Shadow Revealed (The Enlightened Species Book Two) Read Online Free PDF Page A

iron/platinum metal blend. Iron interrupted the magnetic field needed for psychic energy. Platinum was one of the few metals strong enough to contain a Volaticus. That would indicate that the victim was indeed Hulven. A leather sleeve encased the slave’s collar, hobbles, and the length of chain used as a leash to keep the non-tarnishable metals from reflecting sunlight and drawing attention from the sky. The hood was likely pure lead, weaved in the way of old chain mail armor. Without the platinum added, it had a dull sheen. The hood bore no eye slits, rendering the Hulven nearly blind.
    She could see why there was nearly no description of the slave. It was without form or detail. Honestly, Irsu wasn’t fully convinced it was even female. It was just as likely a young male. The Morsdente had allowed it to loosen and lift the hood a few times to drink from streams along the way. It had never been given leave by the Morsdente to remove it entirely. Wearing a formless, potato-type sack, the poor victim had skin so dirty it was impossible to even tell her coloring. Assuming it was a she. Hooded, she’d never stood straight either, making height and weight impossible to determine.
    “Give me your wrist, maggot.” The Morsdente’s voice snapped through the trees, startling Irsu. It was the first time the killer had spoken. The slave obediently raised a scarred arm in the general direction of the sound of his voice to her position. The killer stepped to within striking distance of the offered vein, slamming his fist into the female’s hood covered head. The slave fell at the killer’s feet, and the scent of iron-rich, copper, and … peppermint-scented blood tickled Irsu’s nose. It was definitely a female Hulven.
    “I will not bend to you, you disgusting whore. Stand up and lift your wrist high enough to reach me.” The killer’s voice shook in maniacal outrage, his detox making him highly volatile. The slave shuffled back to her feet, leaning against the tree she’d been anchored to for balance. Her wrist lifted to the exact height of the Morsdente, she extended her arm as far a distance away from her as she possible could.
    The Morsdente struck into the tender flesh so viciously, Irsu winched. The slave showed no reaction to what must have been horrifically painful. She stood stoically, complacent while the killer took far more sustenance than the starving female could have possibly spared, and more than the killer probably needed. Perhaps the female was to be a victim the entire time. Maybe the Morsdente had been dragging the female to lay a trap for them. The bulk of her unit was positioned along the perimeter. If the Morsdente was a part of a killing pack trying to lead them into an ambush, they were in for a surprise. Irsu would pit her unit against anyone confident they would prevail. Yes, they were that good.
    “ Take the shot.” She sent the order to Barry telepathically. The killer’s eyes flashed at the pulse of energy the telepathy generated. Too late. The Morsdente fell to the ground, the dart from Barry’s silenced rifle wiggling in its neck. Still hooded, the female could not seal the wounds of her wrist with her own saliva, her lifeblood flowing into the ground; horrified, Irsu realized the weakened slave could bleed out. She reached the victim as her legs gave out and the slave dropped next to her fallen master. Lifting the female’s wrist to her lips, Irsu quickly licked the wound closed. Through the moment’s connection and the few drops of blood that reached Irsu’s tongue before the girl passed out completely, she caught a psychic flash of the female screaming.
    “Great Fates.” Irsu didn’t need to look to know Barry and Gord had stepped up beside her. “Did you hear her scream?”
    “She made no sound.” Barry said shaking his head. He would know; Aquatie’s had greater hearing than any other species.
    “I was sealing her wrist and I heard it. The female was screaming—in