what I felt for Kamon.
I’d give anything to know what he was up to, pull him out of the shadows and into the light. Was he getting close? Did he know who and what I was?
I welcomed the energy that rushed over my skin, and his name echoed in my head.
He was in New Orleans. I knew it for a fact.
I faintly heard when Nate turned off the TV. I didn’t open my eyes, too wrapped up in the buzzing, in the power I pretended I didn’t have.
Behind my eyelids, I saw a blurry picture of my New Orleans backyard.
Kamon chuckled, circling Lydia Shaw near the pool. “ Where is she? ” he asked.
“ That’s not your business, and stay away from this house .”
“ She is very much so my business. A girl with her potential does not come along every day. I noticed it the first time I saw her. I knew then .”
Lydia laughed and stepped closer to his face. “ I can’t wait for this to be over ,” she said.
My muscles quivered. Lydia and Kamon shook with me.
“ Me either. I have big plans. I’ve been working on my new title. What do you think of Emperor Kamon? Too much ?” He laughed. “ There’s finally a date after your dash. I guess I’m lucky Leah’s so unstable. I know you’re terrified. It’s getting so close. July 4 th . ”
I shook even harder and heard a far away scream.
Lydia spun around, and Remi wiggled her fingers at her, a taunting wave. Her jet-black hair dangled to her waist now. My Master, My Lord , in a fancy, ancient script, was permanently inked on her stomach, right above her low-cutting leather pants.
“ Remi is one of the best things to ever happen to me. Her first offering brought my nemesis barging through the doors. In time, she’ll bring me Leah. I’ve seen July 4 th , Lydia. It is your pet’s destiny, and I’m going to help her fulfill it. ”
My backyard trembled like an earthquake was ravishing New Orleans, and someone screamed, “Emma, hold her head!”
Nate.
“Wake up, Chris,” Emma said.
I opened my eyes. Nate and Em were shaking me and swatting at my cheeks. Blood was everywhere – on Nate’s hands, his chest, my pillow.
I’d had another fit. Correction. I was still having a fit, shaking and bleeding and buzzing. Em’s thoughts were frantic and in fluent French. But understandable. I had a feeling she could speak Chinese, and I would understand it right now.
She snapped and disappeared, leaving me alone with Nate. His face vibrated as I shook, and he braced me against his chest.
After a moment, his body tensed against mine, and he drew his arms away, no longer holding me. My nails were in his sides, and they didn’t want to let go.
Embers blew around us, and found their way to his head, circling and sparkling, crowning him with fire. I coughed from the smoke tickling my throat. He didn’t seem to see them at all.
A deep voice I’d never heard screamed, “ Dali !” It echoed several times after. With each repeat, Nate clutched his head tighter, in pain.
All day I had been questioning where I belonged. Now I knew. I belonged in a cage, not allowed to roam freely around my enemies.
I didn’t want to hurt him. Or myself. I needed to listen to my body. Someone had told me that. Someone …
A flash of light blinded me, and Sophia and Emma appeared when it cleared.
Sophia pried my clenched jaw open. Something warm filled my mouth and slithered down my throat.
Then there was nothing but darkness.
Chapter Three
I woke up to sounds I’d only heard on TV shows and movies, hospital sounds – a constant beep over my head and hissing from a tube tickling the base of my nose.
I blinked a few times to get the room into focus. Blue walls, white curtains. Not my room. A television flickered an array of colors around the blue room. Cartoons were on, and Nate was knocked out and snoring in the recliner next to the bed.
“Babe,” I said. His snore caught in his throat. He jumped up and scurried to me.
“You’re up!”
“What happened?”
“You had
I’d give anything to know what he was up to, pull him out of the shadows and into the light. Was he getting close? Did he know who and what I was?
I welcomed the energy that rushed over my skin, and his name echoed in my head.
He was in New Orleans. I knew it for a fact.
I faintly heard when Nate turned off the TV. I didn’t open my eyes, too wrapped up in the buzzing, in the power I pretended I didn’t have.
Behind my eyelids, I saw a blurry picture of my New Orleans backyard.
Kamon chuckled, circling Lydia Shaw near the pool. “ Where is she? ” he asked.
“ That’s not your business, and stay away from this house .”
“ She is very much so my business. A girl with her potential does not come along every day. I noticed it the first time I saw her. I knew then .”
Lydia laughed and stepped closer to his face. “ I can’t wait for this to be over ,” she said.
My muscles quivered. Lydia and Kamon shook with me.
“ Me either. I have big plans. I’ve been working on my new title. What do you think of Emperor Kamon? Too much ?” He laughed. “ There’s finally a date after your dash. I guess I’m lucky Leah’s so unstable. I know you’re terrified. It’s getting so close. July 4 th . ”
I shook even harder and heard a far away scream.
Lydia spun around, and Remi wiggled her fingers at her, a taunting wave. Her jet-black hair dangled to her waist now. My Master, My Lord , in a fancy, ancient script, was permanently inked on her stomach, right above her low-cutting leather pants.
“ Remi is one of the best things to ever happen to me. Her first offering brought my nemesis barging through the doors. In time, she’ll bring me Leah. I’ve seen July 4 th , Lydia. It is your pet’s destiny, and I’m going to help her fulfill it. ”
My backyard trembled like an earthquake was ravishing New Orleans, and someone screamed, “Emma, hold her head!”
Nate.
“Wake up, Chris,” Emma said.
I opened my eyes. Nate and Em were shaking me and swatting at my cheeks. Blood was everywhere – on Nate’s hands, his chest, my pillow.
I’d had another fit. Correction. I was still having a fit, shaking and bleeding and buzzing. Em’s thoughts were frantic and in fluent French. But understandable. I had a feeling she could speak Chinese, and I would understand it right now.
She snapped and disappeared, leaving me alone with Nate. His face vibrated as I shook, and he braced me against his chest.
After a moment, his body tensed against mine, and he drew his arms away, no longer holding me. My nails were in his sides, and they didn’t want to let go.
Embers blew around us, and found their way to his head, circling and sparkling, crowning him with fire. I coughed from the smoke tickling my throat. He didn’t seem to see them at all.
A deep voice I’d never heard screamed, “ Dali !” It echoed several times after. With each repeat, Nate clutched his head tighter, in pain.
All day I had been questioning where I belonged. Now I knew. I belonged in a cage, not allowed to roam freely around my enemies.
I didn’t want to hurt him. Or myself. I needed to listen to my body. Someone had told me that. Someone …
A flash of light blinded me, and Sophia and Emma appeared when it cleared.
Sophia pried my clenched jaw open. Something warm filled my mouth and slithered down my throat.
Then there was nothing but darkness.
Chapter Three
I woke up to sounds I’d only heard on TV shows and movies, hospital sounds – a constant beep over my head and hissing from a tube tickling the base of my nose.
I blinked a few times to get the room into focus. Blue walls, white curtains. Not my room. A television flickered an array of colors around the blue room. Cartoons were on, and Nate was knocked out and snoring in the recliner next to the bed.
“Babe,” I said. His snore caught in his throat. He jumped up and scurried to me.
“You’re up!”
“What happened?”
“You had
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