Abra Ebner - Knight Angels: Book of Revenge (Book Two)

Emily laughed nervously. Im not joking! It was just comfortable having you think I was a moral-less person. Allowing you to believe I was someone else kept you at a distance. It kept you from finding out about my mindreading. She tapped her head.

Flooded with relief and happiness, I pulled her into me, unable to control my need to hug her. I was full of pride and guilt at the same time, pride for her chastity and guilt because Id assumed the worst from her for so long. She pushed me away gently.

Maybe you should listen more, she dared. Like I do, she added with a grin.

I giggled. I promise to try and ask more I was nodding and smiling, but Emilys face had suddenly drained of all color, her eyes fixed over my shoulder and behind me, searching frantically. My happiness quickly faded. What? I felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach at that look, knowing it couldnt be good.

Emily narrowed her eyes, ignoring my question. I turned and looked in the direction she was, behind me and through the rooms of the house toward the kitchen. There were more guests now than there had been when I arrived a few moments ago, the hall overflowing, but not with anything out of the ordinary.

What? I repeated, looking back at her and giving her a little nudge.

Emilys eyes pried away from where shed been looking. She shook her head as though shaking away an image. Nothing. I just thought she stopped herself, pressing her lips together as Wes returned, balancing four cans of beer.

Want one? he asked, looking proud to be serving us.

I scowled at Wes for cutting short Emilys answer. Emily, I thought we just promised to tell each other everything? You cant just do that and expect to avoid an explanation.

Emily frowned and reached over me, snatching a beer from Wess hand. She snapped it open and began drinking. Seeing that Wes was now struggling to balance the remaining beers in his hands, I quickly assisted him, grabbing two cans that were about to fall to the floor. Wes regained his balance. Emilys abrupt change in attitude was confounding.

Whats gotten into you? he barked at Emily.

Emily had her eyes shut, her head tilted back as she drained the can. She crushed it in her tiny hand, looking brutish doing so. Just anxious is all. Thanks for the beer.

My brows were drawn together. I once again looked over my shoulder, but there was still nothing to warrant her strange and unexplained behavior. What in the world had just happened?

Emily:

I gave the empty can back to Wes. He took it with a confused look that rivaled Janes. I nervously glanced back across the house where I had seen itseen him. Greg. It had to be a figment of my imagination, but what if it wasnt? My lack of sleep the last week had been hard on my already flawed concentration. I wouldnt be surprised to find I was seeing things now, too. Then again, if Greg really was in my room, then he could really be here and I wasnt seeing things at all. My spine steeled, body shaking.

Where was Max?

If Greg were really here, there was no way Max would not know about it. Lovers quarrel or not, Max was still sworn to protect Jane for the rest of her life including those she cared about, like me at least thats what he claimed the night he invaded my room. Now, more than ever, I actually missed having Max aroundhe would be able to tell me the truthwas Greg really here or not?

I know it seemed a stupid thing to obsess over, but no one saw what Greg did to mewhat he made me do . I was trapped in my body, his every wish my duty to fulfill. Granted he didnt take advantage of me, at least not to that degree, but he did make me kill a man. My hands sliced the heart right out of his poor soul, the blood forever staining my skin. I could never forget the way the man looked at me, my face the last he saw.

What Jane and Wes knew about my abduction was vague and loose. I hadnt been able to open up about it yet. Given that, being terrified by the simple possibility of Gregs proximity at this party made my reaction at this moment understandable. I certainly wasnt about to foot my burdens of that experience on them here and now. This meant leaving Jane with unanswered questions, though I had promised not to.

Wes seemed to shrug it off rather quick, idly sipping his beer. I brought one for Navia, too. Where is she? I was glad Wes was changing the subject away from my weird and sudden behavior.

Jane stood still, holding the two extra beers and staring at them with a frown on her face. I dont know. She looked around for a place to leave them, finding a side table in the corner behind her. I watched her maneuver the mass of yellow sateen fabric, setting the beers on two coastersalways the polite one.

Well, did she go to mingle? Wes pushed.

Wess pressing interest in Navias whereabouts sent an irritated twitch down my spine. On top of everything else I had to deal with, now I had to deal with the fact that Wes clearly had a thing for Navia, even if it was a superficial attraction to her super model looks. He thought I didnt know, but he wasnt as great at hiding it yet as he thought he was.

Jake approached then, and my whole body tingled with his nearness, hungering for the relaxation the veiled light could provide. Given the ape suit, however, there wasnt so much as a glimmer.

Hey, man. Wes put a hand on his shoulder. Got a beer over there for ya, on that little table thingy next to Jane.

Jake groaned dramatically. Oh, youre a god! He practically lunged for it, popping the top and chugging it down, finishing with a flagrant ah. Now thats good.

I rolled my eyes away from them, leveling my gaze across the room where the same, dark figure Id seen before now leaned against an arched passagewaycloser now. I felt my heart stop, my eyes lingering on the figure: undoubtedly a man, undoubtedly Greg. His face was shadowed by the overhang of the arch, his pose somehow coy and confident at the same time. I allowed myself to open my gaze to him, hoping that by doing so, he would disappear. He didnt.

Black leather jacket and dark jeansall the smoldering, dark romance he possessed was put on display. A sick part of me enjoyed it.

I shut my eyes hard this time, trying to quell the emotions that were mixing inside mehatred, love, murder, and lust. Opening my eyes with the emotions haltered, I saw he was gone. Though he had once again disappeared, one thing was for certain. This was real this time. This was not just a figment of my imagination anymore.

What did he want?

Jake reached for the last beer. Leaning back into his place in our circle he snapped it open, but before he could bring it to his lips, I snatched it out of his grasp. I slammed the fizzy amber liquid down my throat once more. I would not let this scare me. I was poison to Greg, and I needed to remember that.

Tilting my head back, I choked on the beer, surging forward in a fit of coughing. Jake caught me in his arms, patting my back.

What in the world? he remarked, aiming the question toward Wes. Whats wrong with her?

I stood up straight, wiping my chin.

Whats your problem? Jake asked me directly, looking from Wes and back to me. He squeezed my arm.

I yanked myself out of his grasp. Nothing, I hissed. The beer was already beginning to get to me.

We already tried that question, Jane filled him in. It doesnt work. Her dry sarcasm was annoying.

The three of them were staring at me like a sick person.

What? I barked.