What Doesn't Kill You by Cate Dean Read Free Book Online

wouldn’t go for any of them.
    Slipping the uneaten half of Mom’s sandwich to his plate when she reached for more chips, he flashed a grin at her. She shook her head, laughing.
    “My own personal bottomless pit. What am I going to do with—”
    Agonizing pain blotted out the rest of her words. Zach doubled over, barely aware of the hands that caught him. He did feel the floor under him, heard Mom’s voice filter through the haze.
    “Zach. I’m right here, sweetheart.” Mom’s low, quiet voice filtered through the pain. “He was fine a moment ago.”
    Warm hands covered his, and he felt the familiar heat of Marcus throwing out his healing power. The pain loosened its hold, enough for him to roll on to his back without retaliation. Only one thought, one image filled his mind.
    “Annie,” he whispered, his throat raw, like he’d been screaming.
    “God above.” Mom took his hand.
    Marcus stood. “Meet me there.” He ran toward the back door.
    “Zach, sweetheart—can you sit?” He nodded, hoping it was true. Mom helped him, and he knew she wanted to leave him, go after Marcus. “Is it Annie? The baby?” Her voice came out a choked whisper.
    “Yeah—but not that.” Touching her wrist, he let out some of the healing power he used to help Marcus save her in England. Healing he remembered having before he fell. “Her power is attacking her. Part of her power I’ve never felt or seen. It’s dark, Mom, ugly.” He couldn’t stop himself; he shuddered, the taint of it still inside.
    “You could—feel her. See her power.”
    “Ever since the fire elemental, I’ve been, um, rediscovering myself.”
    She let out a sigh. “We’ll talk about this later. If you want to, of course.” Her sudden retreat hurt, more than he thought it would. Mom paced him as he stood, her face too pale. As usual, she was hiding her weakness from him. They’d talk about that, too. “I need to go to Annie. If you want to rest—”
    “I’m fine, Mom. Go ahead—I’ll catch up.”
    Zach waved her off, and she walked fast across the living room, running down the alley by the time he reached the back porch.
    Leaning against the doorframe, he took in a shallow breath, shaky fingers gripping his amethyst. He remembered being able to sense someone’s pain when he’d been an angel, but he didn’t remember being dropped by it. Not like this. It felt like a hot knife shoved in his gut.
    Because the pain was all but gone, he figured Marcus got to Annie. So he took his time walking to the shop, still feeling off. He moved through the back room and made his way to the front, halting as the three of them came into view.
    Annie sat behind the counter, sucking on a glass of iced tea and reading a magazine. She looked like she’d been there a while. No pain radiated from her—not one ounce of what knocked him down.
    “What the—”
    “Annie’s fine, Zach.” Mom shook her head at him. “But I still want you to go home and rest,” she said, laying both hands on the counter. Zach noticed the lack of rings, which meant she’d lost weight again. She wouldn’t wear them, since they kept slipping off. Another thing they’d have to talk about; maybe it was time for him to come home. “With your due date so close, I don’t want you tiring yourself.”
    “And when did you become the boss of me?”
    Zach blinked, his mouth hanging open. Annie looked the same, but the anger spewing out of her made Mom take a step back. “That was not my intention, Annie.” She kept her own voice low and even. Zach recognized the tone she used when she talked to irate customers. “You are officially on maternity leave, and now that Marcus and I are back, you can go on home.” She moved around the counter, ignoring Annie’s cursing as she all but pulled Annie off the stool and guided her to the front door. “Thank you for hanging out here. Now go home.”
    “Fine!” Annie jerked out of her grip. “Stop manhandling me, and I’ll get out of your