Thirst No. 5: The Sacred Veil
Page 37
What would happen?
I’d realize I was the biggest fool on the whole damn Strip.
“Shouldn’t we meet in your room?” I asked casually.
He didn’t hesitate. He pulled a room card from his pocket. “First tower. Room four-three-one-four. Be careful, that’s the only key I have on me. I’ll knock four times.”
I suddenly felt much better. “Great.” I went to leave.
“Jessie?” he called.
I paused. “What?”
“What’s my room number?”
“Four-three . . . Ahh . . . damn, I’m drunk.”
“Four-three-one-four. Say it aloud three times.”
“Four-three-one-four. Four-three-one-four. Four-three-one-four.”
“Once you’re in the room, call down for coffee and dessert.”
“What kind of dessert do you want?”
“I’ll have what you’re having. Now get out of here.”
The moment I stepped out of the casino and onto the busy Strip, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The night was still warm but I felt embraced by a delicious joy that cooled my brain. I had just won an impossible sum of money, I realized, but it seemed as if my happiness came from another source. Russ was not an ordinary guy, he was a magic man. I had a strange feeling that if I stayed close to him, really got to know him, I’d discover the source of his magic.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHRISTOPHER PIKE is a bestselling author of young adult novels. The Thirst series, Witch World, and the Remember Me and Alosha trilogies are some of his favorite titles. He is also the author of several adult novels, including Sati and The Season of Passage. Thirst and Alosha are slated to be released as feature films. Pike currently lives in Santa Barbara, where it is rumored he never leaves his house. But he can be found online at christopherpikebooks.com.
ALSO BY
CHRISTOPHER PIKE
THE THIRST SERIES
WITCH WORLD
REMEMBER ME
THE SECRET OF KA
UNTIL THE END
BOUND TO YOU
COMING SOON
CHAIN LETTER
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SIMON PULSE
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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First Simon Pulse paperback edition March 2013
Copyright © 2013 by Christopher Pike
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
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Designed by Mike Rosamilia
The text of this book was set in Adobe Garamond.
Library of Congress Control Number 2012952196
ISBN 978-1-4424-6731-6
ISBN 978-1-4424-6732-3 (eBook)
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
‘Witch World’ Excerpt
About Christopher Pike