Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Suddenly Dr. ThrobGood was right behind her.
“Take it easy now, my dear,” he murmured. “Let me just give you something to relax you and then we’ll continue this at my office.”
Something sharp bit the side of Kara’s neck and she gasped, feeling like she’d been stung by a wasp. She raised her hand to push whatever was hurting her away but noticed almost at once that her arm didn’t want to work right.
“Hey!” She turned to Dr. ThrobGood and nearly fell as her legs started to give way. “Hey…wha…what did you give me? Whas wrong with…with my body?”
“Just an effect of the relaxing agent, my dear.” He slipped an arm under her on one side and nodded at her uncle. “Grennly, I believe I’m going to need your help. She’s not exactly pocket-sized is she?”
“Do be careful!” Aunt Zeelah exclaimed as Kara’s great uncle grabbed her other arm. “Be sure you keep her absolutely quiet on the way to the office! We can’t have word of this leaking out—we just can’t.”
“Don’t worry, Zeelah—we have the situation well in hand,” Grennly said, doing something to the door which made it unlock.
“The paralytic will reach her vocal cords momentarily,” Dr. ThrobGood added. “And no one ought to be up at this hour. We’ll have those fangs extracted and bring her back to your domicile before even the earliest riser is up.”
As he spoke, he and Grennly had Kara by the arms, dragging her out into the Central Corridor. It was dark and quiet at this hour, only dimly lit by some natural luminescence from the ceiling above. Kara’s feet were dragging on the ground as they pulled her along and every moment it felt as though more and more of her body was going numb. Soon she would be completely under the spell of the drug the awful doctor had given her and then it would be too late…
“No!” The voice that spoke in her head was as loud as a shout but it was clear that no one but Kara heard it. “No, my daughter—you must fight this!” it insisted. It was the same voice that had spoken to her from Nadiah’s picture, Kara realized. “Fight it, Kara,” the voice urged. “Call for help and it shall be given to you.”
Kara’s mouth already felt heavy and her lips felt rubbery, as though she’d been given a huge dose of numbing agent at the dentist’s office. But somehow she managed to call out.
“Help! Somebody help me!” Her lips were so numb the words sounded more like “som-bod hel ee” but her voice carried surprisingly well down the echoing Central Corridor.
“Stop that!” Grennly hissed, clamping a clammy hand over her mouth. “Do you want the entire grotto to know you’re here?”
“She doesn’t need the entire grotto to know—she only needs me.”
The new voice coming out of the darkness ahead of them made Kara jerk her head up despite the drug she’d been given.
Standing there, blocking their path like a pillar made of smoke and shadow, was Raakshas.
Ten
The big Unbondable was bare-chested and wearing nothing but a pair of loose sleeping trousers and boots but he was still a terrible sight to behold. His muscular arms were crossed over his chest and his hair was a wild black wave around his angry face. His silver-ringed eyes flashed in the dim light.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing with Kara?” he demanded, his deep voice rolling and echoing in the long, broad tunnel.
“Who is this and how does he know your niece?” demanded Dr. ThrobGood, sounding incensed.
“I have no idea!” Grennly exclaimed. “He appears to be one of the merchants who came with the last batch—some kind of Kindred spawn—but I don’t know him.”
“You’re gonna know me in a minute if you don’t take your hands off Kara.” Raak’s voice was a deep, menacing growl.
“You have the wrong idea, my good fellow,” Dr. ThrobGood said smoothly. “We are simply taking this young lady for a necessary medical procedure and as you can see, time is of the essence. Now if you would just move aside…”
“I don’t think so.” Raak took a step forward, bending down to look Kara in the eyes. “Hey, baby girl,” he said softly, his own eyes concerned. “What’s going on here?”
Kara tried to answer him but the drug was creeping up on her again. She opened her mouth but no words came out this time.
“As you can see, she’s very ill!” Grennly exclaimed. “We need to get her to the doctor’s office at once! Now will you please get out of the way!”
Raak frowned and for a moment Kara was desperately afraid he was going to believe their lies and let them take her. Then he leaned closer, looking intently at her.
“Just tell me this, Kara—are you going with these two of your own free will?” he asked.