Dahlia reach out her hand from the corner of his eye. “Don’t touch me,” he snapped.
    She jerked her hand back, and then his thoughts, which had frozen, suddenly started rushing through his shocked mind.
    They were right. Eli, Abilene, Sergeant Collins — everything they’d said about her … he realized now, they’d been kind . They’d been trying to protect his feelings. How obviously had he been besotted with this terrible person?
    “Oh, God,” he moaned. He’d been ready to leave Emily’s memory behind. For her . He fell to his knees as the retching started again, and this time, he jerked the mop bucket toward himself just in the nick of time as he lost his breakfast.
    I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. He sent the mantra heavenward, hoping Emily heard it. He knew Dahlia continued to call his name. Knew she expected him to capitulate to her plan. She probably expected him to melt in her hands. He was ashamed to say he had been headed there pretty quickly.
    He forced his body back into his control. He wouldn’t make this mistake again. He had orders, and now — thankfully — there was nothing to prevent him from fulfilling them wholeheartedly.
    He could play along. Pretend to be her ally, then find out what her secret was. And then he would haul her ass right back to the facility, see that she was locked back in her cell, and he would begin forgetting her. Forever.
    Decided, he straightened to his feet and silenced Dahlia’s repetition of his name with a short “Shut up.” He winced. That would not convince her he was on her side. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at her, but he offered an apologetic grimace. It was the best he could manage, and he hoped it would stem off her suspicion.
    He forced himself to meet her eyes and just prevented a flinch. “So,” he said, forcing a carefree air, “Where are we going?”
    • • •
    Uh, what just happened? Dahlia thought to herself. And why, God why, isn’t he kissing me anymore? Holy crap, had that been a life-changing experience. He’d tasted like heaven. His body had been firm and insisting against hers. And just when it had been getting good, he’d pushed her away.
    Ah, yes. That would have been right around the time that she had gotten the good reading on Jericho from their skin contact. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Jericho where he was slouched in the corner and avoiding her eyes. So, her man couldn’t handle her wild side? Interesting.
    And not at all painful.
    She cleared her throat. “I need to go to California,” she answered. That much information wouldn’t hurt her. He didn’t know where in California, and she wasn’t going to tell him.
    Nevertheless, Jericho straightened, crossed his arms over his barrel chest, and raised both eyebrows at her. Good, at least now he was intrigued.
    California had a lot of history for the subjects involved in Operation: Middle of the Garden. It was where Eli had been held prisoner in a refurbished military facility. It was where Abilene had first seen Eli and Impulse-paired with him. It was where Eli had been killed one hundred forty times.
    “California,” he