The Powerful Pride of an Immortal (Immortal Supers Book 4) Kurtis Eckstein (psychology books to read TXT) 📖

I gave them a reassuring smile and wrapped my arm around her neck, pretending to be more affectionate. Her expression remained impassive, so I wasn’t sure we were as convincing as I hoped. Not that it really mattered what a couple of strangers thought.

Getting off the elevator, we began walking past a nurse’s station, our pace casual, with her body relaxed now, a slight smile touching her lips, her pale green eyes soft. And then the moment we were beyond the hospital personnel, her expression became determined again.

As we got to the end of the hall, she stopped by the doorway to the last room, pushing me up against the wall and looking at me with a big grin, while leaning into me. She was so close that it would have been really awkward looking if I didn’t wrap her up in my arms.

So I did, our faces just inches apart.

Her smile was breathtaking.

“So yeah,” she abruptly began randomly, her voice the most animated I’d ever heard. “I’m so relieved. They said my dad would probably be out of here in a week.” I tried to keep my gaze focused on her as a middle-aged man and women came out of the room next to us, with them having what I assumed must be three grandkids in tow, all of them under the age of twelve.

“That’s great,” I offered, trying to sound sincere, considering we were obviously putting on a show.

Damn, she was a good actor.

Her expression became more serious. “I know, I was so worried. Turns out the stroke wasn’t as bad as they thought. They even think he might be completely back to normal with just a little bit of physical therapy.” She sighed heavily, sounding extremely appreciative now. “Thanks for being there for me, baby. I’m not sure I would have managed without you.”

She stopped talking as her eyes unfocused again, the family far enough down the hall now that our conversation probably wouldn’t be overheard at this point. We then just waited, my arms wrapped around her, our faces directly in front of each other silently, as if we were about to kiss or something.

Her gaze then focused, her black lips parting.

“Okay. They’re definitely gone.” She looked at me intently. “Sam, this room. Kill. Now.”

I looked at her in complete shock. “This room?” I hissed. “The one the family just came out of?” At the same time, I glanced inside to find an old man with dark brown eyes, lying in bed, literally so skinny and emaciated that his bones were visible through his skin. Like, he looked to be about the most brittle old man I’d ever seen.

And he wasn’t entirely whole. He was missing his right leg, and his stomach had some crazy scarring, being so sunken in that it was like he didn’t have organs inside, though I knew that couldn’t be the case, but then a quick peek revealed whatever he had going on was definitely messed up. There was a massive bag of thick white fluid, almost looking like a grainy milk, connected to his IV in the crook of his arm.

“Don’t believe me?” Winter replied. “Then go inside and meet him.”

I gave her a confused look, before doing just that. Because there was no way in hell this was the guy. Like, seriously, was this maybe just a different enemy she happened to know was on the list of ‘kill on sight’ terrorists? An enemy that was only a threat forty years ago?

Walking into the room, the guy’s sharp brown eyes immediately fell on me, his voice coming out gruff.

“Who the hell are you?”

I thought about how to respond for a second, deciding to just be blunt. “You the Sheriff?” I asked simply.

Instantly, his brown eyes widened in shock, only for them to narrow.

Suddenly, I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. And in response to the unexpected sensation, my astral limbs shot out like lightning, wrapping around his arms, his one leg, and winding around his face to cover his mouth and eyes.

Yet I still couldn’t move. I could kill the guy right now if I really wanted, but my physical body wouldn’t budge an inch.

And then, I heard the door close behind me, only for a thin pale hand to appear in front of my face, covering my eyes, and the sensation vanished completely.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Winter demanded.

I obeyed, focusing entirely on my second-sight as I watched her hold his gaze, entirely unaffected by whatever I’d just experienced. His sudden shock at her appearance rapidly transitioned to horror, as he began struggling against my astral limbs, his neck bulging as he tried to yell for help.

But other than a muffled groan, nothing else managed to escape. Certainly, nothing loud enough that could be heard through the door.

But shit, this was really the guy. It had to be him.

He reacted when I asked if he was the Sheriff, and he was obviously trying to do something to me. But even still, I couldn’t get the sight of his middle-aged kids, and what must be his great-grandkids, out of my head.

This man had a family.

Was he really the one responsible for all of this? For almost killing Lexi at the airport? For killing Lily at the mall? For nearly killing Lexi and Heidi both at the theater?

This was the guy? This helpless maimed weak man lying in a hospital bed, just waiting for the day he died while is family occasionally came to visit him? This was their dad, and their great-granddad.

And yet, this was the Sheriff?

In response to my hesitation, Winter spoke up.

“It’s alright, Sam,” she said sympathetically. “Just hold him down for me.”

I focused my second-sight on her in surprise, watching her bend over and begin pulling up the pant leg of her jeans, revealing a four-and-a-half-inch pouch strapped to her furry ankle with the flattest pocketknife I’d ever seen inside.

She then stood up and used both hands to pull out the razor-sharp four-inch black blade,