Seventh Mark (Part 1 +2) by W.J. May Read Free Book Online

floor. “I’m not sure what to tell you.”
    “The truth.” I
barely knew the guy and here I sat, in his car, demanding he spill
his guts. I crossed my arms, ticked at my inability to keep my
mouth shut.
    His eyes ran up
and down me, obviously misreading my body language. “I tell you a
hideous creature went after you, and you barely bat an eye. You
just turn and ask if I’m one.”
    “I was
joking.”
    “Yeah, you said
that.” He shifted, turning back to the wheel and staring straight
ahead.
    My right thumb
traced the pad of my left hand. If I told him my feelings, I’d step
over a line I’d never crossed before. Totally risky, but is it
as dangerous as the animal in the forest last night? Swallowing
hard, I hesitantly laid my fingers on his wrist. When he looked at
me, I stared back into his ocean blue eyes. “I…We haven’t known
each other very long, but there’s something...I li-like you.” I
wanted to add it was different, not like anything I’d ever felt
before. Instead, I babbled. “This may sound weird, but I can’t get
you out of my head. I hardly know you, but I trust you with my
life.” Horrified at what I’d admitted, I pressed my lips closed
tight. When Michael didn’t say anything, I sat back against my
seat. Crap! I’ve just screwed up royally. I dropped my face in my
hands.
    “ Trust me when I say I’m not right for you.” Michael’s voice took on that
husky rasp which made my breath catch. “I’m no good for you.”
    My heart sunk.
Grace had been wrong last night when she said Michael liked me. My
brain kept sending my heart mixed signals. I responded the way I
always did. I got defensive. “Isn’t it up to me to decide what’s
good or bad for me?”
    “I was afraid
you’d say something like that.” Without another word, his hands
pulled at my wrists, forcing me to look at him. The anger in his
face softened as his eyes danced back and forth. His face close, he
leaned forward and as he opened his mouth to speak, he brushed his
lips lightly against mine. Fire and ice. Like dynamite exploding
inside my head.
    Without
thinking, one of my hands touched his face and the other went
behind his head, its fingers curling in his soft hair. Then he
kissed me, this time with intention. It was intoxicating, left me
completely breathless.
    As quickly as
he’d begun, he pulled away, heaving. “Sorry. That wasn’t supposed
to happen.” His eyes were shut tight.
    “I didn’t mind
at all.” Could my mouth, for once, keep up with my brain and shut
up?
    “Rouge,” he
whispered. I loved the way my name rolled off his tongue. “This can
only end badly.”
    “How do you
know? We’ve barely started. Why not give this a chance and see what
happens?” Terrified he’d push away; I reached out and grabbed his
wrist. I’d never wanted someone like this. I’d been content to live
my life on my own and suddenly it seemed the loneliest option in
the world.
    Michael rubbed
the light stubble on his jaw. He appeared torn, trying to wrestle
his version of good versus evil. He sat perfectly still for a few
minutes and finally turned, his blue eyes boring into mine. “Screw
it. I can’t fight this. Just promise you won’t hate me in the
end?”
    “As long as we
don’t burn in hell, we’re good to go,” I joked.
    His jaw dropped
and his eyes grew big. Then he laughed a deep throaty one straight
from deep inside. “Alright. Let's head back to my place. Grace is
already bugging me, wondering where you are. And,” he swallowed,
“it’s time you met Caleb.” He squeezed my hand and turned the car
around.
    The way he
spoke made me anxious. I thought about those terrible yellow eyes
again. Thankful now it’d been too dark to see the thing properly.
“What are they?”
    Michael sighed.
“Grollics? They’re human but biologically messed up. Something’s
wrong within their natural order. It’s impossible to explain.”
    I had no reply.
I didn’t get it nor could I fathom it. If I