Glimmer by Vivi Anna Read Free Book Online Page A

forth. And it needed to be blocked forever.
    Tucking the knife into the belt of my pants, I marched toward the tool shed. I opened the door, grabbed the long handled spade, and hauled it back to the garden. Unconcerned about the vegetable plants and flowers, I stuck the blade of the shovel into the ground and scooped as much dirt as I could lift. Without pause, I tossed it into the pond.
    Two hours later, back aching and muscles quivering, I had filled in the pond. A sense of smug accomplishment filled me as I surveyed my handiwork. Although the rest of the garden was ruined, with the tomato plants in shambles and most of flowers ripped from their soil beds, I had closed the portal. No one from Nightfall could bother us again. Not unless they found another way in.
    Too exhausted and sore to do anything but crawl up the stairs to my bed, I decided to think on that later. Right now, I just wanted to sleep. Despite the fact my hair was still damp and my shirt still clung to my body, muddy with bits of grass and plant stuck on, I knew I’d fall asleep the second my head hit the pillow.
    I let the shovel fall from my hand and I shuffled, head down, eyes drooping into the house. Once I climbed the stairs, I pushed open the door to my room and ambled to the bed. But before I collapsed on top of the comforter, I had the presence of mind to slip the knife from my belt and slide it under my pillow. The fact I was dead to the world didn’t mean I had any intention of staying that way permanently.
    ***

Chapter 7
    Sipping a glass of orange juice, I folded my omelet over mushrooms and cheese. Today was my day off and I intended to enjoy every second, including a fabulous breakfast, something I hadn’t enjoyed in a while. I’d always been too busy to stop and even eat one, let alone cook such a meal.
    I scooped the omelet up and onto a plate just as my father shuffled into the kitchen. “Mm, what smells so good?”
    “Mushroom and cheese omelet. Do you want one?”
    “Yes, thanks.”
    Grabbing the plate, I slid it onto the kitchen table toward my father with an accompanying fork. As I did that, I made sure to keep my neck covered by the collar of my shirt. I hadn’t had time yet to cover the marks with makeup. I didn’t really want to alarm him so early in the morning with the dark bruises and scratches around my throat.
    He dug into the food eagerly, and asked around a mouthful, “Why aren’t you at work?”
    “It’s my day off, Da.” I cracked more eggs into a bowl and whipped them, then added a little milk to make them frothy. “I have some errands to run.” Taking a sip of my juice, I asked, “Why are you up so early?”
    “Dolores and I are going bowling.” Dolores was Mrs. Duka, the widow from next door. “She belongs to a league. I’m thinking of joining.”
    “I think that’s a great idea. You should get out of the house more.”  And be around regular human people . But I didn’t voice that last part.
    As I finished the other omelet and slid it onto a plate, Da shuffled up next to me and set his dirty dish in the sink. I didn’t move my head in time and I knew by the widening of his eyes that he had seen the marks on my neck.
    He reached for the collar of my shirt. “What happened?”
    I pulled away from his reach, but he could be spry when he really wanted to be and managed to grip the fabric between his fingers.
    “I’m fine, Da. Really.”
    “That definitely doesn’t look fine. Looks like someone tried to choke you to death.”
    Giving up the ruse, I turned to face him. And that was when he paled. I’d already seen in the mirror what he was staring at, so it didn’t surprise me when he looked wide-eyed. Viewing it for the first time myself, the injuries had nearly knocked the breath from my lungs, and I’d already been prepared for it.
    “My God, Nina.” He took a distancing step away, as if I was contagious. “Who did this to you?”
    I sighed. “A