Unawakened by Trillian Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

it. Then again, he could probably sense my emotions. The idea he was feeding on my pleasure didn’t bother me as much as it had before.
    I enjoyed Rob’s company, but the fact he was so reliant on my emotions for his survival bothered me. A lifetime of fighting for my freedom and working to escape the rigors of the lowest caste didn’t help me accept someone being truly unable to escape the constraints of their circumstances through hard work and effort.
    Rob would always need someone to provide him what should have been a basic right.
    “What’s bothering you?”
    Sometimes, Rob’s powers were an inconvenient pain in my ass, too. I sighed, and because I knew the only one watching us was Colby, I leaned against him and took a deep breath. I’d never seen him apply cologne, but Rob had a faint scent. It reminded me of the brief but perfect period of time between the spring and summer, when the sky was clear of clouds, the air smelled of flowers, and the temperature was just right.
    “I don’t like that you’re so dependent on me.” The words slipped out, and I gasped, heat washing over my face. Before I could pull away, horrified at my carelessness, Rob tightened his hold on me, holding me close.
    “You’re so honest.”
    Relaxing against him, I sighed and shook my head. “It isn’t fair. You shouldn’t have to rely so much on others just so you don’t starve.”
    Rob sighed, let me go, and gave me a gentle push towards his car. “Then we shall talk about it while we go on our drive.”
    My doubts and curiosity waged a brief but intense war, and I buckled in. Instead of hopping on my lap as I expected, Colby jumped to the back and nested on Rob’s overcoat.
    I was grateful my macaroni and cheese roommate no longer left smears of neon-orange sludge and powder in its wake. The months with Rob had improved my perception of value to some degree. Replacing the coat wouldn’t hurt his bottom line in the slightest, but the thought of such a beautiful thing being ruined bothered me.
    It was just a black leather coat, but when Rob wore it, it brought out the blue in his eyes and made me stop and stare at him. He rarely smiled when he wore it, which intrigued me almost as much as the fact he didn’t wear it often despite the early winter chill.
    Rob drove with the confidence I lacked, obeying the speed limit as he always did whenever I was in the vehicle with him. While I worked up the courage to ask questions, Rob kept his gaze fixed on the road, waiting in silence.
    “Doesn’t it bother you that you have to rely on people so you don’t die?”
    “It doesn’t bother me at all. The company is stellar, the perks are downright sinful, and when I make you happy, I’m happy. Why would that bother me? It doesn’t, and it shouldn’t bother you, either. You require food to survive—food that also came from living things. Other people farm it or raise the animals. In a way, I’m better off than you; I eat, but I don’t hurt you—I actually benefit you. That said, I can eat the same foods you do, although I’d eventually starve.”
    I frowned, and no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t think of a single way to contest his point. I did require food—food from living things, and when I ate, I did kill them. “True.”
    “Don’t worry. I fully support your carnivorous ways, as long as I don’t end up on the menu.”
    “We’ll see.”

Chapter Five

    I managed to find my way back to the elite’s estate through a mixture of luck and good memory. I was having some serious doubts about the adventure to the estate. If I had been smart, I would have taken some time to prepare before getting caught up in the moment and deciding it was a good idea to break into the vault again.
    The heist had been my easiest job after I had defeated its alarm system. Years ago, I had come prepared with tools.
    I really needed to start thinking things through a little better. All of my common sense dribbled out of my