Luminous: Everheart Dean Series Book 1 by Abby Kingston

Author:Abby Kingston [Kingston, Abby]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2022-01-10T16:00:00+00:00

19

Danger

A shadow falls across my face. My heart stops dead. My blood turns cold. The place where my pendant rests against my skin flames like a scalding coal. The first time I'd thought it was the heat from the bonfire, but now...

The boy is silhouetted by the moonlight so I can't see his features, but I recognise him instantly. Huge shoulders. Thick neck. Meaty hands. Jarrod.

"I've been watching you all night," he says, flexing his fingers, curling them into fists and then relaxing them.

I grab Lila's arm, pulling her with me as I scramble to my feet.

"What do you want, Jarrod?" she demands bravely, but I can hear her voice quivering as she clings to me.

The boy doesn't reply. I can't see his eyes, but I know they're fixed on me.

"We have to get back," I say.

"Why?" he asks, and I notice he's not slurring anymore. In fact, his voice sounds different, crackling and sibilant, almost like an out of tune radio. "I'm just starting to enjoy myself."

Clutching Lila's arm, I press my lips together and try to walk past him, but he steps into our path.

"Luke is waiting for us," I warn him.

"I don't think so," he purrs.

"Jarrod..." Lila says.

Jarrod takes a step toward us, thrusting out his neck to peer at me. "What is it about you?"

I avert my face in revulsion. "I don't know what you mean."

He sniffs the air. Then he pushes his big face into mine. "I can see you, the colour of you. You look human, but you're not the same as the others. You're... brighter."

"You took LSD," Lila says in an accusatory voice. "Is that it, Jarrod? You took drugs?"

Jarrod turns his attention to her. "If you know what's good for you little girl, you'll run along now."

Lila gulps. I can feel her starting to shake. "I'm not leaving Evie."

"Run along before you get hurt," Jarrod hisses, his sibilant voice laced with danger.

I draw in a shaking breath. "Do what he says, Lila."

"I'm not leaving you." She sounds as if she's about to cry.

I push her away from me. "Get Luke."

She hesitates.

"Now!"

She runs.

I watch her disappear into the shadows in the direction of the fire. My heart is pounding against my ribs.

Jarrod laughs, a strange rattle in his throat. "Do you really think Luke can help you? He's just a boy. This vessel is so full of rage, I can do anything I want with it."

I drag my eyes back to him, keeping my expression flat, dismissive. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," Jarrod drawls, reaching out to trail a meaty finger down my face.

I shudder, jerking my face away from his touch. The pendant is fire at my throat.

"Are you going to hurt me?" I try to sound defiant, but my voice cracks.

"There is nothing I would like more," he chuckles, and it's a nauseatingly intimate sound. "But first I have to figure out what you are."

I glare at him. "You're not making any sense, Jarrod. You've clearly had too much to drink.

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