Shot Through The Heart (Supernature Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

once."
    "Thanks," said Mark, trying to convey it in a smile. "Also, I'll need a room for myself."
    "How long?" asked Harris.
    "At least tonight," said Mark. "Maybe for a week or so."
    Harris picked up the large ledger and flicked through the pages, finally settling on one. He wet his finger and ran it down the page. "Ah, yes," he said, looking up, "it appears that we do have a vacancy."
    Mark felt his shoulders relax - plan B would have been calling Elizabeth. "How much is it per night?" he asked.
    "Breakfast is included," said Harris, "but depending on the facilities you require, we have rooms ranging from fifty to eighty pounds a night."
    "I plan to do a lot of work while I'm here," said Mark, "so, I need one with a big desk."
    "I see," said Harris, running his finger down the ledger - Mark wondered if it was an attempt to get a rise out of him. "In that case, it will be the eighty pounds tariff, I'm afraid."
    "Fine," said Mark. He was beginning to wonder why the rigmarole around the ledger if there were a range of rooms available, but he decided to let the man have his little bit of attention.
    Mark gave his details and his credit card, allowing extras to be put on - he doubted that there were many other eateries in the area, so meals in the restaurant or room service may be his only options. Harris handed him a key to a room on the first floor - room 106.
    "Is the restaurant still open?" asked Mark.
    Harris shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he said. "It shut at nine. And there's no room service tonight - our delivery is due tomorrow. You should be able to get a sandwich in the bar, though."
    "That'll do, I suppose," said Mark. He pointed at his bike. "Is there somewhere I could park this?"
    Harris snorted. "There's a storage cupboard just inside the entrance vestibule," he said. "I could let you store it in there. We had a young American who did the same last summer." He handed Mark a key. "And the business about inspecting young Miss McGregor's room?"
    "I'll just get settled in first," said Mark, "if it's all the same."
    Harris pouted then nodded his head. "One final thing," he said. He pushed a flyer across the dark oak desk. "Can I interest you in the midsummer ceilidh?" he asked. "It's next Tuesday night, a week from today."
    Mark smiled as he took the flyer. "Thanks," he said, "but I hope to be back in Edinburgh by then."

seven

    Mark lay back on the spongey bed in the hotel room, staring up at the nicotine patterns on the ceiling. He could see why it wasn't busy - the design of the room belonged to a 70s sitcom, all swirling patterns, doilies and dark wood panelling. There was no duvet, just layers of blankets in a ghastly pattern.
    The good thing about the room was that it was huge. The desk took up an entire wall, opposite the bed, and he'd managed to fit all of his stuff on the top - laptop case and rucksack - with plenty space left to work.
    He had the bag from Buffy's comic shop with him on the bed. He had been flicking through the Blade books that he'd been swindled into buying, struggling to imagine how he could get into them. They were in black and white for starters, and the dialogue seemed so forced and dated, nothing like the films. He glanced at the local horror comic - it looked more promising. He put them back in the bag, deciding to use them as a reward for later, and chucked it onto the desk, next to his laptop. The Esoterica card fell out as the bag flew through the air. He picked it up and looked it over - he still had no idea what esoterica meant. He placed the card on the desk and picked up his mobile.
    He tried connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi, but it didn't look like it had one. He had a bar of mobile signal. He tried a video call to Sarah but it cut off. His mobile network barely existed this far north.
    He gave a sigh then tried the old-fashioned way - the landline in the room. As it rang, he wondered how much Harris would be charging per second. Still, if he didn't check in with Sarah he'd be