Read Crux (The Aurora Lockette Series) for Free Online Page B

with a cheap, small bed, but at least it was a real bed dressed with crisp white sheets, two pillows and a blue comforter. A nightstand was next to the bed with a stack of worn paperbacks. One solitary, naked light bulb swung from the ceiling.
    “ Did your redecorate?” I said. “Nice touch, Mr. X.”
    “ Shut your fucking mouth.” He pushed me hard. I fumbled around, slamming sideways into the bed. I recovered before I hit the ground and awkwardly landed in a crouch.
    “ Asshole. Do you get off on pushing battered woman around?” I struggled to find my footing and managed to sit on the edge of the bed. Must look weak.
    He moved towards me. “You little…”
    “ Mr. X?” The creepy voice came from down the hallway, followed by the human-looking Shyama. The room was still dark with the window blocked out but the more I saw him, the less human he looked.
    “ Yes, sir.” Mr. X stepped back, straightened his posture, and clasped his hands behind his back. Very military.
    “ Are we not using this light?” The Shyama stepped into the room, lifted one pale hand, and pulled on the cheap metal string, flooding the room with harsh yellow light. He was even more disgusting in the light. His pale skin gleamed with moisture. Green and purple shadows blossomed under his eyes “How is this, my dear Aurora?”
    “ Fine, thank you,” I answered. My instinct was to move away from him, and I did. I cringed back in the bed, looking at him with wide eyes, hoping he thought it was fear he saw in my eyes and not the calculation of how much force it would take for me to snap his thin little neck.
    He smiled, and it was creepy. He turned his head to the right, then the left. “I think this is much more suitable for you, don’t you think.”
    “ Are you going to kill me?” I asked.
    “ Not today.” He smiled again.
    He retreated smoothly to the corner, lowering himself into the chair usually occupied by Mr. X. He nodded once at Mr. X, who made a quick retreat, closing the door behind him as he left.
    “Why have you taken me?” I asked.
    He crossed his legs in an almost feminine gesture. “Because you are desired.”
    I pulled one of the pillows close, holding it to my chest. I really didn’t want him to know I was smuggling sharp objects in my bra. “Okay. Why am I desired?”
    “ I am not allowed tell you yet. I will not harm you. I will keep you safe until you are summoned by Asag. “
    I squeezed my pillow tighter. “What is Asag? What are you?” I asked. “Shyama?”
    He laughed in his creepy staccato way. “Is that what you call us? Then what do you call you?”
    “ I don’t understand,” I said.
    “ You don’t need to understand now.
    “ Um, understand what?”
    He walked back to the door. Unexpectedly, he stumbled. He paused, staring at his feet. He looked at me again, a smile spreading across his face. “This body is not cooperating anymore. Guess I’ll need a new one soon.”
    Cold dread punched me in the stomach. Oh, God. He was using a human body. The horror must have been evident on my face because he laughed again before leaving.
    As the door swung open, the hallway was not empty. Mr. X was pushing a stumbling male into the bathroom. I recognized the mass of auburn hair.
    It was Keith.
    Oh, no . I struggled to assimilate the new information. Keith was a blocker from Houston who’d helped me back in New Orleans when we were battling the Shyama there. He was kind and good. After Gavyn came back into the picture, he backed off, never flirting with me again. He was respectful like that.
    When I heard the shower running, I was glad they were letting him get cleaned up, too. I used the sounds of the pipes carrying the water to cover my noise while I scooted the bed away from the edge of the wall. The molding near the floor was loose, but still hiding my knife. I added the razor and scissors, and pushed it back to cover it all, then scooted the bed back.
    Once I was done, I turned my attention to the