Holocaust (The Deadwood Hunter Series Book 3) by Rachel M Raithby Page B

watched the emotions behind her eyes as she spoke.
    “A group of six who help run this place. Each has an agenda, some input.”
    “Who are they?” Lexia asked, grabbing at the first piece of information she’d had that could help. She felt sick waiting for Sarah’s answer. Was she about to give her the names of those she needed to kill?
    “I do not know.” Lexia’s face fell. “Wait, Lexia, they’re human. I know that. Connected to this place from the beginning, your mother is the leader. Find the other five and I can convince my friends to help. Just five names, Lexia.”
    A door opened in the distance, voices flooded the corridors.
    “The humans, they’ve finished for the day. I’ll be in touch.” Lexia rushed away, her mind a jumble. Just five names, Lexia. Yet it wasn’t just a list of names she needed. Once she had the list, she had to put a face to the name and then wipe that face from existence.
    I’m one step closer, one more piece to the puzzle. I will do this. I will free my people.

    Lexia woke with a start, her eyes frantically looking for the danger that had woken her, before realizing it was another nightmare. Slumping against her pillow with a sigh, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. It was barely morning, 3 am. She’d stayed awake as long as possible, too afraid to sleep, too afraid to endure another night of dreams, dreams full of the horrible, unforgiving things she’d done.
    This is my punishment.
    Swinging her legs out of bed, Lexia padded to her little bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked tired; her eyes red and drained with dark shadows beneath them. Keeping up this façade was taking its toll. She wondered what would become of her when this was finally over.
    There was no point in trying to sleep again. She could feel the horror just below the surface, waiting for the moment she slept and then the nightmare would drag her back again.
    Might as well go run.
    Dressing quickly, she was walking through the corridors minutes later. When she did her usual scan to make sure no one else walked the corridors with her, she felt an aura. Her mother’s aura.
    What are you doing, Mother?
    Turning back, Lexia’s feet carried her swift and silent. She slipped inside an empty room and waited for her to pass. Lexia followed Lucy, keeping her in her mind’s eye and staying far enough back so Lucy wouldn’t hear.
    Lucy went out the same door as Lexia used and rolled under the piece of fencing that was loose.
    So that’s why it’s not been fixed.
    Following Lucy through the forest wasn’t difficult. She’d have been able to follow her even without the light from her flashlight. Lucy didn’t have the same skills as Lexia. A shifter hadn’t trained her. Lexia was at home within the forest, silent as the panther she’d run with. Lucy was an intruder. She didn’t belong. She crashed her way through the trees, snapping twigs, brushing leaves and vines, the beam from her flashlight alerting her to all who called the forest home.
    Why are you coming back here? There is nothing out here but trees.
    The further Lucy went, the harder the terrain became but she seemed to know where she was going. Around twenty-five minutes later, Lexia heard her talk.
    “What are you doing out here? It’s safer inside.” Lexia was surprised at the tone of her voice. It wasn’t sharp…but concerned.
    “I’m in the middle of nowhere. Plus I need a smoke.” Lexia didn’t recognize the woman’s voice.
    Climbing high into a nearby tree, Lexia crept along a sturdy branch until she could see her mother in the dim light of the flashlight. Lexia couldn’t see the woman Lucy was with, just the glow of her cigarette.
    “Well if you’re finished, shall we go in?” Lucy asked.
    “Lead the way,” the woman replied.
    The beam of light briefly shone over the woman. She wore a white lab coat like the humans at the compound. The dim