Avenged (The Altered Series) by Marnee Blake Read Free Book Online Page A

about the task.
    Then it made sense. “You’re shutting me out.”
    His head jerked up. “What?”
    “You’re thinking about these packets so you don’t have to tell me something.”
    She must have surprised him, because she was suddenly bombarded with images. So many images, like a floodgate had opened, releasing bad dreams and fear—boys dressed in camo and carrying guns, like they were playing dress-up, but she knew it was too real. An explosion that he shied away from—
    He pressed his hands to his head, taking deep breaths. As he did, the thoughts moved away from her. The food. It’s ready.
    “How did you do that?”
    Nick’s skilled fingers worked for long moments before he answered. “I don’t focus on those things, not around you. You don’t need me clogging up your head with my bullshit.”
    “That’s what he did.” She fingered the edge of the cot mattress.
    “What who did?” Then he stilled. “Jeremy.”
    “Yes.” She took the packet of food he held out to her. “He misled me, with his thoughts.”
    He didn’t let go of her dinner, holding her eyes for a long minute. “I’m not misleading you. But it’s uncomfortable, with you eavesdropping on me.”
    She nodded. She wouldn’t want anyone listening in on her private thoughts, either. He let go of her MRE, and she watched him expertly open the container then followed his lead. “Would you prefer that I not listen to you?”
    “Can you do that?”
    “Yes.”
    He considered. “I think it should be up to you. I bet you’re sick of people telling you what to do with your power.”
    Her hand shook. He didn’t know how close to the truth that was. She waited for the steam to slow—the meals were incredibly hot—and asked another question to distract herself. “When can we see Blue and Seth?”
    He blew into the disposable container. “I kept in touch with them until I came here. Maybe we can meet up with them after you’ve been cleared.”
    “Cleared?” Her shoulders tensed.
    “Yes.” Nick turned on the light. “They need to verify that you’re not a risk to others.”
    No. It couldn’t be. Not again.
    She shook her head and stood, abandoning the meal beside her. “No.” She needed to get out of here. If it meant walking, so be it. “Where are the shoes? The ones in your extra set of clothes?”
    He held up his hands, still holding his MRE, and stood as well. His expression remained calm, soothing. He’d worn a similar expression when he’d approached the lion, right before he was about to shoot it. Definitely not good. She backed up.
    “Kitty, please. I told Martins. He knows what you can do. I told him you didn’t have any offensive power.” He spoke low and fast, as if he knew he only had so much time to convince her. “He only wants you to stay on post for a while. You’ll be free to move around.”
    “No.” She wasn’t going to be a prisoner again. She couldn’t. “I can’t. You don’t understand.”
    He snagged the sleeve of her ugly orange jumpsuit. “I saw where they were keeping you. I saw how you were living. You don’t think I understand?”
    “You saw, Nick, but you didn’t live it. You don’t know.” Her voice was rising, but she didn’t care. Her mother would have told her to calm down, that a woman in hysterics was an ugly thing. But her mother wasn’t here. Her mother was dead.
    “So tell me, please.” His voice was soft. “I can understand.” In the light of the lantern, his eyes were darker than usual, like deep wells she could fall into.
    “No, you can’t, Nick. You can’t.” She pulled her arm from his grasp, wrapping it around herself as if to hold herself together. She stepped back, needing space, something of limited quantity in the small cave. “No light, Nick. I was kept in rooms without windows, in case I did gain some power that hadn’t presented yet. And drugged, over and over. So many times, I lost count. They’d poke me with needles, take so much blood that I