The Life and Death of Lauren Conway: A Companion to Without Mercy Read Online Free PDF Page A

She swallowed hard and fought the compulsion to flee the room as fast as her legs would carry her. No, she had to maintain her composure. For now.
    But she had to leave Blue Rock Academy.
    And she was pretty damned sure she had to leave tonight.
    ¤   ¤   ¤
     
    Pretending that Lauren had no effect on him, the leader cast a glance at her and felt that same wrench deep in his gut he always experienced when he studied her. She was beautiful. Her hair was dark and damp. He remembered being with her in the rain, kissing the drops from her eyelids, her cheeks, then sliding his lips lower as he peeled away her drenched parka and sweater. The taste of rainwater against her flushed skin, the hint of salt as he’d slipped his tongue between her breasts… Now, in the rec room, with dozens of people in the room, he tried his best not to stare. Firelight illuminated her perfect features and he knew she, too, was attempting to avoid meeting his gaze.
    Smart girl.
    Too smart. With an IQ that rivaled his own.
    And too damned sexy. The feel of her naked body squirming against his was a rush like none other.
    He felt beads of perspiration along his spine.
    His damned cock twitched.
    No! Not here. Not now.
    Quicky, he thrust the erotic image from his mind.
    He set his jaw with renewed effort and silently reminded himself that she’d used him.
    When he looked down at his prayer book, he mouthed the words that swam before his eyes. But his brain thundered at her betrayal and a cold, white rage burned through his soul. She’d made a fool of him, a mockery of all that he believed in, all that he’d worked for.
    He couldn’t get her out of his mind, couldn’t ignore the wanton desire that fired his blood every time their gazes locked.
    He glanced up one last time and caught her staring at him. In that split second, he let his guard down, then quickly looked away. Pain cut through his soul. He knew what he had to do.
    There was no doubt. No room for discussion.
    Like it or not, Lauren Conway would have to die.

Chapter Two

     
    Lauren couldn’t race out of the prayer meeting fast enough. Seconds after the final “Amen” had been whispered, she was out the door and heading back to the dorm.
    Her friends had to hurry to catch up with her.
    “Where’s the fire?” Nell demanded, half-jogging as she fell into step with Lauren.
    “I’ve just got a lot of things to do.” Fear propelled Lauren; she’d felt the hostility in the meeting and it still lingered. She cast Nell a “don’t ask” glance. She couldn’t get into it right now.
    The wind was picking up, its breath raw and cold as it howled through the canyon and churned up the dark waters of the lake.
    Her breath fogging in the air, Banjo was complaining about an algebra assignment and Lucy was worried that the boyfriend she’d left back home in Portland was cheating on her.
    Nell thrust her hands deep into her pockets. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a loser.”
    “You don’t even know Brad,” Lucy shot back, wrapping her arms around her waist as they headed toward the dorm. Her black hair shined blue under the few lamp posts that had begun to glow.
    Nell rolled her eyes. “Sor—ree. You clearly don’t trust him.”
    “He wouldn’t cheat if he really loved you,” Nona Vickers added as she caught up with their group. She was, as always, fingering the cross dangling from a thin gold chain at her neck. She fell into step with them, despite a warning glare from Lucy.
    Nona had never fit with the rest of the girls in their group and Lauren had never really gotten a bead on her, didn’t know what the slightly odd girl was thinking. Yet she insisted on hanging around, never taking the hint that she wasn’t part of their tightly knit group.
    Oblivious to the fact that no one cared what she thought, Nona advised, “You should be able to trust your boyfriend.” She lifted a slim shoulder at the simplicity of the problem.
    “Bite me,” Lucy muttered as they reached