Perilous Waters by Diana Paz Read Free Book Online Page A

internet for the perfect boots to match, and sent them to her seamstress to add matching hot pink lace across the tops to make them one-of-a-kind.
    Her clothes were striking. Noticeable. Sometimes she bared her midriff and showed off tons of cleavage, but lately she had been letting her outfits hint at her curves. Teasing. Accentuating without fully revealing. Miniskirts and thigh-high boots were the perfect example of this technique, with more flesh being hidden than if she wore a conservative skirt and sandals. Yet still, it somehow looked sexier.
    Absently, she ran her thumb along the scar on her cheek. Angie’s goody-goody parents had surprised her, never once judging her revealing outfits, and instead admiring the color or unique combination of fabrics she put together. It was odd. She couldn’t pinpoint when it had started, but she enjoyed the compliments she received for her sense of style much more than the shock response she got from looking slutty.
    She shook her head lightly, realizing she had been staring at the door like a moron. Even Angie’s doorbell sounded cheerful, she thought as she let go of the button. No one would think that behind this adorable façade, there was a basement filled with bones and skulls and cryptic, ancient magic.
    “Why hello, Kaitlyn,” Angie’s mother said brightly. She looked more like Angie’s big sister than her mom. She was just as tiny, just as blond, and had the same friendly, welcoming smile. But more than anything else, it was her clear, trusting, eyes that made her seem so young. Looking at them, it was hard to imagine that she was old enough to be anyone’s mother.
    “Hello,” Kaitlyn said, a pulse of awkwardness forming against her throat. “Angie told me to come over… for…” she faltered, not used to talking about the magic with someone besides Angie and Kaitlyn. She moistened her lip. “For… practice.”
    “Of course,” Angie’s mother replied, motioning for her to enter. “Is there anything I can get you? Some water? A snack or something?”
    Kaitlyn shook her head. It was strange to see a mom be so genuinely nice. She wondered if this lady was just better at faking it than her own mom was, or if she really did like doing things for people. Like Angie.
    “I’ll leave you to it, then,” she said, opening a door that led to the basement. “Angie,” she called. “Your guest is here.”
    “Coming,” Angie replied from below.
    Angie’s mom gave Kaitlyn a little wave and then headed down the hall. Kaitlyn looked from her to Angie, who appeared with a smile beneath cornflower blue eyes.
    “I’m so glad you could make it.”
    Like she had any choice? She was bound to Angie and Julia forever. Not to mention that Angie was the only one who really knew much about their powers. If she didn’t come and practice with her, she would never be as good at it.
    The past few months without Ashleigh and Becca had left her feeling alone, and gaining Angie and Julia as Sisters of Fate hadn’t really helped. Rather than getting used to hanging out with them, the more time they spent together, the more out of her element Kaitlyn felt. They looked at things completely differently than Ashleigh and Becca, who had been easy to understand and manipulate. With Angie constantly acting as though she really wanted to get to know her and be her friend, Kaitlyn didn’t know how to respond, and ended up feeling defensive.
    Open up to Angie? To anyone ?
    Having magic definitely had its drawbacks. She had gained a hideous scar and lost her friends and her standing at school, all for being able to light a candle across a room and not having to get up when she didn’t want to reach for something. The trade-offs weren’t really paying out.
    Then again, blasting her enemies with beams of energy was pretty fun.
    “Come on,” Angie beckoned, her blond ponytail bobbing as she turned and headed down the stairs.
    She reached the bottom of the stairs, which opened to a gothic