Seductive Shadows by Marni Mann Read Free Book Online

about the heart-shaped tattoo, then she was right—and it was going to stay empty, too. Emma and I had decided to keep them hollow. We thought they looked better that way.
    Why hadn’t Emma answered me yet? I could feel her behind me, but my neck felt stiff when I tried to turn.
    “Not just this heart,” she said, shaking my hand. “Your other heart, too. And when it empties, you’re going to feel pain and regret. Dark thoughts. Yes, lots of those…and dark times.” Her eyes closed; her head bobbed to a silent beat. Then it shook from side to side. A noise gargled in her throat; her fingers tightened around my hand. “Hold on!” Her eyes opened and widened. “When you feel that flutter—the one you’ve got right now in your chest—I want you to grab something strong. Something sturdy that can bear you.” I felt my skin start to bruise. “There’s trouble up ahead; the flutter will be a warning sign. I don’t want you to let go, Charlie, and I don’t want you to worry. The black that will fill your vision will only be temporary. You’ll come back from this.”
    My legs began to bounce and hit the bottom of the table, causing a sound like chattering teeth. I pushed the chair back and stood. I didn’t know if she was done, but I was.
    “Don’t let go,” Moonlight repeated.
    I shook her off my hand and quickly moved to the back wall, hoping some deep breaths would calm my heart. Emma slid past me, ignoring my attempt to stop her, and the words I shouted at her. Her expression was unreadable.
    Moonlight spread the deck of cards over the table like a fan, but halfway through the motion she paused. “What’s this I see…?” She flicked her wrist and the cards flew, swaying back and forth in the air until they hit the ground. She reached for Emma’s hand, looking into her eyes and then back at her palm. “It can’t be.” She gripped the handle of the steaming cup and dumped it over her skin.
    “Ouch!” Emma yelled. “That’s hot, Moonlight…it burns.”
    That was the first time Emma had spoken since we’d stepped inside the room. I tried to move to her side, to comfort her. My legs were frozen.
    “Quiet!” Moonlight swiped away the liquid that had accumulated in Emma’s palm and turned her hand in different directions. Though her voice sounded angry and her movements were sharp, her face was filled with concern and compassion. “You’re the heart? It can’t be…” She dipped her finger into the stone bowl that she had placed on the table, scooped out some of the black powder from inside and drew an X over Emma’s palm. She let out a long, screeching wail, and then she stood up abruptly. Her chair flew backward, crashing into the wall. “Charlie, when you feel that flutter, I want you to grab Emma’s hand and join those hearts together as one.”
    I didn’t feel my feet move, but I was suddenly at Emma’s side. When she didn’t respond to my squeezing, I lifted her arm until she was on her feet. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
    I didn’t hear anything else Moonlight said. I focused all my attention on Emma, yanking her down the hall, and straight out the door. Sunlight slapped my face as I stepped onto the porch. I used my fingers to shield my eyes as I clung to her arm and led her toward the car.
    “That woman is fucking crazy.” I stopped, and took a deep breath. We had reached the Benz, and I placed one of my hands on its roof. Emma still hadn’t said anything. I wasn’t sure I believed that Moonlight was truly crazy; some of her words felt a little convincing. But I didn’t want her to freak out Emma, so I didn’t mention what she’d said. I just shook her slightly. “Are you OK? You ignored me the whole time we were in there.”
    “Ignored you?”
    I nodded.
    She leaned against the door. Her lids looked heavy, her posture was slouched. “I didn’t hear you say anything.”
    “I was yelling your name, Em.”
    “I guess I was just so focused, I don’t know,