Silver Blood (Series of Blood Book 1) by Emma Hamm (bill gates book recommendations .TXT) 📕

shut down. All emotion was wiped from his face and his spine slowly straightened. In that moment she realized just how ruined this creature actually was.

Malachi was strong; that much was true. But he had fallen into the depths of madness because of his pain. E knew just how difficult it was to be alone in this new world. It knew the heartbreak that Malachi must have felt. But those feelings would never excuse the other creature’s dark desires.

He ran his hand once more over his hair. A long strand had escaped the braid and fell in front of his eyes.

“Then you will die with them,” he said quietly. “But the last. You will be the last.”

His murmuring made her all the more uncomfortable.

Wren tried to take control over her body again, but found that as she attempted to push through the crowd she could not find her way to the front. Her mind had become a labyrinth that she had never wandered through before.

“You will regret this,” she angrily said.

“No, I won’t regret anything.” He stalked towards her and placed a hand roughly against her forehead once more. “But now, I need to know what else you have to offer me.”

He flipped through the many creatures in her mind once more. As she bowed into his hand and clutched the chair, Wren accepted the pain that was her fate. He categorized everything with her and strained her mind to the utmost for his own pleasure.

The creatures inside of her protested as each soul was weakened by his touch. The turmoil was so overwhelming that none of them noticed the human soul that grew dim within their ranks. Wren could feel herself losing all sense of self until she nearly blinked out of existence within her own mind.

CHAPTER 11

“God damnit, it’s been a week!”

Burke punctuated his words by slamming his fist down onto the table. Around the edges of the worn wood were the Five and the others who were supposed to be helping him find Wren. All of them watched him with carefully guarded expressions.

They had done their best to find a way around the harsh restrictions that required them to stay in the area designated by M.O.M.’s rule. There was nothing they could find that would grant them the necessary papers any sooner. There didn’t appear to be any way for them to rush the rescue mission.

“Burke, I understand that you are concerned about her safety-” Gaia began to speak.

“More than concerned! I find all of you lacking in concern for her safety when we all believe her to be the first piece of the prophecy.”

“I really think you should try to calm down.”

“I really think you should be more upset!” he mocked.

“Burke.” Gaia slowly stood up from her seat. “Sit back down. We’re all aware of the dire circumstances. But Malachi would never have kidnapped her if he intended to kill her.”

“You have no way of knowing that.” His brows furrowed in confusion, and his words rasped from his throat. “You would give her up that easily.”

“If he wanted to kill her, he would not have left a portal for her to stand on. He’s had many chances to kill her. He has not. Malachi wants her alive.”

“All the more reason for us to find her. We have no way of knowing what he’s doing to her.”

“We have a few ideas.”

At the troubled expression on Gaia’s face, Burke sank back into his seat. He had barely listened when the Five had explained Malachi’s species to all of them. It made sense why he would want Wren at his side.

She housed thousands of creatures inside of her that were incredibly powerful . If he could get her to cooperate with him, all she would have to do is feed him the souls. He would be invincible if he had all the powers of magical creatures at his fingertips.

And the worst part? Legion could be recharged. Burke had turned pale when he discovered that if Malachi killed other magical creatures in front of her then she would absorb their souls. It was a harsh reality, but Wren could become a never ending fountain of magic for him. If they did not take her back from Malachi then they would lose this fight.

“Where is Lyra?” he muttered. “She’s been gone for God knows how long.”

“Easy there, Burke,” Jasper said from across the table. The severe expression on his face warned that Burke was walking on a fine line. Jasper would always protect Lyra even if she was wrong.

“If these Harpies really can help us, then we are arguing for no reason.”

“We know they’re real. Lyra said she remembered them.”

“That means very little,” Burke grumbled.

Jasper in turn was quick to stand. His fists pressed hard into the table and sparks flickered to life. “That means everything.”

The two men glared at each other in such anger and concentration that they didn’t notice the door had already opened and closed. A muffled sound was ignored as they both tried to consider what would be the best shot to fire next. Burke was going to tell Jasper that his fascination with the Siren woman was far too unusual. Jasper was going to prod at Burke’s desperation to reach Wren. Both men worried the other was not focused on the fight at hand.

Neither got the chance to say the angry words that they would likely regret. They were both snapped out of their red hued world by a bubbly giggle.

“You two are really something else,” Lyra said as she bounced into the room. Everyone in the room was relieved to see that her hair was dry.

Lyra’s tell tale signs kept everyone at ease.

“Well?” Burke asked.

She didn’t answer him. Instead, she hopped up onto the table and crossed her legs. Her head cocked to the side, and she leaned back onto her arms. “Well what?”

“Lyra, I really don’t have the patience for this right now.”

“You could do with a little patience. And faith