Souljacker by Kodilynn Calhoun Read Free Book Online

under the fluorescent lighting of the grocery
store. She throws a loaf of bread in the cart and we amble down the
aisle.
    “So why are you really here?” she asks after
a moment, looking at me through tangles of blue hair.
    “You don’t believe I just want to be in your
company?”
    “That’s sad. Surely you’ve got more
interesting things to do with your time.”
    “Alright then. What if I said I’m along for the eye candy?” I wink at her, and she blushes, then
seems mad that she’s blushing. She huffs and storms ahead and I
can’t help but chuckle.
    I call after her, “You’re beautiful, Luce.
Whether or not you believe it’s up to you, but I think you’re the
prettiest thing on two legs.”
    “What if I shaved off my hair and eyebrows
and got a bunch of piercings?”
    “Mm. Exotic.”
    “What if I gained three hundred pounds?”
    “Fluffy.”
    She throws her hands up in the air.
“Whatever.”
    “You can forgive me cuz I’m cute, right?”
    “You’re so damn vain.”
    “Yep.”
    We collect cereal, milk, bottled water, eggs,
and a bunch of oddly useless necessities in silence, the only
sounds being the cruddy music playing over the intercom and our
shoes squeaking on tile.
    I can’t wait any longer, else my heart’s
going to lunge out of my throat and flop around on the floor in a
pool of bloody emotions. “Do you wanna go out sometime?” My words
stop her in her tracks. She spins on me, her eyes round as saucers.
I offer an innocent smile to show I’m not playing games.
    “Where?”
    “A movie? Or maybe mini golf?”
    She seems to consider, nibbling on her lower
lip, making a pouty face that’s so damn kissable. I have to clench
my hands around the cart just to keep from reaching out and
stealing one. I see emotions flicker through her eyes like a TV
flipping stations.
    “Okay,” she says in a voice that’s all too
feminine.
    I beam at her. “Awesome. Does tonight
work?”
    She nods. “Yeah. Curfew’s for sissies
anyway,” she says around a wry smile.
    “I’ll have you back in no time. Seven?”
    “I’m bringing Sync.”
    “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    She rolls her eyes and trudges ahead, but I
can see the bounce to her step and my heart rockets. We pick up the
rest of the groceries and I stay with her while she checks out at
the Do-It-Yourself aisle.
    “Seven,” she repeats as we head out the door.
“See you then.”
    I watch her stride off and smile to myself.
Now I just have to get out of border duty on time.
     
    ***
     
    I trot down the street, following the built
in GPS on the chip in my head. Pretty handy when you’re a
directional idiot. Still, I hate the idea that they could track me
if they wanted to. My paws pound the street at a steady pace, my
eyes darting back and forth as I try and pinpoint Sariel’s
location. The little map has a blue dot where he’s supposed to
be.
    I find him on the outskirts of town, over the
old railway tracks that signify end of boundary lines. He’s propped
up against a building, a cigarette between his lips, the tip
glowing cherry red in the twilight. If any of the cyberhounds look
like their angel names, it’s Sariel. Tall and slender, with blond
curls that frame his face and azure eyes, he’s beautiful. He even
gives the Fae a run for their money.
    His face tilts towards me and I know my scent
has wafted in his direction. I shift and make my way towards him.
He takes a drag, then offers the smoke to me with a quirk to his
thin lips. “Oh hell no, I don’t need a bad habit,” I say. He merely
shrugs and flicks off ash, smoke trailing a thin line from the
ground to the sky.
    “You mean another bad habit?” His eyes
lock on mine and I freeze, unsure of what he means. “I’m not an
idiot, Io. I see the way you look at that punker girl, all
googly-eyes and goofy smiles.” His lip twitches and I can’t tell if
he’s amused, annoyed, or a bit of both. He drops his voice. “You
know that’s not safe.”
    I lean