Preda's Voice (Guardians of Vaka Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

flower beds. She found a large oak tree on the other side of the yard and quickly pressed her back against it. She faced away from the car and the house.
    Preda could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she willed herself to stillness. Fiver started to shift his weight in the carrier so that it suddenly tipped to one side and then the other as she held it.
    “Shh, Fiver,” she whispered.
    The cat meowed loudly in response. Preda cringed against the noise in the night, and for the first time, she wished she could control the damn cat a little with her voice.
    Preda could hear Mr. Fox close the driver’s side door, and then she heard his footsteps move slowly up to the house in a measured pace. He knocked once—one sharp rap in the night. Preda listened as the front door opened, and whispering ensued. Why isn’t he chasing me?
    She wished she could hear better and ventured to peek around the corner of the tree. Preda could just make out the shape of a hunched man silhouetted against the light coming from the house’s foyer. The man seemed to look right in her direction around Mr. Fox’s shoulder, and he brusquely moved past him and started to walk toward her.
    Preda darted back around the tree and quickly weighed her options. Just as she was about to bolt down the street and into a neighbor’s yard, he came around the tree from the opposite side from where she saw him heading. He stopped just in front of her escape route, and Preda silently cursed herself for her lack of decisive action. Why hadn’t she kept running in the first place? Was it curiosity or just stupidity?
    “Preda, please don’t run.” He spoke in a soothing tone as if she was a frightened animal.
    Preda gave out an involuntary gasp. That voice! It was so familiar.
    “Let me have Fiver. I’ll take him inside,” he said.
    Realization and disbelief dawned on Preda as his words hit her. He stepped out into the light, and she sank to her knees in relief as she saw his kind, gentle face. It was Mr. Scott.
    Involuntary tears streamed down Preda’s face, and she could feel herself shaking as she finally put her feline burden down on the ground. The weight of what had happened in the last twelve hours crashed down on her. Just as she thought it was too much to bear, she felt him kneel down and wrap his arms around her. Preda buried her face against his chest and could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Preda knew this man was the father she should have had.
    As Preda’s breathing steadied, she pulled away. He stood and extended a hand to help her up. She could see nothing but love and sympathy in his kind eyes, which were surrounded by wrinkles from years of smiling too much. His hair looked a touch grayer, but he was otherwise the same.
    Why does this man care so much about me? Preda thought with bewilderment. He didn’t even know her very well. She still felt an outer coating of distrust—especially since she wasn’t sure why Mr. Fox had brought her here to see him, of all people.
    Preda stood without taking his hand and dusted off her knees. As she turned to pick up Fiver, she saw Mr. Scott was already carrying the box and walking toward the house. Apparently he trusted her to follow. She walked behind him through the yard to the front porch in a daze.
    As they reached the front steps, Mr. Fox held the door open for her. “I’m sorry you felt as though you had to run, Preda,” he said in a hushed tone. “I will explain everything to you. I promise.”
    Preda aggressively wiped the tears from her face and reflexively nodded in assent. She was not used to being able to speak. Finally she cleared her throat. “That would be nice.”
    He had no reaction, and she shook her head in wonder and walked past him into the house.
    It was cool inside, and Preda immediately started shivering as the sweat that had formed during her pathetic escape attempt began to cool. She rubbed her arms together and walked into the living room to the left of