Downcast by Cait Reynolds

Author:Cait Reynolds [Reynolds, Cait]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B00WAKSJL0
Publisher: Booktrope
Published: 2015-05-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HE PULLED ME ALONG until we were outside, crossing the athletic fields toward the woods that ringed the school property. The cold bit my cheeks, and the wind stung my eyes.

The ground was somewhere between frozen and squashy, and my new sneakers were definitely getting broken in. I was wearing one of my new mini-skirts, and my tights were getting soaked with icy mud.

Finally, we reached the shelter of the woods, and Haley spun me around so I was against his body and his arms around my waist. I felt once again how solid he was, despite being so lanky. He was like a sculpture of steel.

His eyes were black fire and bore into mine. I shrank back against his embrace as I looked up into his livid expression. Beautiful menace. Once again, I was struck by the paradox of how lovely and tempting his danger seemed.

"Haley," I said breathlessly. "What are you doing?"

I felt something like a growl rumble in his chest. He caught my chin with one hand.

"You are mine," he whispered. "Don't ever forget it. I belong to you. You belong to me."

The wind was picking up, but it wasn't the cold alone that made me shiver.

"It's meant to be, Stephanie. I want to be in your world."

It took me a second to process the words. It was such a strange way of saying things.

"You don't belong in my world," I said between my chattering teeth. It hurt to say those words. He didn't belong with geeky, dorky me. He belonged to...well, not to stupid Jordan either. He belonged to a bigger existence than Darbyfield.

"Then be part of mine," he challenged back. I looked up into his face. Intensity burned in his eyes, and I wanted to burn with it, so badly.

"That'll never happen," I whispered, blinking back tears that sprung to my eyes. "Not in a million years."

"I've waited longer than that," Haley murmured. "What's another million if I could be sure I'd have you? But I'm not sure. I won't be sure until you say yes."

He released my waist, but slid his hands up until he had one hand cradling my neck and the other cupping my cheek. I existed only in heartbeats.

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming...

I heard the words in my head as I stood still and breathless, trapped by his bottomless gaze and freezing touch. My eyes seemed to be flaring up because suddenly, I could see the cold. I could see its burning icy waves in the air. I could see the utter black of Haley's eyes and the way they spilled into a black universe. I could see edges of darkness and the rotting of trees.

The cold grew sharper, the wind beginning to whistle and shake the trees, its invisible fingers searching through my clothes to touch my skin. The cold combed shivering threads of silver through my veins.

"You frighten me," I whispered, swallowing hard as the wind whipped up the dry, dead leaves and stirred Haley's black hair and my own.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.