The Light and Fallen by Anna White Read Free Book Online

prepay
sticker on it, so he headed into the gas station. He flipped
through the crisp twenty dollar bills in his wallet and pulled out
two to pay the cashier. When he walked back into the parking lot a
bright yellow Mustang with white racing stripes and sparkling rims
was parked only inches behind him. As he got closer he recognized
Jack, the boy from the locker room, leaning against its hood.
    Jack waved lazily as Lucian walked toward
him. "Nice truck."
    "It gets me where I need to go." Lucian
nodded toward the Mustang. "Is that yours?"
    Jack nodded. "Just got it last week," he
said. He patted the hood, then pushed himself up and sauntered
toward Lucian. He stretched out a hand and gave him a wide smile
that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I was passing by and wanted to
say hi. We weren't properly introduced today, and since we're the
new kids in town, we really should stick together."
    Lucian took his extended hand, and Jack
clenched his fist tightly. One of his knuckles popped as Jack
leaned in closer. "In fact," he whispered, "I think we'll get to
know one another very well."
    He let go of Lucian's hand and took a small
step back, watching. Lucian stood motionless and met Jack's stare
straight on. "Maybe," he said. "Only time can tell."
     
     
     

Chapter 19
     
     
    After a few seconds Jack spun on his heel and
slid behind the wheel of the Mustang. He revved its V-8 engine
before he slammed the car into reverse and peeled out of the gas
station parking lot. He sped through town until he hit the
outskirts, then pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor and
flew down the highway into the darkening twilight.
    After a few miles he slowed his speed
slightly and turned onto an unmarked side road. It was narrow at
first, then suddenly opened up and twisted to the right. It cut
through a wide, manicured field and ended in front of a pair of
black security gates. He slid to a smooth stop and pushed a small
button next to the gearshift, causing the gates to shudder, and
then swing aside. A security camera was trained on the gates and he
blew a kiss into the lens as he drove beneath it. Desiree was
probably watching him on the security system right now.
    A graceful, white columned mansion loomed in
front of him, and he parked the car in an empty bay of its massive
attached garage. When he entered the house through a side door, he
stepped into a kitchen straight out of a magazine. It was excessive
really, he thought, all slick granite and gleaming stainless
steel.
    Desiree was sitting at the kitchen island
when he walked into the room. He knew she'd heard him come in, but
she didn't turn around or acknowledge him in any way. He repressed
a small smile as he ran his eyes over the graceful curves of her
shoulders. He had stayed with many Guardians over the centuries,
but she would always be his favorite.
    He walked around the edge of the island and
saw that she was sipping a blood-red wine. He spun the bottle in
front of her so that he could read the label and raised an eyebrow.
"Expensive," he said. "What are we celebrating?"
    "You tell me." She slid her eyes in his
direction and fixed him with a hard, glittering stare. "You
certainly look pleased with yourself."
    "It's definitely him." Jack slid an empty
glass from a holder beneath the counter and twirled its stem
between his fingers. "I shook his hand so hard I would've broken
his fingers if he were human. He didn't even flinch."
    "Was that wise?" Desiree spun her chair
around and faced him fully. "Positively revealing yourself by
crushing his hand? Seems like you threw away the element of
surprise."
    Jack reached for the bottle and let some of
the ruby liquid trail into his glass. "I don't need surprise," he
said. "I just need to get into his head."
    He swirled the wineglass slowly. "It wouldn't
take him long to figure it out anyway. We have PE together."
    "Show a little restraint," Desiree suggested.
"And put that glass back. You shouldn't be drinking."
    Jack rolled his eyes.