The Reaping: Language of the Liar by Angella Graff Read Free Book Online Page B

“At least I had some experience before I worked it out for myself.  You’ve never so much as kissed one.”
    In spite of her nerves, Dorian put two and two together.  “Oh.  Oh.  You two are… you two?”
    Dash waggled his eyebrows as Lennox took a step forward and cocked his head to the side.  “I was under the impression you weren’t one of the religious bigoted types.”
    Dorian’s face went white.  “No I… no, I’m not.  It’s not that.  I just…”  She shook her head.  “What do you want from me?  Why the hell am I here?”
    “The short of it?”  Lennox held out his hand, but she refused to take a step away from the wall.  “You’re being possessed.”
    There was a pause so intense, Dorian thought for a moment everything in the room had frozen, including her.  Then a laugh bubbled and erupted, making tears form in her eyes.  She got herself under control almost immediately, her hand waving air into her face.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry because I can tell you’re serious but… possessed ?  You’re kidding, right?  Is this where you make me feel like I’m insane before you murder me and cook me and serve me at a dinner party?”
    Dash pulled a face.  “That’s a bit gross.  But he’s not lying.”
    Dorian’s face went hard.  “Look, they tried all kinds of crap on me in the convent to try and get me to believe.  Granted, they didn’t try telling me I was possessed, but still.  I’m not interested in joining a cult.”
    Dash and Lennox glanced at each other, then beckoned Dorian to the couch.  She didn’t move, and Dash threw up his hands.  “Look, we’re not barmy religious folk here, okay?  This isn’t some, we’re here to save your soul rubbish.”
    Lennox stared at her, his mouth drawn in a thin line, and he took a seat in the chair facing her.  “You have a thing about doors, don’t you?”
    Dorian’s giggles died and she felt her breath catch in her throat.  Unable to respond, she stared at him, her eyes large and terrified.
    “And windows?  You hear voices sometimes, see things moving in the shadows.  At night you feel like your head is being used as a doorway for things just passing through.  And when you wake up, things are different.  Sometimes it’s subtle, your keys aren’t where you left them, or your shoes got moved from one side of the room to the other.  But sometimes it’s more than that.  Sometimes your window will be open, or your car will be parked six blocks away from where you left it.  You have missing time.  You’ve been diagnosed with something, possibly schizophrenia, maybe OCD.  And when you get angry, bizarre things happen.”  He paused and grinned for a second.  “Like coffee cups tipping over on their own.”
    Dorian felt like she was floating outside her body, the shock setting in hard that these two men would have any idea what it was like for her. “Did you get my medical file or something?”
    Lennox laughed and nodded to the couch.  As if unable to control herself, Dorian crossed the room, giving Dash wide berth as she made her way to the couch and sat.  After a second, she reached into her back pocket, then set her phone in the middle of the table.  Lennox regarded her for a long moment, then glanced at her phone before he answered.  “I don’t need to see your medical file, lass.  It’s all the same.  With everyone.”
    “Everyone.”  Her voice echoed in the room, and it gave her shivers.
    “There are more like you, Dorian.  Hundreds of thousands.  Seventeen percent of the human population.  Most of them aren’t as bad.  Some of them go their entire lives without being tapped.  But you…”  He trailed off, giving Dash a dark look.  “Something’s got its claws in you, and it’s powerful.”
    She tried to swallow, but it got stuck in her throat and she gave a small cough, trying to regroup.  “Okay.  Okay, what ?  Because whatever you’re trying to say, it’s not making