Falling Darkness: The second book in the Falling Awake Series by T.A Richards Neville Read Free Book Online

snapping of a tree branch.
    Caleb turned to me. “You did good,” he said. I strained to hear him through the racket of the wind, so I took a step closer to him.
    “You need to stop it now, though. Before anyone notices.”
    I nodded in understanding. “But I don’t know how,” I said. He ducked down and looked me in the eye, pushing my hair back out of my face and held onto my hands. “I think you do.”
    I shook my head in answer to him.
    “I know you can do it,” he said. “You can do anything.”
    I put my hand up to his cheek and let it stay there. I let my head get in sync with my heart and I tuned in to the heavy beating of it. I worked on slowing it down and brought my whole focus back to reality, what was real, and what was now. The dream had got me worked up, and now, I needed to forget it.
    My hand was still resting on Caleb’s face when the brutal winds steadily died down and the noise disintegrated into a low whistle until it disappeared completely into the night. The air was still and unmoving, but my skin was frozen from the icy gusts that were no longer clawing at me.
    Caleb brushed his hand through his hair. “That’s it,” he said. I opened my eyes and looked around me. It was peaceful. My eyes settled on Ressler and Drake. When did Drake get here? He stood leaning against the railings of the porch, and Ressler sat on the steps next to him. Caleb’s gaze followed mine, and in answer to the question that must have been plain on my face, he said, “Drake came with me.”
    Really? I never even noticed him. I stared at Drake and he brought his hand to his head in a salute. I smiled at him.
    “Let’s go inside. It’s freezing.” Caleb put his hand on my shoulder and walked me back into the house along with Drake and Ressler.
     
    ***
    The door bell sounded and I ran over to it. I opened it up and took the flat box from the courier and signed his slip of paper. “Thanks,” I said, and closed the door behind him. I dashed back up to my bedroom and opened up the box. I peeled away the layers of silver crate paper and pulled out the black satin leotard. I turned it in my hands then lay it on the bed and carefully peeled away another layer of paper and took out the black wings. It was Halloween and the night of the school dance.
    Mellissa gasped. “Wow.” She leaned forward and spread her fingers over the delicate, silky feathers. “That costume is amazing.”
    It was amazing. I loved it; it was beyond perfect.
    An hour later, I pulled the last strand of my hair through the flat iron. I ran my fingers through it, and because my waves were now poker straight, it glided down my back hanging a few inches shy of my waist. I put in my diamond earrings from Caleb and switched off the hot iron. I went downstairs where Mellissa was waiting, dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid. She looked great. Her hair was in thick waves, curling around her face, and she wore a purple, sequin shell bra with an elastic, sparkling green, fish tail skirt.
    “You look great,” I said to her.
    I stuck my finger under the rim of my leotard and pulled it out where it was beginning to disappear into my butt cheek. Mellissa laughed behind me.
    “Nice, Pria. I hope you’re not going to have wedgies all night.” I laughed and stuck my tongue out at her. I would definitely have wedgies all night. The leotard fit where it touched. I slid my feet into my black, heeled over the knee boots. I grabbed my wings off the table in the dining room and handed them to Mellissa. “Put these on for me please.” She wrestled her way up off the couch, restricted by her skirt and pushed herself up one arm. I held out my hand to her and pulled her up.
    “This skirt is really going to get on my nerves tonight,” she complained. I stuck my arms out and she slipped on the thin straps of the wings. I went over to the mirror and turned with my back to it, looking over my shoulder. The black wings spread wide from my back and dipped down,