[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
. I wasn t in love with yourblond hair and blue eyes, Evy.It s what s inside that makes you who you are. It isn t enough if you re not attracted to someone, too. His eyes narrowed.They roved up and down my borrowed body.I shrank under hisscrutiny, unused to such a blatant perusal. You re right, he said after a few seconds ofsilence. I suppose I was a fool for thinking otherwise. Was that an insult? He quirked one eyebrow, telegraphing disappointment, disinterest.Ibristled, fists balling by my sides.I covered the distance between us in two measuredsteps, intent on smacking him across the face.He reached up, wrapped both hands around my neck, and kissed me so hard our teethclashed.I responded, mouth and body surging against his.Hands tangled in my hair,roamed down my neck, across my shoulders.Our tongues danced, teasing and tasting.I wanted to stop; I also wanted him.Unlike our first time, when I invited him into mybody for his own pleasure, I now wanted him for mine if it was really mine at all.My skin burned where he touched.I craved his scent, his taste, in a way I couldn t explain.Could barely control.I broke the dizzying kiss and stepped back.I couldn t help noticing the slight bulge inhis pants, or the curious glimmer in his eyes.I didn t know what was me, what wasmemory, and what was Chalice.Too many people s emotions in one head.And nowwasn t the time. I do love you, Wyatt, I said. I always have, but not romantically.I m sorry if I madeyou think otherwise. And now? Now? How much of love was physical attraction? I didn t know, but my lips stillburned from his kisses.My heart beat faster at the sight of him, red-cheeked and out ofbreath.I remembered how it felt to have him inside of me and something new andentirely Chalice wanted him there again. Now? The things I crave aren t appropriatefor a public library. What s changed? Everything.Me, him, the world.We weren t the same people we d been, even fiveminutes ago.As my memories returned, I would continue to evolve.Into someone whobattled against foreign desire and fought for duty above self.One who would be deadagain in fifty-something hours.One who would leave him again. Evy? He stood toe-to-toe, drilling me with his intense gaze.I looked down, unable to drum upany of my previous levity.All I felt was consuming sadness heavy, palpable, andsuffocating. We should go, I said. We re running out of time. I opened the service door and fled into the bright third-floor corridor.Wyatt followed ata distance, and we did not speak again until we returned to his car.* * * Chalice! The stranger s voice bounced off the building behind me.I froze in place, fingersbrushing the door handle.On the other side of the car, Wyatt tensed.We both turned inthe direction of the library.A boy in his late teens jogged down the sidewalk, his long brown hair flowing behind intangled strands.He wore baggy jeans and moved with all of the grace of a newborn foal.He stumbled once, but kept going, intent on me. Hey, Chal, he said, putting on the brakes.He almost overshot me. Hey, I replied, not a clue who the kid was.Damn Chalice for having friends. What happened to you yesterday? He had a high, nasally voice that, I imagined,became quite irritating after long-term exposure. Dude, Baxter was furious when youdidn t show, and then he got all worried, cause you re never late. He eyed the bandageon my forearm. You okay? Yeah, I am now, I said, holding up my arm.Lies tumbled out of my mouth. Greasefire in my apartment.My, um, brother, Wyatt, over there was visiting, and he wanted tomake stir-fry.He sloshed the oil and it got me, but then I had a bad reaction topainkillers at the hospital or I would have called.Tell & uh & What name had hesaid? Tell Baxter I m sorry. The kid cocked his head to the left, analyzing one of those sentences.With my luck,Chalice was an only child and everyone knew it.He d call me on it, and I d have tofudge another lie. Tell Baxter yourself, Chal; he ll be there when you go on-shift tonight, he finally said.I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle relieved laughter.Yeah, that was going to happen. Right, sure.Look, I hate to be rude, but I really have to go. Yeah, okay. He shrugged one shoulder, seeming unbothered by my abrupt dismissal.He looked across the car and offered Wyatt a half-assed salute. Dude, your sister sawesome. He turned and continued his wobble-legged journey down the street.After he managed to put about twenty feet of distance between us, I turned and placedmy palms flat against the top of the car. That was somewhat surreal. Brother? Wyatt asked, still ghostly pale from his summoning exertion, but seemingless likely to be bowled over by a strong wind. It slipped out.At least I didn t say that I missed my shift because I was dead andhadn t made my four o clock resurrection appointment yet. His expression would have been priceless. Why couldn t I have woken up in the body of a homeless person that nobody knew?This has the potential to become very, very complicated. I think we ve passed that mile marker already.You said you met Chalice s roommate.Now we know she has a job somewhere, so people are bound to recognize her. Not to mention the suicide report that some city cop has probably filed away withChalice s photo in it. He blew air through his lips, eyebrows scrunching. We need to make you disappear,Evy.Get Chalice Frost erased from the system. You re thinking of this now? I ve been a little distracted by other details, like tracking you down and tending to yourself-healing wounds.If you d come back where you were supposed to, it wouldn t be anissue. I rolled my eyes.He mimicked me, and then said, We need to get this done so we can keep focusing onyour memory. He was right.Hoping that Chalice Frost s former life wouldn t become a problem hadbeen idiotic.We should have dealt with it right away.Time to correct a mistake.I justdidn t know what to do about Alex Forrester, but knocking him out cold and lockinghim in a closet for the next two days sounded promising.I opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat. So how do we do this? Wyatt turned the key and the car engine roared to life. I need to stop by a bakery. I stared.He winked. Trust me. Chapter Ten55:20I balanced the bakery box in both hands, careful to not drop and ruin the expensive treatinside as I ascended the rickety metal staircase.Wyatt led the way up, taking the stepstwo at a time.The interior of the service stairwell smelled of forgetfulness and disuse.We had returned to downtown.Wyatt had left me in the running car while he ran into abakery and, moments later, returned with a white box.I hadn t opened it, but a stickeron the side said CSCK Cherry Top. Given the shape and weight of the box, Isilently translated that into Cheesecake Cherry Topping. I had kept my questions tomyself, even when Wyatt drove us back toward Mercy s Lot.Halfway there, he had said, You know, you re showing amazing restraint. With what? The cheesecake? A tiny smile. No, with not asking me about the night you died.And who else was inthe room. You ll tell me when I need to know something. Fair enough. After reaching the outskirts of Mercy s Lot, he had parked in front of an abandonedpotato chip factory and said we needed to head to the top level.Six flights up I smelled it.Faint at first, and then gradually stronger the eye-wateringstench of fermented sugar
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]