Soul Bound Read Online Free PDF Page B

that hired you for the job? The one that has the ability to wipe you off the face of the earth by activating the nano virus inside of you if you don’t obey their rules?”
    Argh. It takes everything I have inside to let her go. But of course she’s right. I can’t let on that I’m more interested in protecting my sister than doing my Slayer Inc. duty—at least until I figure out who she’s really working for. After all, if I’m killed then who will protect Sunny?
    Better to bide my time. Pretend to play by her rules for now. And figure out a way to beat Bertha at her own game.
    “Of course,” I say brightly, gritting my teeth and wishing I could bite through that juicy little neck of hers and suck her dry. “I just meant, as a superior slayer, I’m sure to get there first.”
    Her lips curl into a nasty grin. “Oh right,” she says. “Of course you did.” She chuckles. “But, you see, that’s not going to happen either. I’ve been given a second chance. And I’m going to use that chance to prove I’m the best slayer on Earth—no matter what I have to do.” She smiles triumphantly. “Even if that means going above and beyond—and staking your sweet little sister through the heart.”

5
     
    “ T he Master asked that he not be disturb—”
    “Suck it,” I interrupt, pushing past Marcia as I head toward Jareth’s office. Thanks to Bertha, I no longer have time to play her little reindeer games. I walk through the door and turn, shoving her backward so I can close it behind me.
    Jareth rises from his seat, taking in my face with a look of alarm. “What’s wrong?” he demands, coming around from his desk. He gives me a quick hug, then ushers me over to his black leather office couch, sitting down beside me, holding my cold hands in his own. He searches my face anxiously. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
    “You’re not half wrong,” I mutter, going through the highlights of Bertha’s recent visit. (Or should I say lowlights?) “You should have heard her,” I finish with a moan. “She’s like, on thiscrazy vendetta to bring my sister and Magnus down. All to prove she’s worthy of returning to Slayer Inc.’s good graces. She obviously has no idea of Slayer Inc.’s real mission to stall Pryus until they can make their case against him.”
    Jareth gives me a sharp look. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”
    I shake my head. “No, of course not. I didn’t know if I could trust her with the truth. Not after seeing that cruel look in her eyes.”
    “Right.” Jareth lets go of my hands and starts shuffling through the magazines on his coffee table. “Well, that’s something at least.” He grabs an issue of
Afterlife and Style
—the one with Race Jameson and his band on the cover—and starts flipping through.
    “Am I boring you or something?” I demand. “I mean, hello, we’ve got a crazy slayer on the loose. Doesn’t seem to be the appropriate time for
Vamps: Just Like Us
?”
    Jareth doesn’t respond at first. Instead he drops the opened magazine into my lap. “Is that her?” he asks.
    I squint at the photo. “Um, no that’s the girl from
1,600 and Pregnant
—that new reality show that follows vampire moms and—”
    “Not her,” he corrects. “Her.” He points to the photo on the adjoining page.
    “Oh my God!” I cry, staring down in disbelief. Sure, it’s a fuzzy photo—your typical night-shift vamperazzi, but the image is unmistakable. Bertha, getting out of a limo…
    … with none other than Pryus himself, holding her hand.
    “What the hell?” I look up at Jareth. He shrugs.
    “If you believe the tabloids, the two of them have been hooking up for the last month or so,” he informs me grimly.
    “Well, that explains it,” I realize. “When I called Teifert to find out what the hell was going on, he told me he knew nothing about her being on the case.”
    Jareth frowns. “That means Pyrus must already be suspicious of your true intentions, meaning