Illumine by Alivia Anders Read Free Book Online

"No, you've got it al wrong. I want to help
    you."
    "I don't understand."
    He stepped closer and placed a hand on my car. "Haven't
    you ever wondered just what you realy are?"
    you ever wondered just what you realy are?"
    My brain staled. "Nothing's wrong with me."
    "I never said anything was wrong." He looked like he
    wanted to smile but held it in. "You mean to tel me you've never
    once been curious, not even a little bit?"
    "What are you going on about?" I half-shouted back at
    him. My fists began to clench tight, warmth spreading out from my
    chest like it had the night before at the bonfire.
    Kayden leaned in closer, his face centimeters from mine.
    He had no breath as he spoke, "I know what you are. Let me
    help."
    Without thinking I gave him a push. Blue sparks of flame
    crackled under my fingertips, igniting a burst of fire on his clothes.
    Kayden stumbled back swearing and yelping. He smacked his
    chest like a mad man until the blaze was out.
    I stood there, stunned. I looked down at my palms to see
    smal kindling sparks dancing over the skin. Somehow it wasn't
    burning me. Somehow I was conducting fire. My head felt light, the
    world taking a curious spin onto an angle. I crashed into the side of
    my car, catching onto the side mirror and knocking it off with me.
    My body shook as I spoke, scrambling to my feet and
    opening the car door. "You think you know me? You don't know a
    thing about me." I shoved my bag inside the car and got in, turning
    my neck to see Kayden standing several feet back. "There's
    nothing to find out, so stop. Leave me alone, Kayden, or I swear
    I'l-"
    "You'l what? Kil me? You couldn't hurt a fly. If you had
    even an inch of how to control the power you have you wouldn't
    even an inch of how to control the power you have you wouldn't
    have hurt me even now."
    "I don't have any power!" I screamed. Across the parking
    lot car alarms al went off at once. Headlights and tailights
    exploded and sparked uncontrolably. I shut the door and backed
    out, swerving the car until I could see Kayden.
    Through the windshield I could barely make out his lips as
    they moved. I revved the engine. My threatening words from the
    night before came front and center in my mind, echoing with clarity.
    "Go ahead and try," the whisper barely came out as I
    floored the car and sped past Kayden towards the only safe place
    I had left. My little House of Horror.
    S I X

    Every day that folowed it started the same. Kayden would
    be waiting outside my locker, leaning against the wal with a silent
    expression of rage fit for a man about to murder everyone in sight.
    One look in my direction and the features softened, but only a little.
    I opened my locker and shoved in everything for my
    afternoon classes, refusing to make eye contact with him. He was,
    after al, the one who put this on me. He brought every painful
    memory with him. A bug, ready to be squashed.
    My locker slammed shut. I stared straight ahead, focusing
    on the little metal flaps. "What are you doing?"
    "What does it look like I'm doing?" I didn't look to see.
    "I'm waiting, Essalie. Waiting for you to say you're curious, that
    you're ready. You know you only have to say the words, and you'l
    be that much closer to being rid of me for good." I felt his body
    shift closer, leaning into my stone posture. "So much for wanting a
    normal life, eh?"
    I squared my shoulders tighter and turned, making sure to
    avoid even the faintest connection of our eyes. "Don't hold your
    breath, demon."
    "Even if I wanted to, I'd be okay," he whispered, inching
    closer. "Demons don't need to breathe, you see. What about you,
    Essalie? Do you need to breathe?"
    I bit my cheek. I wanted nothing better than to plunge my
    hands onto his chest and burn him back to wherever the hel he
    hands onto his chest and burn him back to wherever the hel he
    came from. His eyes were a shining obsidian when I stared back at
    him.
    "Yes, Kayden, as a matter of fact I do. Humans need air
    for their