Darkness Falls

Darkness Falls by Mia James Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: Darkness Falls by Mia James Read Free Book Online
Authors: Mia James
Tags: Teen Paranormal
now you’re here, I wish I’d never suggested it.’
    April forced a smile.
    ‘It’s okay. It’s fine. We’ll have a great time playing pin the tail on the monster.’
    Caro laughed with relief.
    ‘Well, it’s funny you should say that …’

Chapter Three
     
    April was pretty sure she’d never have a career as a Hollywood star. She spent the next lesson feeling completely sick after her debut performance playing the part of a girl who didn’t care about Gabriel Swift. She knew that it was necessary to protect both of them, but that didn’t mean she had to like it – and she certainly hadn’t liked the way Gabriel was throwing himself into it. While she’d been talking to Ben, he’d been flirting with other girls. But April trusted him – she had to. They were both in danger here, literally surrounded by undead monsters who would tear them apart if they suspected anything. God, but it hurt to do. She had hoped for some shared smile across the room, but she had barely dared look in his direction. Be strong, April , she scolded herself. It’s only a game . But it was a game with the highest possible stakes and she wasn’t completely sure she could take the pressure.
    As she doodled in her notebook, too preoccupied to tune in to the lesson at all, April found herself looking across at Benjamin. Did he really like her? He had certainly seemed sincere. But he’s a vampire, April – he could easily be playing his own elaborate game, couldn’t he? She watched him as took notes, his blue eyes cast down, unaware that she was staring at him. There was something knowing, beautiful, even frightening about Ben. He was certainly pretty cocky most of the time, but he could also be vulnerable. Which wasn’t something you could say about Gabriel, who was always so strong and reserved … until now, of course. Now it killed April to see him struggling with pain and illness, frightened to go back to a way of life he hated, too proud to admit he was suffering.
    The moment the bell rang, April grabbed her satchel and was up and out of the classroom. She knew what she had to do; she was going to find Gabriel. Okay, so they needed to play their roles in public, but if she couldn’t see him in secret, feel him in her arms, kiss him, she thought she might snap. He might be dead soon , she thought, why should we be spending what little time we have apart? Screw the danger .
    April was striding down the corridor, determined to get to the school gates before Gabriel had a chance to leave. She turned the corner towards the main entrance and was suddenly grabbed from behind.
    ‘Hey, what—’ she said, but before she had time to protest she was pulled sideways into an empty classroom, stumbling into a desk. As she whirled around, April immediately saw her abductor: Layla, her arch enemy, the Face who had been dating Milo, the vampire who died. Not that Milo had told her he was seeing Layla when he kissed her, the blood-sucking rat. Layla had never had any proof that April and Milo had kissed, but she had always hated April – maybe she had some sixth sense about what had really happened. Certainly she was now glaring at April with undisguised spite. No, it wasn’t spite, it was something else.
    ‘What do you want?’ demanded April. ‘Let me go.’
    ‘Shut up,’ hissed Layla pushing the door closed behind them and locking it. ‘I don’t want any of them hearing.’
    ‘Any of who?’ Layla looked agitated and edgy, not quite in control of herself. April took a step away from the girl, out of reach of her talons, but Layla made no move towards her. In fact, April noticed that Layla’s nails were all bitten right down. Somehow that detail was more disturbing than being cornered by a girl she knew hated her. Layla was one of the top Faces; Hell would freeze over before they let their manicure regimes slip. What the hell was going on?
    ‘What do you want, Layla?’ asked April. ‘If this is about Milo …’
    ‘It’s not

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