Sarah McCarty Read Online Free PDF

of it.
    “Great.”
    “You’re the one who tossed me like a rag doll.”
    “I figured it beat being disemboweled.”
    The image that conjured did nothing to soothe her nausea. “Oh God.”
    She clutched her stomach.
    His grip on her arm tightened. “We don’t have time for you to puke.”
    Did he think it was something she could control? “Then don’t paint disgusting images.”
    “Fair enough.” Taking her hand, he placed it against cool concrete. Leaving his hand covering hers, he slid his other under her hair, against the nape of her neck. It was surprisingly cool. Soothing. “You need to stand up straight.”
    “Okay.”
    A slight tingle spread out from beneath his hand. The pain diminished and the nausea lessened. His palm felt so good against her skin that she just wanted to lean into it and linger in the comfort and strength he offered. Alarm bells went off again. Weak. This was weak, and she could never afford to be weak. Pushing back, she stood. His hand fell away. Licking her lips, keeping her eyes closed against the continued need to vomit, she asked, “Am I upright?”
    His fingertips grazed her shoulder blades. “Close enough.”
    She sensed more than heard him move away. A disturbance in the energy that connected them. Good grief, just let it be the concussion that made me think we were connected. . “I thought we didn’t have a minute.”
    “Not one to spare, but this I planned on.”
    He was definitely farther away. Maybe ten feet? She heard something scrape and then a short curse. She opened her eyes just in time for the inch-by-inch revelation of an SUV that couldn’t be in that empty parking space, but was. The silky material slid off the roof of the car and into Slade’s arms with a momentum that belied its gossamer appearance. And amazingly, Slade went down under it.
    Though it was a ludicrous question, she asked anyway. “Need any help?
    The seemingly lightweight material barely moved when Slade braced his shoulder under it. “I just need a minute.”
    “A minute for what?”
    “For this damn energy cloth to lighten up.”
    Energy cloth? There was no such thing as energy cloth. Inching closer, she tried to slip her finger under the edge draped on the ground behind Slade. It was like trying to slip a finger under a concrete wall. “This is heavy.”
    “No shit.” His voice was strained with effort. “I can’t seem to separate the amount of energy it absorbs from the weight it takes on.”
    The cloth absorbed energy. For a moment fascination outweighed fear. “You created this?”
    “Yes.”
    Something banged in the far end of the garage. Fear returned in a rush as Slade’s nostrils flared and his head lifted. She jumped and stumbled back, looking in the direction of the sound, seeing nothing. “They’re coming, aren’t they?”
    “Yeah. Damn it.” With a grunt he hefted the material, folding it multiple times until it was small enough to pick up. He paused for a moment, balancing the weight in his hand, before tossing it to her.
    “Take that and get in the car.”
    Instinctively, she caught the now normal-weight material. Terror made her scream as blurred shadows rushed them. Slade dived for the attacking shadows as she dived for the passenger door. As she yanked the car door closed, something hit it. The car rocked. The window shattered. She threw her hands over her head as glass rained down around her. The material protected her from the worst. More thuds against the car. More of those horrific snarls. Curling in the seat, Jane bit her knuckles through the cloth, keeping the screams trapped within, waiting for the gouge of claws in her skin, waiting for the end. She didn’t want to die like this.
    The sudden silence was more shocking than the clamor of battle. Over the hum of the emergency lights she could hear the rasp of breathing. Someone—something—was alive. Slade. Was it Slade? Or was it something else and Slade lay on the concrete needing help while she