The Night Shifters by Emily Devenport Read Free Book Online Page A

and I decided to stay where I
was.
    “Relax, my dear,”
said the Car King. “You are not in the usual sort of danger. I
would simply like to talk things over with you. I can help you
understand your situation better. Would you like that?”
    His voice had a
soothing quality. It sounded rich – and cultured, like his suit,
which was woven in dark, subtle tones of blue, the sort of garment
that could never go out of style. I felt out of place in my sweater
and jeans.
    “Let’s have a
drink,” he said, as if guessing my discomfort. He leaned forward
and pulled down a small wet bar, and I noticed that his hair was so
long he was sitting on it. “Please relax, Hazel. You look so tense.
What would you like? A white wine?”
    I started to
say yes , but my crystal
heart gave me a sudden, painful jab, so it came out,
“Yurk!”
    “What?”
    “Uh – nothing for
me, thanks.” I held my hand over my heart. It still twinged
painfully, but the stabs faded with every beat.
    “Perhaps later,” he
offered.
    “That would be
lovely.”
    “Well.” He patted
my hand. “Don’t sit so far away, Hazel. I’ll have to shout to be
heard. Come.” He hooked an arm around my waist and slid me over.
“That’s better. You are a pretty thing, I must say. You have a
certain innocent charm. And I love your freckles.”
    “Thanks.” I
coughed. “How did you know my name?”
    “Unlike those
idiots back there, I knew your name from the beginning. It’s a
special talent I have.”
    “ From
the beginning ?”
    He placed his arm
over the back of the seat – I could feel his fingertips lightly
brushing my hair. I knew I was in big trouble, but I couldn’t
resist looking into his eyes. He had things to tell me.
    “Since the
beginning of this latest Shifting,” he said. “From your point of
view, since you woke up that first time to find that the sun hadn’t
come up.”
    “And why hasn’t
it?” I shivered as I felt a tickle on the back of my neck.
    “In the daylight,
cold reality rules. But the Night is the time of possibilities. The
Night is our time.”
    “ Oh.” I felt
a little disappointed. I had hoped for an explanation that would
make sense. I turned away and tried to look out my window, but his
hand crept around like a snake and cupped my chin, and then I had
to look at him again. Where’s his other hand? I wondered, then jumped as I felt it on my thigh.
    “Why is everyone
chasing me?” I demanded. “What did I do?”
    He considered
that for a moment. “That’s a good question. I’ve asked it myself –
yet here I am making my own play for your attention. But I think I
agree with Sir John. For some reason, the Night likes you. It’s not
so much what you’ve done Hazel – it’s what
you could do in the future.
    Now listen
carefully.” His expression hardened. “You don’t know it yet, but
you have power here. With a lot of work and with my careful
guidance, you could be the equal of any Night Shifter.”
    “Even Sir
John?”
    He smiled.
“Especially Sir John. Nostradamus and Camilla have been weakened by
their exposure to the Black Manna. We have a great opportunity now,
and we should take advantage of it.”
    “What is that
stuff, anyway? The Black Manna, I mean.”
    This time he
frowned. “I’m not sure. I think it may be raw Night. You and I will investigate it later, once we’ve made
some changes.”
    “How are we going
to make changes?”
    His perfect face
loomed closer. “Let me show you.” He kissed me. I felt something on
my mouth like warm honey, and my body started to go limp. I wanted
to fill up with the honey, but something hot and sharp jabbed me in
the chest.
    “Ouch!” I yelled.
He jerked away.
    “What is it!” he
demanded, his face wild.
    “ My chest – I
– ouch !!”
    He reached for my
chest with his fingertips, and the pain increased. I pushed away
from him and jammed myself against my door.
    “Just stay over
there!” I ordered him.
    “You’ve got
something in your