Lost in Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Ghost Novel) Read Online Free Page B

encircling her, holding and protecting her for all time.
    “Oh my goddness! Are you okay? Please tell me this is all staged for tourists, and it’s just really, really realistic-looking fake blood? I mean, I don’t know what a heart looks like but that looked real to me. The special effects must be awfully expensive. How does the gold dust work? Is there some kind of trap door in the floor?” The man looked up at Emily with the most beautiful clear green eyes she’d ever seen. She put a hand up to her chest, dizziness threatening to overcome her.
    “Lass, you’re babbling. Side effect of being in shock. You need to leave; others will be here soon, they’ll take you when they realize you can see us. I willna be able to protect you from them all,” Colin rasped. His accent sent a shiver through her, as his deep, melodic voice snaked down her spine.
    “What others? There’s no one else here. What are you talking about? Let me get help.” Emily started to rise but he stopped her with a hand on her arm. His hand was so big, easily encircling her arm, the calluses on his palm rough against her skin. No corporate-manicured, buffed hand on this one.

    “Wait, why did you risk yourself to assist me?” He was puzzled.
    Colin felt waves of fear rolling off the woman’s body. Not knowing why he wanted to calm her, he hesitantly reached out, tucking a stray strand that had worked itself loose from her prim and proper bun behind her ear. She smelled of sunshine, fresh air, and peaches. He wanted to bury his nose in her neck. Inhale her scent. Gods, it had been so long…centuries…since he had wanted a woman. He ached to have this brave slip of a woman. It had been hundreds of years since he’d felt anything at all, save apathy, anger, and a tiredness which crept through his soul, threatening to destroy him.
    The woman froze when he touched her. She looked like a frightened rabbit caught in the paws of a wolf, hoping if the rabbit didn’t move, the wolf wouldn’t eat her. “I…I don’t know why. I just had to. I couldn’t let that cretin kill you.”
    He was touched. Couldn’t remember how long it had been since someone had helped him without expecting something in return. His interactions with women over the centuries had been limited to fulfilling a physical need. Women wanted the warmth of his body for a night, and he wanted release, no attachments. Never brought a woman to his home, never spent the night in one’s bed. After they were both sated, he’d take his leave. What would it be like to wake up next to her?
    “I thank ye for your help. ‘Twas a brave thing to do.” Running his finger down the side of her face, he tilted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
    Colin knew he had to be careful not to steal any of her energy. Taking a human’s energy was forbidden. It could instantly age or even kill the human. Shadow Walkers were forbidden from this, but Day Walkers, they preyed on humanity, and taking a human’s energy made them stronger. Day Walkers had no care for human life, didn’t live by the same rules, eager to kill as many humans as possible to increase their power. Once human themselves, Dayne, the god of light, chose them for how truly terrible they were as human beings. Day Walkers gladly embraced the immortal life, happily serving Dayne in his quest to destroy Shadow Walkers, to enslave humanity and rule the world.
    “Don’t fear me lass, I won’t harm you. They call me Colin.” He inclined his head to her.

    Emily snapped back to awareness. “Emily. Emily Laurens, from Charleston, South Carolina.” Never let it be said Emily Laurens didn’t use her manners in any situation that could possibly arise, after all, she was Southern born and bred.
    Her manners fled a moment later as anger set in at being set up. Bet Kat rigged all of this up with Ian in order to help her get over Charlie. She was going to let them have a piece of her mind. Smiling sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes, she