Tiny tendrils of static electricity swept around Karyl in diminishing circles. His eyes turned blank, then dark. Without their scary luminescence, his eyes looked tortured.
Jimena pitied him now and felt sick in her heart when she considered how truly lonely and separate the life of a Follower must be. She wondered how they came to terms with the life they had chosen. Looking at Karyl now as he lay on the ground, she suspected that they never did.
“You didn’t use the gun to hurt Karyl.” Cassandra’s words were filled with amazement and disappointment.
Jimena faced Cassandra. “Of course not, Cassandra, we don’t use the tools of the Atrox. The gun was only to distract you.” She threw the gun over the edge of the abyss.
Karyl whimpered with a low animal whine, then pulled himself up, and took two tottering steps backward. He stopped and looked around him as if he didn’t know which way to go.
Cassandra rubbed her finger nervously over the scars on her chest.
Vanessa, Catty, and Serena lined up next to Jimena and faced Cassandra.
Morgan looked at them, then back at Cassandra and Karyl. She suddenly turned and ran.
Thunder crashed through the air.
Jimena turned quickly. The ground quaked, but this time the earth seemed to be closing.
Cassandra trembled and a low wail came from deep inside her.
“What’s going on?” Serena wiped at the mud streaked across her face.
“I think Cassandra has displeased the Atrox,” Vanessa said.
Cassandra cowered as if she expected a bolt of lightning or something worse to annihilate her. Her low pathetic cries were filled with fear.
“Do you think we should try to save her?” Catty’s face was covered with raindrops.
“I don’t think we can,” Jimena mused. “She looks like she’s in deep communication with the Atrox.”
Cassandra let out a cry, then turned and slowly walked away.
The ground shook and roared with thunder. The earth closed completely and Jimena knew they had won for tonight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
AFTER SCHOOL ON Monday the girls met at Pink’s. Jimena was late because she had stopped at church to keep her promise to the goddess. Her grandmother was proud of the way she now prayed daily for the souls lost in purgatory. Jimena liked the quiet and dark and peace inside the church. She had told her grandmother about her promise to the goddess. She didn’t tell her everything about that night, but her grandmother had smiled and said she suspected that God had many good spirits to help keep watch over the people of earth.
Jimena bought three chili dogs and joined her friends, who were already sitting around a table in the back. They didn’t look like they were enjoying the late afternoon sun or their dogs.
Jimena sat down. “So what’s up?”
Serena was the first to break the silence that held the table. “Stanton’s disappeared.”
Vanessa lifted her sunglasses, then looked around to make sure no one was listening. “The Atrox probably sent Regulators after him.”
“Are you sure he’s disappeared?” Catty took a bite of hot dog and spoke with her mouth full. “I mean, how would you know if he disappeared or was just doing what Followers do.”
“Trust me,” Serena answered with a glare. “I know. Something’s wrong. It’s like he’s vanished. I’m going to go looking for him again.”
“You have to be careful,” Vanessa warned.
“Let’s talk about something else.” Serena tried to act as if she wasn’t bothered, but she kept raking her fingers through her hair and glancing at her watch.
“What time is it?” Catty asked finally.
“Almost four.” Serena took in a deep breath. “I gotta go.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Jimena asked.
Serena shook her head. “No. This is something I need to do alone.”
Vanessa shrugged, but Jimena could tell she was unhappy with Serena’s decision.
Serena started to leave.
“Remember we’re here for you if you need us,” Vanessa said.
“Yeah, don’t think you have to be like me,” Jimena added. “And do it on your own.”
“Wait.” Catty stood. “I have to leave, too.”
“Where are you going?” Jimena asked with a sly smile.
Catty seemed to blush. Maybe it was just the heat of the sun. “I got a study date with Chris.”
“Study?” Vanessa’s smile was huge. “Since when do you study?”
“And on a date,” Jimena teased. “You must like Chris a lot.”
“I like him.” Catty smiled contentedly.
“Let’s go,” Serena added impatiently.
“Jimena, do you want to come with me to my ballroom-dancing class?” Vanessa offered. “It’ll be fun.”
“No.” Jimena smiled back at her. “Go on,” she insisted. “I need time to think, anyway.”
“You sure?” Vanessa asked.
Jimena nodded. She waited until Vanessa had left with the others, then she got up and strolled through the alley behind Pink’s and started walking down Melrose. She hadn’t gone far when a horn honked. She turned. Collin’s utility van pulled up to the curb.
“Hey,” he shouted. “You need a ride?”
She shifted her head to the side. “Are you making a career out of following me around?”
“Maybe,” he answered.
She glanced at him and wondered why she felt so happy to see him.
“You want to go down to the beach?”
She shook her head, but then she looked into his clear blue eyes and the wrong word came from her mouth. “Okay.”
“Great.” He jumped from the van, came around to the passenger’s side and opened the door.
She hesitated. Why had she said okay? She didn’t want another relationship. It would hurt too much when it was over. Besides, a dull ache for Veto still filled her heart.
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” she said, but even as she spoke the words her feet betrayed her and she walked toward the van.
They parked the van, then walked down Colorado Avenue and onto the Santa Monica pier. Twice Collin tried to hold her hand, but she pretended she had an itch on the side of her face that needed to be scratched.
“Let’s walk along the shore,” he suggested.
They took off their shoes and walked in the sand at the water’s edge.
Collin looked out at the water. “I’m glad you and Serena finally told me the truth.”
“Yeah?” A breeze ruffled through her hair.
Collin took her hand. She hadn’t anticipated his touch and a sweet excitement rushed through her.
“It explains a lot.” He smiled, then he looked at her oddly.
“What?” she asked.
His arm slipped around her. “I’ve never kissed a goddess before.”
She pulled away from him and stepped quickly down the beach.
A sudden gust pushed against her. She stopped. The wind swirled, making her clothes flap around her, and in the circling wind she thought she heard Veto telling her to go back to Collin. He’ll treat you fine. The wind died to a caress of air across her cheek. Then it was gone.
Collin walked up to her. “Do you want me to take you home?”
She shook her head and rested her hands on his chest. “Not yet,” she answered.
He didn’t move to kiss her but stared at her, unsure.
Her anticipation made her desire grow and when his warm lips finally touched hers, her body filled with happiness. He kissed her long and slow, the way he had in the premonition. And as the kiss continued, warm and intoxicating, a stream of swiftly moving pictures filled her mind, all showing her with Collin. She smiled to herself, knowing that her premonitions always came true.
Lynne Ewing, Daughters of the Moon, Books 1 - 3
Thank you for reading books on B
ookFrom.Net Share this book with friends