Cat Marsters [Empire 03] City of Lust (pdf)

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he said. Here's the thing. About trust and ... honesty. You passed on the prophecy, and
your husband used it to order Edward's death. But Edward, um. Well, he didn't die."
The silence hung heavy.
"Didn't die?"
"Yes. You always said you couldn't see the fates of those closest to you, so I guess
... that's why you didn't know. But I knew. Swann knew. Carver knows."
"And now you know, said a new voice, a male voice, a cultured and educated
voice. Edward's voice.
"But that's impossible, Angelica tried to say, and failed. Her lungs were empty.
"No. It's improbable, said Edward.
Right then, Angelica had never wished more for normal vision. Frantically, she
tapped into Jack's, and then she wished she hadn't because she couldn't stop him
turning his head to look to look
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And she saw. Saw the man with the thousand faces. Saw the only man who
could save them. Saw the man who'd promised her freedom. Saw the nephew she'd
mourned for seven years.
Her lips moved without her own will, and she spoke without entirely realizing it.
There will be blood, she said.
"Yes, said Edward.
"There will be sacrifice."
"Yes."
"And there will be freedom."
"Yes, he said, and in the deep silence that followed they all heard it.
From downstairs, someone screamed. And not the ecstatic scream of a vampire
or his lover. It was the sort of scream Angelica had heard from her husband's ritual
torturing of the Riyadh plotters.
Edward held her gaze.
Someone is looking for you.
"It's coming, he said.
"Now, she said.
"What? said Jack.
Edward and Angelica shared a longer glance, then Edward said, You need to
leave. All of you. Jack. Find a woman, any woman, and swap her DNA for Angelica's."
Something heavy crashed. The building shuddered.
"Must it end like this? she said. In fire, and blood, and pain?"
Edward nodded.
"What are you two talking about? Jack demanded.
"Seers, Carver muttered. He grabbed Nalina's hand and said, Come on, my
lady."
Jack dragged Angelica to her feet and shoved her ahead of him toward the door.
"There are spies everywhere, Edward said. You have to find him. You know
that, don't you?"
Cat Masters Empire 3: City of Lust 110
Slowly, she nodded, and everything became very clear. Withdrawing from Jack's
mind, she said, Go. I'll catch you up."
"The hell you will, Jack snarled.
"I have to find the traitor. He's one of mine. Like ice melting from a frozen
sculpture, the shape of the truth became clear to Angelica. He's here, in the building."
"Then he'll die like everyone else!"
"And I won't know who to trust. Jack, go. I'll be fine. I'll catch you up."
"I won't "
She caught his hand as the building shook again, steadied herself, and said,
Jack. Do you know me?"
An agonizing pause. Then he expelled a long breath and replied, You are
yourself, Angelica. You always have been."
"Then go. I'll find you."
He crushed her to him in an embrace that should have lasted a lifetime, but was
over in seconds, then he followed Carver and Nalina out through a window and into
the night.
Edward said, Want me to stay?"
She shook her head. I ... already know who it is. Isn't that strange? Like the
knowledge of Jack being meant for me. Feels like it's always been here."
Edward touched her hand. There must be sacrifices, he said, and then he was
gone too, and Angelica was left alone in the shaking, shuddering room. The floor was
growing hot. The building was on fire.
"By now half the city is on fire, came a voice from the doorway. The traitor. It'll
allay suspicion. Terrible fire, unsafe conditions, notorious slum. Empress was a fool to
prize the acquisition of a slave above her own safety. Awful tragedy. Men in her harem
commit mass suicide in her honor. A faint bleep came from his datapad. At least, they
will when they sit down to their dinner. Do you spell cyanide with a C or an S?"
"An S, Angelica said, followed by an A, N, T, O and S again. An efficient
killer."
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"My lady, said Santos, and she just knew he was bowing.
"It will all end in blood, Santos, she said. Fire, pain, and blood."
"You foresaw this? One of your visions? He was sneering.
And she smiled. She laughed.
"What's so damn funny? he snarled. Behind him, the door slammed shut.
"I saw it, she said. Don't you know me, Santos?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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