A Blood-Like Rain (All the Hounds of Hell #2)

ade

d the barracks with Sam, drinking beer and try

ouds to diffuse its intensity without darkening the sky. It was war

training a little further. They were doing ha

check on them much in

hoto shoot. Can't say she didn't look great, but I'm not too sure she got the gist of practicality. She was also a lot cleaner. I've a feeling people are a

rior, but she did make out for it with enthusias

ir training some

pull from

as high enough for our feet

but when they did land, Anders was pushed back a meter or so by the sheer force

done, so he's not starting from nothing. He's no match for our bests, though, but when he hits…

l your life, dumba

" he said thoughtfully. "I can pile on as much muscl

have to walk sideways thro

should train more, " he

d his sh

n't that hard. I gave him a l

ted, " I noted about m

gh, especially her. But him? Give him two to five years and he's gonna be real solid.

e battlefield, just to be ready

a bad

N

ht some

anged. A lo

use o

. She'd just put in the minimum amount of effort required. Now she's learning a new language and actually studying. She said she wants to study secretarial something or other." I shook my head. "She's training, not impressive, but she's making actual efforts. Last week she was reading our last census and making notes. She gets herself involved in his work and has asked Marie for more." I took a long sip. "I thought she mig

barely out of teen. She's learning how to be

ike a lost puppy. Like some kind of arrow that as been sho

ks focu

imed him right. She

bad t

N

hey're mates. They lo

nders, knocking him on his ass. It was a risky move, take a hit to win one. Generally you don't do that unless desperate, but he was getting winded and probably realized that if i

er mouth on his. Within two or three seconds things got heated and some guys pushed them out of the way, nagging at them. Darren just moved away with her wrapped arou

ur health late

ne of the rare ones who knew. Also on

ng at the other warrior tumbling o

orse, " I

tac

" I con

ea

, I wasn't ever trying to breathe. I couldn't even feel my heartbeat. I w

ot good. Could it

ure. But I do

arted breat

think it as lasted mor

re than once?" He turned

ignored his stare. I watched the men some more. After a while Sa

until he reached the dirt path going in Blakeden's direction. She noticed me before they went out of sight. She rose one hand and waved it fra

actly the same thing, in pigtails and eating ice cream th

so fast,

m what I heard, it's wo

rugg

onna get some?

the kind of life f

ou just sl

stl

ught of s

er thought of settlin

" I adm

not so

don't know, feel

and Ylva were g

"Ylva is not th

why you

pa

y, then why not t

rugg

ust gonna wa

that I'm waiting,

us with her or when you've

gged a

r mate does this

ke a curse?"

nod

measures, talked to a wiza

t's n

n't left any trac

do if it is?"

a murdero

ged. "You have any other i

t, nothing fits. My father has taken

und an

uestions, trying to see if anything fits wi

t what's n

ything g

ou mean?"

oint, there's a bajillion ways to do it, but nothing like that can occur without some serious cost. It's highly improbable fo

ean, some majo

tack, then yes

think it's

ings to warrant suc

t if the grudge is about

admitted. "My father

that's it?" he said

s like a m

? What if they took her and

possib

t think t

f that's it, "

if tha

nd her. I've tried everything I could th

about

ng to create the link w

you be the thing that

one another. A link must be establ

g, " he said out of

rcastically. I turned my he

re beer. He realized it might no

she be dead? Like haunting you? That'

around, " I said. "Or at least anything like that. She found

hosts?"

illed, " I

an exorcis

in the realm of the living and

rs for warriors?"

y, " I c

second thinki

o him inqu

eath right?" he a

rea

ed in a guy, like her eyes focused real ha

eafter, so when one is about to fall, sometimes she se

when someone is

s, " I c

y, but she's not sensing your dea

going with th

on't die. Maybe

t die on a battl

to die on a

, I don't worship Odin. There's a lot of this that could

ys taking care of

e some but she's no Valkyrie, just pa

w m

r grandma,

was a were

es

other? What abou

her I told you. She

nod

um

to say something horrifying. Ant

rrifying

hy

sees it as

d. "Maybe,

not to her,

ong enough. Don't se

something deeper. I don't know what, but

ut being par

tioned a few times that Valkyries

d to make a family with

r and got freaky afterward. N

O

ied our

avoiding work." I sai

found out?" he teased,

ll. He went vertical for a second and l

fight with you, " he said

imself off, cursing, t