Savannah Sacrifice Read Online Free PDF Page A

slightly, just to give her duke a glance of what he wanted. “One date. You have to prove to me that you’re a gentleman.”
    He stood up straight and wiped the confident smile from his face. “If it’s a gentleman you want, I’m your man. I know exactly how to treat a lady, Miss Starling.”
    “Safe deposit box first.” She motioned toward the vault.
    “Where are you staying?”
    “The Bohemian.”
    “All right, the Bohemian at seven.”
    “While I’m looking through the safe deposit box, you can decide where we’ll go this evening.”
    “Done.” He clicked a few buttons on his computer screen and then, using a set of keys from his pocket, unlocked the vault. “I’ll be waiting out here. When you’re done, just knock on the door and I’ll let you out. And take as long as you need. I’m going to need a while to plan something … unforgettable.”

Chapter Four
    The inner doors of the vault closed and Starling waited for the sound of the gates. After a second, the haunting clank of the metal closing filled the room, reverberating off the thousands of green metal boxes that lined the walls. On the table in front of her was a large, rectangular box. It sat unlocked but unopened.
    What if the spirits had done nothing but led her on a dead-end journey? What if they had been wrong? She had spent almost all of her money getting down here and had only a small supply of her medication to keep away the spirits. Her only hope was that the
Libros Umbrarum
would be inside or she would have nothing left. No hope. No chance for recovering from her affliction. She would be left to the mercy of the dead.
    Trying to rid herself of her nerves, she gave one long exhale. She’d come so far in her quest for the books, now wasn’t the moment to be weak. The metal was cold and unyielding under her fingertips. The green box was the color of vomit, and merely the thought made her stomach turn.
    Don’t worry. The books will be inside. Don’t worry. She repeated her mantra over and over in her head.
    She lifted the lid.
    The air in her lungs escaped in one long wheeze. Sitting in the bottom of the box was a lone, black feather.
    The Catharterians had beaten her there.
    • • •
    He couldn’t stand it any longer. She’d been inside the vault for too long. Jasper made his way down the hall from the elevator and stopped at the entrance to the small office that led to the safe deposit box area. Another minute and Jasper would break the gates down and go after Starling. The only thing stopping him was that asshat, Devon, working away at his computer, no doubt trying to make himself look busy so he wouldn’t have to face the fact that Jasper stood just a few feet away.
    Jasper clicked away on his phone as he looked through the emails the Sisterhood had sent him. He tapped nervously, the sound filling the small space as he attempted to think about anything other than Starling and all the things that could go wrong. He didn’t trust Devon. Something about the asshat’s face made his skin crawl. Sure, she was enclosed in a bank vault, but what if she wasn’t really alone? What if a Catharterian was waiting for her? What if there was a fake exit?
    He tried to quell his fears. It was just a bank. He was overreacting.
    “Hey, man, can you keep it down?” Devon asked with a look of annoyance.
    The floodgates opened at the sound of the asshat’s voice, and Jasper shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Open the door,” he ordered. “It’s been long enough.”
    “Look, man. From the way you are acting, it’s no wonder she wanted a little break.”
    “I’m allowed to worry. She’s my fiancé,” Jasper said, but he could feel his entire body twitch as he said the word. The first time it had been amusing, but something about repeating it made him uncomfortable.
    “Funny,” Devon answered, as he looked back down at his computer screen.
    “What’s so goddamned funny?”
    “That you are still lying about your relationship