“I think we should take him. Besides, if someone shows up here, he’ll tell them everything—you know he will.” Alex knew I was right, but he still didn’t look very happy.
“Fine, he can come.”
We hid the mapping ball and locked up the house, with both locks and magical charms. Then we headed down the desolate highway, toward the next town where Stasha lived.
Night had blanketed over the land, the moon shining at its fullest. Silver and purple stars twinkled a soft lullaby, the ocean purring along with the tune.
The inside of the car was absurdly hot, due to both the humid air and the electricity. I didn’t know what it was about cars, but it brought out the heat between Alex and I.
Thankfully, he was driving and I was in the backseat, sitting next to Nicholas, who was practically like an air freshener, with how much rainy-flower scent flowed off him. I couldn’t breathe, and finally I had to roll down the window. The air pumped oxygen threw my lungs, and I breathed in its salty scent with a deep, lingering breath.
“You doing okay back there?”
I tore myself away from the window and found Alex watching me in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, it’s just a little hot back here.” I fanned myself with my hand.
Nicholas let out a loud snore. He had dozed off the minute we pulled out of the driveway. Aislin had nodded off too, not too shortly after the town had disappeared from our view. Evidently, everyone was tired.
“It is hot in here,” he agreed.
The pale glow of the moon trickled inside the cab of the car, lighting his hands clutched tightly on the steering-wheel.
“Maybe you should roll your window down too,” I suggested, hoping to pump in some more circulation. God, what had I been thinking, climbing in here with him?
“Good idea.” He rolled down his window and a gentle breeze lulled in. It helped…a little.
“Make-up Smeared Eyes” by Automatic Loveletter hummed from the speakers, and between the soft beat of the music and the gentle breeze, I found myself getting drowsy.
I yawned, my head feeling heavy.
“Are you tired?” he asked, glancing at the bright red numbers on the clock.
“Yeah, a little.”
“You should get some rest,” he said in a soft voice. “You need to be awake when we get there.”
And suddenly I was wide awake. I leaned forward in the chair. “I don’t get it…You act like this Stasha is…like going to murder me or something.”
“No, she’s not that bad, but…” He paused. “But she has jealousy issues.”
Ah, the emotion of jealousy. I’ve experienced that one a few times, and I can’t say I’m a fan.
“If she’s like that, then why did you date her?” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.
He shifted in the seat uncomfortably. “That’s why I dated her…It was easy not to feel things with her…unlike with some people.” His eyes met mine in the mirror and the look he gave me made my body tingle.
Stop thinking about him like that. Just Stop.
I bit at my nails. “I think we should—”
Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared in the road. I let out a screamed as Alex slammed on the breaks. Tires roared. The car lurched forward…crunching…a bright light…yellow eyes…then blackness.
Chapter 7
I had never felt this kind of pain before. Never. It was like my body was compressed into a ball, my bones breaking and conforming to fit the position. It hurt so bad…
so bad…
“Gemma.”
Who said that?
“Gemma, can you hear?”
I knew that voice. It was the most wonderful voice in the world.
I forced my eyes open and saw the beautiful boy staring down at me with the brightest green eyes I had ever seen.
“Are you alright?” The boy asked. Stars danced behind him. They were pretty.
I told my head to nod, but it didn’t. There was gravel in my hair and my skin was sticky and warm.
A girl appeared above me. I knew her too. Blood stained her golden brown hair.
“Look,” she pointed at my stomach.
The
Shelley Bates
Randall Lane
Debra Webb
Benjamin Kelly
Bianca D'Arc
Sara Brookes
S.K. Munt
Mary Jo Putney
Sandip Roy
R.L. Stine