Order of the Omni: A Supernatural Romantic Suspense Novel (The Immortalies Book 1) Penny Knight (100 best novels of all time TXT) 📖

is coming from Gregory. I can hear him walking towards the back where I am hunched down in front of his desk.

I open the drawer again, take out the last book from the top and close it shut. Panicked, I place the leftover book on the stack already on the desk and jump to my feet I run to the door.

As I walk through the threshold, I run directly into Gregory.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” I say. “Are you alright. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I ask politely.

“No, you gave me a bit of a fright though.” He looks at me, then behind and back to me.

“Sorry,” I say.

“You were a while, are you ok?” He keeps peering over my shoulder.

“Yes, I’m fine.” I step around him and keep an even pace as I walk towards Topher.

After a few seconds, I hear footsteps behind me. Thankfully, he doesn’t go investigate any further.

I reach Topher as he stands by the front table, tapping his foot. Extending my hand when I reach him, he catches on and he hands me back the amulet.

“Did you finish up?” I ask him.

“Yes, all our questions have been answered,” he says.

“Great.” I turn to Gregory who was standing quietly behind me. “We really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us.” I extend my hand.

As he shakes it, I continue, “We really should be heading off, it’s a long drive back to Adelaide.”

Gregory releases my hand. “Yes, I believe it is.” He smiles.

“It was nice to meet you,” Topher says. “You’re right Jessica, it is a long drive back, and we better leave soon, if we intend to make it back before sunset.”

I can hear the warning in his voice, and he’s right. It would be close, but if we left now, we might actually make it.

I don’t try to get myself into these situations. I really had planned on being back on time. Sometimes things just happen.

“That’s it.” Topher kicks the tyre. “What the hell is wrong with that fucking bolt?”

I slowly close the boot of the car not looking forward to what I have to tell him.

“Um, so do you remember last year when I hit the curb at the shops and my tyre burst? And then that nice man helped me change the flat?”

He rubs the back of his head, “Yeah, what did he do to the bolt?”

“Not sure. But I think the question is more like what did I forget to do?”

He stands there waiting.

“I don’t have a spare.”

Silence.

We had driven for two hours before I hit that pothole. It came out of nowhere. We were already cutting it close, which is not all my fault. Topher was starving, so we grabbed something to eat in town before heading off.

Now the sun is setting, and we are stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat and no spare.

Oops.

“Are you fucking serious?” He starts. “Who goes off on a road trip with no spare?”

I sigh.

“That’s it, I’m calling him.” He walks to the car.

His going to call Leo. I bend down and pick up a handful of small rocks scattered on the dirt. Leaning on the car, I throw them into the shrubs. I’m going to be in trouble. Again.

Topher opens the door to the car and jumps inside to get his phone. The red hue left from the sun falling shines over the dirt, orange and purple paint the sky. Mesmerised, my eyes get drawn further down. A figure. In the distance. A black silhouette sauntering down the middle of the road. I stand taller.

“Uh, Topher?” I call out.

“Hang on.”

The figure stalks forward in the distance. I rub my eyes to make sure I am not hallucinating, but when I open them it’s still there. The closer it gets I notice its dragging something in its hand.

“Topher,” I call again.

“Yeah?” He gets out of the car putting the phone down and looks up.

“Um, can you see that?” I point.

“What?” He follows my hand. “What the fuck?” He squints.

We both watch as the figure keeps walking. A shiver runs down my spine. I can see hair flowing in the distance, but I don’t think it’s a woman. It’s tall and looks big, masculine. He lifts the object he was dragging on the ground up. Maybe a walking stick.

The last ray of the red hue bounces off it. It’s not a walking stick.

I lean forward, squinting.

A sword.

“Elita, get in the car!” Topher yells.

We both dive as fast as we can into the car, locking all doors.

“Fuck!” he cries out.

It happens fast. The figure is at my door. Too fast to be human from where he was from. The scream coming from my mouth is deafening. His face is close to the window with a cruel smile. His mouth has a scar from his bottom lip and runs down his chin, very noticeable even with his rough beard. His eyes are hard and glistening. He laughs. I can hear him through the window. Is he laughing at me?

In an instant he stops and glares, hatred burning in his eyes. His hand reaches for the door handle, and rips the door off it’s hinges in one swift motion.

“Run!” I scream to Topher as I jump into the back seat.

Topher escapes through the front door. I get to the back hitting my knee on the dash jumping to the other side of the car trying to unlock the door to escape.

“Leave her.” Comes a deep voice, and I am so happy to hear it.

Adrenaline courses through my veins, fire fuelling the beast. I am the beast. I heard her screams, they ripped through my soul.

“Well, look who it is,” he says. Backing off Elita to stand staunch towards me. “King Leonidas. What a pleasure you could join us.”

His arrogant snicker grinds my already unhinged nerves.

First thing’s first. Before I deal with this traitor. I need her safe.

“Run,” I say, looking right at her.

She blinks out of her