Salvation's Kiss (Tales Of Mython Book 1) Kathryn Jayne (best sci fi novels of all time txt) 📖

Conrad watched as she left, finishing his ice-cream. He had never seen anyone so invested in their surroundings before. It was as if she kept vigil on everyone around her. He was certain even she didn’t realise the extent of her observations. As she reached the door, she held it open for a young couple, their eyes briefly meeting in thanks. He felt it again, the change of pressure from within himself as she glanced back and his whole self begged to be revealed, causing a dull ache behind his eyes as he forced it back down, back in its place where it would stay hidden. “What are you doing?” Conrad scolded quietly as he caught himself watching her walk past the window. He shivered, running his hands up his bare arms. He never normally felt the cold, so he wondered why it was that when she left, a chill had raced through him.

Glancing at his watch, he reached for his device, sending a quick message to his mother, confirming his enrolment had gone smoothly. She had been unnecessarily distressed about this move, but the anomalies here warranted further investigation. Not to mention they had been summoned; the pull of the dead had been too much for his family to ignore.

Emily strained against the thick leather cuffs, attempting to shift her body. Tears streaked her face as she fought, causing the single-framed bed beneath her to vibrate and its locked metal wheels to grind against the concrete floor. Her skin felt warm against the metal at her back, as it reflected back what little body heat still remained.

The scratchy sound of a hoarse whisper was all that remained of her desperate screams for help. Every muscle burned under the stress of her constant resistance. It could have been hours or days since she had awoken, time here had no meaning. She scanned the small concrete confines, deliberately trying not to focus upon the thick bindings securing her, yet still seeing the heavy-duty cuffs strapped to the thick belts around her waist and securing her to the bed. They reminded her of how she had seen her aunt restrained after her violent breakdown.

Tears escaped the corner of her eyes, while she forced herself to take in her surroundings, to look for something, anything, that could help her escape. Walls surrounded her and the only light came filtering through the single cage door on the furthest wall, although from what she could see, this room had lights, too. They were just off, creating a dismal image of being forgotten, abandoned, and alone.

Trying to focus on thoughts other than her own helplessness, she wondered if her parents were looking for her, if they had even realised she was missing yet. The thought caused a glimmer of hope to shimmer through the darkness. As soon as her parents realised she hadn’t come home, they would contact the Blue Coats, and this nightmare would be over. She needed only to survive until she was found. Help was coming.

A chuckle from the darkness behind her startled her. Its deep, resounding tone echoed through her body, causing the fine hairs on her arms to stand. “I see that glimmer of hope a lot in you wretched creatures,” came a gravelly voice from the shadows. Her strangled whimper seemed to please him, his lips turning into a smug smile as he moved from the shadows so she could look upon her captor. “You are falsely contemplating the notion that the Blue Coats will find you. Do you think we would go to such measures as to stage an abduction if we didn’t possess a way to deactivate your identity chip?” The words struck her like a physical blow, stealing what little breath remained. “Devon, add this one to our Black Card Menu for now.”

Another figure approached, entering the concrete confines through the steel door. Her body grew rigid in response to his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, everything was still, her body ceased its protest. For several long seconds as he walked around her, she felt nothing. Not the sharp pricking of her finger, or the probing of his fingers as he examined the area on her wrist where her chip had once been.

“FB+NM64V.” Devon read the figures from the device before discarding the tab he had affixed to it.

“We have had ample interest in the training and acquisition of a Lightning Flash. Let us see what we can do with this one.”

“Patch or pipette?”

Emily felt the moment Devon released her from his thrall. Her muscles strained as the resistance in her renewed.

“Patch. Start with micro doses and increase from there. We don’t want a repeat of the last Tabu.” The one called Devon nodded, casting but a dismissive glance in her direction as she felt the warmth of urine pool beneath her, soaking the off-white gown. “Have one of the underlings get the hose and attend to that first. It won’t do to have such odours lingering.”

Chapter 3

The weeks flew by and, to both his pleasure and distress, Conrad found himself studying alongside Ashley for many of his lectures. Those not with her seemed to, by some fortune, have either Jack or Tess in attendance, and so he had quickly found himself welcomed into their small group. A blessing and a curse. His infatuation had not passed as he hoped. If anything, her grasp on him increased as she became a shadow in his every thought, always present, haunting him.

Seeing Ashley each day was sweet torture. Every time her witch eyes locked on him he lost a little of his resolve to stay hidden. To his frustration, he adored her, everything about her from her messy rusty locks to the way she always found a smile. She worked hard and most days seemed on the verge of being burnt out, and yet she never once complained. She was everything