Priceless by Shannon Mayer Page A

you fight. That was what my instructors drilled into me. Once I ’ d gone through the various blows, I dropped to the ground, first into a plank, then into push-ups ; over to my back for crunches , and then back to a plank. Sweat dripped around me, my jeans sticking to my body, and I ignored it all. No matter what, I needed my body to be strong and fit for fighting . If it failed me , then I would fail a child, and that was not acceptable.
    An hour and a half after I started, I finally let myself quit. Leaving Alex to guard the main room and front door , I headed into the bathroom to shower off. Taking advantage of someone else ’ s hot water tank, I stayed in until the water cool ed , my muscles tensing under the sudden temperature change . Stepping out onto the tile floor, water dripping everywhere , I glance d up at the foggy mirror . The heat from the shower sluiced off me as ice trailed down my spine. In bold letters written across the mirror were the words : “ Cross the Veil and Die . ”
    I snatched a towel and wrapped myself up in it, then searched the room, opening the two cupboards and the single closet. Nothing. I peeked out into the main room to see Alex sprawled out on the bed, but no one else. Closing the bathroom door, I used the only other towel in the room to wipe the mirror clean, my hands shaking just a little. The words seemed to be etched into the glass, and all my efforts at erasing them were futile. Giving up, I stepped out of the bathroom, preferring to dress in front of Alex , who had no concept of nudity , than in the room where it felt like someone w as watching me. Give me blood and gore any day over perversion and peeping toms — probably creepy , greasy little men. Damn, someone already knew I was looking for India. The only person I ’ d told was Milly. Could she have spoken to the wrong person in the Coven ? Shit.
    Clean clothes on, hair towel - dried, I crawled into b e d and patted the covers. Some people might think it weird that I let a werewolf sleep with me. But when you have immunity and can ’ t be turned into a werewolf, there really is nothing to worry about. Other than the atrocious dog farts. He curled up at my feet, let loose one of said farts , and promptly began to snore.
    Despite the words on the mirror, the worry over India and the pack chasing Alex away from home, sleep took me in less than ten minutes , my workout giving my body the tired edge it needed to drop off into dreamland.
    Bad dreams were usual for me as my mind relived my past, and tried to make things better. I opened my eyes in my dream and it was Christmas morning, early, and Berget was tiptoeing into my room, not realizing my eyes were already open, her bright yellow pyjamas and housecoat ma king her easy to see. She ’ d always had a thing for the neon shades.
    “ Rylee, it ’ s Christmas morning! Wake up, we can go get our stockings! ”
    I closed my eyes. “ This isn ’ t real. ”
    “ What ’ s not real? ” I opened my eyes and stared into her pristine blue ones, and wondered if perhaps I was wrong , perhaps this was real and the rest of my life was just a bad dream. A nightmare .
    She reached out her small hand, rubbed it against my cheek, brushed off a tear.
    “ Why are you crying , Rylee? Why are you sad? This is a happy day. ”
    I brushed away another tear. “ Berget, come here, let me hold you for a minute. ” She skipped away laughing.
    “ Silly , Rylee, you can ’ t catch me! ” Her face suddenly contorted. “ Run! RUN! ”
    Her voice shattered what was left of the dream and I woke up, my breath coming in shallow gulps. The dream was nothing new and it would fade, leaving my adrenaline to also fade out in a matter of minutes. Or it would have, except for a shuffle of feet on the other side of my door and the faint jiggle of the handle, which caused my adrenaline to spike ; I leapt out of bed.
    Alex rumbled softly , his eyes half - closed . “ Man with gun. ” I knew who that