Wolf Island Read Online Free PDF Page A

he gasps. “Don’t you dare give up,” I snarl. “Mom and Dad… Gret and Bill-E… they’d give anything
     to be where you are now — alive. It doesn’t matter how much pain you’re in or how sorry you feel for yourself. Alive is better
     than dead. Always.”
    “When did you become the sensible one?” Dervish scowls.
    “When you became a pathetic mess,” I tell him lightly.
    “Oh.” He grins. “Thanks for clearing that up.” He clasps the back of my neck and glares into my eyes. “Be careful, Grubbs.
     If you die before me, I’ll be mad as hell.”
    “Don’t worry,” I laugh. “I’ll outlive you by decades. I’ll be dancing on your grave fifty years from now, just wait and see.”
    Dervish smiles shakily, then releases me and staggers through the window, massaging his chest with one hand, just about managing
     not to weep. I hate watching him go. I wish he could stay or that I could leave with him. But wishes don’t mean a damn when
     you’ve been selected by the universe to spend your life fighting demons.
    “Sorry we couldn’t have more of a chat,” I say to Bec, and I genuinely mean it. I’d like to sit down with her and listen to
     her full story, learn what life was like sixteen hundred years ago, what she makes of the world now, if
Riverdance
is anything like the real deal.
    “Next time.” She smiles.
    “Yeah,” I grunt, not believing for a second that our paths will cross again. In this game you soon learn not to take anything
     good for granted. The chances are that Bec or I — probably both — will perish at the hands of demons long before the universes
     can throw us back together.
    I think about bidding Kernel farewell, but he doesn’t look interested in saying goodbye, so I simply wave at him. He half-waves
     back, already focusing on Bec. She’s his companion now. I mean nothing to him if I’m not by his side, so he won’t waste time
     worrying about me. I know how he feels because I feel the same way about him.
    “Come on,” I say to a slightly befuddled-looking Meera. “Let’s go and break the news to Shark. Do you think he’ll mind us
     volunteering him for a life-or-death mission?”
    “No,” Meera sighs as we cross the roof to the doorway. “That dumb goon would be offended if we left him out.”

GETTING STARTED

    I T’S chaos downstairs. Juni Swan forced down a helicopter during the duel on the roof. The flames are still flickering, though
     the teams of firefighters who were quick on the scene have the worst of the blaze under control. Shattered glass from the
     hospital windows lines the surrounding streets like crystal confetti. The dead and wounded are everywhere, covered in blankets
     or being nursed by bloodied, shaken medics. Police buzz around like angry bees.
    Shark has no problem talking his way through. A few words with the commanding officer and we’re being escorted past the teams
     of baying news reporters to a spot in the city where we’re free to go our own way. The Disciples have contacts in some pretty
     high places.
    First things first — we’re exhausted and need to sleep. We find the nearest hotel and book three connecting rooms. The receptionist
     regards us warily and almost refuses us entry, but when Shark produces a platinum credit card and says he’ll pay up front,
     and that he wants their best rooms, the man behind the desk undergoes a swift transformation.
    I’d like to talk through events with Shark and Meera, but both disappear to their beds as soon as we’ve tipped the bellboy
     and shut the doors, so I’ve no choice but to follow their lead.
    The room’s large, but it feels cramped after a year spent sleeping wild — if not often — beneath vast demonic skies. I open
     the windows and stick my head out, breathing in fresh air as I replay the scenes from the hospital. Why the hell did I volunteer
     to stay behind? I could be with Dervish now, catching up, taking care of him. Instead I’ve promised to track down