Read Online Know Thine Enemy by Rosalie Stanton - Free Book Online
Authors: Rosalie Stanton
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actually living in Harrison's House of Horror. Still, for the very crime of knowing her, knowing her ghosts, knowing what chased her in the dark, she would burn this place down.
" Twenty-six years ago, a woman named Kathleen Watson announced to the Archdiocese that she was pregnant with the child of a priest." Prentiss scoured the text before him. "Father Harrison Bennett was named as the father."
Izzie shuddered but held her tongue. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of verbalizing her discomfort.
" What occurred was not as common as one might think. Excommunication is typically reserved for sins of the gravest nature, and, while Father Bennett was never fully excommunicated, scandal forced him from the public light and turned him into a recluse."
Her stomach churned and, despite her best efforts, a slight whimper pressed against her lips.
Prentiss ignored her. "Kathleen died giving birth to you, and the good priest just couldn't leave his child at the mercy of the State. He took you in and raised you, rarely going into town, save for one or two Sundays during which he substituted for other preachers. Most of his groceries were delivered, and aside from a few trips to the emergency room, he fell from sight." The vampire paused. "Then, one day, he was found dead in his daughter's room, covered in blood, a deep wound in his chest, and no sign of the girl."
Her temples pounded. Her skin felt saturated in a thick paint of cold sweat. Hard, sharp breaths rocketed through her chest and the room began to spin.
No, no, no, no.
" That was you," Moira said softly. "Wasn't it?"
" What do you want?" Izzie demanded. "It has to be something. Just tell me what it is so I can go home."
" We want your help."
She blinked dumbly. "You . . . what?"
" Your help," Prentiss said. "We would like to enlist your assistance in getting C.R.O.S.S. off the ground."
" And you decided to woo me by taking me down memory lane?"
He shrugged. "I wanted you to let you know that you and I have no secrets."
" Except that you've kidnapped me, tied me up, and forced me to remember things I've spent years trying to forget. Oh, right, and I don't know jack about you except you fail at people skills."
" I am one of the founders of C.R.O.S.S. I have spent the last several months tracking the known hunters in the continental US via a scattering of reports from C.R.O.S.S. members and affiliates across the country." Prentiss's brows flickered. "You and your friend were among the top."
" Lucky us. I take it Zack's behind door number one?"
" Oh, no." He laughed. "Mr. Wright didn't make the cut."
She should have been relieved, but the knowledge that Wright wasn 't in the vicinity sent another tremor of fear down her spine. "Oh."
" Look, I know our methods are questionable," Prentiss said.
" Well, thank God for small miracles."
" But our intention is just," Prentiss said, "We are not vampires who prey on the blood of humans, or in any way impede the progress of the human race."
Izzie snorted. "A message that rings particularly true seeing as how you drugged me and tied me up."
" Our goal is to integrate ourselves into your society."
" My goal is to bash your head in."
Prentiss smirked, but waved a hand. "Our goal, admittedly, has been met with resistance from others in the community. Vampires like your friend, Ryker."
Izzie frowned. "What?"
" Mr. Ryker. He is a friend of yours, correct?"
" Is that what this is about?" she asked. "Look, I don't know that Ryker guy. He came out of nowhere yesterday and then he just kinda bogarted my table and started talking my ear off. He said he's been following me—"
Prentiss nodded. "He has."
" But so have you."
" Comes with the territory."
" The stalker territory," she muttered, "So you know Ryker."
There was little point in asking. From the way Prentiss 's expression darkened, from the deep loathing set on his face, she already knew the answer. It was the same look that befell Wright every time he
" Twenty-six years ago, a woman named Kathleen Watson announced to the Archdiocese that she was pregnant with the child of a priest." Prentiss scoured the text before him. "Father Harrison Bennett was named as the father."
Izzie shuddered but held her tongue. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of verbalizing her discomfort.
" What occurred was not as common as one might think. Excommunication is typically reserved for sins of the gravest nature, and, while Father Bennett was never fully excommunicated, scandal forced him from the public light and turned him into a recluse."
Her stomach churned and, despite her best efforts, a slight whimper pressed against her lips.
Prentiss ignored her. "Kathleen died giving birth to you, and the good priest just couldn't leave his child at the mercy of the State. He took you in and raised you, rarely going into town, save for one or two Sundays during which he substituted for other preachers. Most of his groceries were delivered, and aside from a few trips to the emergency room, he fell from sight." The vampire paused. "Then, one day, he was found dead in his daughter's room, covered in blood, a deep wound in his chest, and no sign of the girl."
Her temples pounded. Her skin felt saturated in a thick paint of cold sweat. Hard, sharp breaths rocketed through her chest and the room began to spin.
No, no, no, no.
" That was you," Moira said softly. "Wasn't it?"
" What do you want?" Izzie demanded. "It has to be something. Just tell me what it is so I can go home."
" We want your help."
She blinked dumbly. "You . . . what?"
" Your help," Prentiss said. "We would like to enlist your assistance in getting C.R.O.S.S. off the ground."
" And you decided to woo me by taking me down memory lane?"
He shrugged. "I wanted you to let you know that you and I have no secrets."
" Except that you've kidnapped me, tied me up, and forced me to remember things I've spent years trying to forget. Oh, right, and I don't know jack about you except you fail at people skills."
" I am one of the founders of C.R.O.S.S. I have spent the last several months tracking the known hunters in the continental US via a scattering of reports from C.R.O.S.S. members and affiliates across the country." Prentiss's brows flickered. "You and your friend were among the top."
" Lucky us. I take it Zack's behind door number one?"
" Oh, no." He laughed. "Mr. Wright didn't make the cut."
She should have been relieved, but the knowledge that Wright wasn 't in the vicinity sent another tremor of fear down her spine. "Oh."
" Look, I know our methods are questionable," Prentiss said.
" Well, thank God for small miracles."
" But our intention is just," Prentiss said, "We are not vampires who prey on the blood of humans, or in any way impede the progress of the human race."
Izzie snorted. "A message that rings particularly true seeing as how you drugged me and tied me up."
" Our goal is to integrate ourselves into your society."
" My goal is to bash your head in."
Prentiss smirked, but waved a hand. "Our goal, admittedly, has been met with resistance from others in the community. Vampires like your friend, Ryker."
Izzie frowned. "What?"
" Mr. Ryker. He is a friend of yours, correct?"
" Is that what this is about?" she asked. "Look, I don't know that Ryker guy. He came out of nowhere yesterday and then he just kinda bogarted my table and started talking my ear off. He said he's been following me—"
Prentiss nodded. "He has."
" But so have you."
" Comes with the territory."
" The stalker territory," she muttered, "So you know Ryker."
There was little point in asking. From the way Prentiss 's expression darkened, from the deep loathing set on his face, she already knew the answer. It was the same look that befell Wright every time he
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