The Seventh Immortal (Hearts of Amaranth #1) by J.M. Parry Page B

bulletproof vest. He was the Gospel Thomas Kemp. “I'm going
outside. I don't care what your leader says, I'm going to save Paul
on my own...without your help.”
    Thomas laughed. “Christa Xander is not my leader,” he said. “We merely have a
common enemy. He is your enemy, too, and it would be advisable for
you to make friends with us, at least for the time
being.”
    “ Maybe I will, maybe I won't,” Kait replied. “But I don't
like how anyone is treating me right now.”
    “ If you go outside, the cops will fire on you. Paul will be
caught in the crossfire. The only thing keeping him alive right now
is that Police Chief L'Enfant thinks that he may lure you
out.”
    “ And you think the best way to keep him alive is to
prostrate myself before you, accept your protection, and let you go
get him.”
    Thomas shook his head. “I don't want you to
prostrate yourself before anyone,” he said. “We have not been
properly introduced... My name is Thomas Kemp. I am the boss of the
St. Louis Obshina.”
    “ And you're a Gospel,” Kait replied. “What do you
preach?”
    “ Liberty,” Thomas said.
    Kait laughed. “Just like Christa, you're a hypocrite. You
claim to be the Gospel of Liberty, but you use the vox dei to command all
these people to do your bidding. I know you want to help, but I
have to admit... At least the mayor's side is internally
consistent.”
    Thomas bristled at her words. “You have no idea what you
are talking about,” he grunted. “I don't use the vox
dei .”
    “ You... You don't?” Kait had some trouble believing this.
She had managed to use the mysterious power of the Gospels without
even trying. Paul was compelled to help her even when she was
unconscious. Spencer followed her orders to keep her money safe
even though he thought she was dead.
    “ It would go against everything I believe in,” Thomas
said.
    “ You can just...turn it off? How?”
    Thomas gritted his teeth. He seemed annoyed
by Kait's questions. “It takes practice,” he replied. “It is easy
to project your desires onto others. It is difficult to stop. But
it is possible.”
    For just a moment, Kait felt a certain
respect for one of the Gospels. Thomas seemed like a decent person.
That was a lot more than she could say for Christa or Mayor
Levin.
    “ Then you must think all of this is horrible,” Kait said.
“Christa is forcing me to join her. Isn't that... Don't you want to
help me?”
    Thomas shook his head. “I can't help you,”
he replied. “You can only help yourself. If I were to go and rescue
your friend on my own, you'll never learn the responsibility that
comes with your power.”
    “ Yes I will!” Kait objected. “I will totally learn. I've
already learned.”
    “ No you haven't,” Thomas replied. “You are
trying to use the vox dei on me right now.” He narrowed his eyes and glared
at Kait. “It doesn't work on other Gospels.”
    Kait stopped short. She felt a slight,
tingling sensation near the center of her forehead—something she
didn't fully understand yet—and she knew that he was right.
Unconsciously, she was attempting to manipulate him. She was using
her power to push him towards helping her.
    “ I'm sorry...”
    Thomas looked her up and down. She felt like
his eyes were tracing every inch of her body. It sent a shiver up
her spine. Even now, she couldn't deny that he was an attractive
man.
    “ What do you believe in, Miss Selias?”
    “ I don't know,” Kait replied. “That's the
problem. I haven't had time... I've been awake less than
twenty-four hours. Everything is so much right now.”
    “ Our senses are stronger than theirs,” Thomas replied. “I
remember when it happened. The lights became brighter. The scents
became stronger. The sensations...”
    Kait understood what he meant. She could
still vividly recall the intensity of the colors when the drugs
wore off, and still felt the vibrations of Silvi's motorcycle
between her legs. Her senses threatened to overwhelm