My Soul to Keep
Page 65
My pulse pounded so fast and hard my vision started to go dark. Get out of her, now! When Avari turned back to the mirror, unbothered by my powerless protest, I glanced at Tod for help, but he could only shrug and press one finger against his lips in a shhhh gesture, reminding me not to give away his presence. He couldnt control Avari any more than I could, but if the hellion found out the reaper was helping me, he would take his anger out on Nash, and on Addisons soul.
Oh, nooo Avari ran Emmas hand down her side and over the generous curve of her hip, cocking it to one side for a better view in the mirror. I like this one. Truly lovely. She is definitely worth the effort of exploration.
My jaws ached from being clenched, but I forced my feet to remain still. There was nothing I could do to hurt Avari without hurting Emma, and I wasnt sure what abilities, if any, Avari brought with him to the body he possessed. Knowing my luck, if I tried to throw a punchnot that I even knew howhed freeze me where I stood, or do something worse than groping with Emmas borrowed hands.
How could I not have noticed her before? She feels familiar. Both of Emmas hands slid around her hips to cup her backside as Avaris gaze traveled down in the mirror. But not obviously so. How did Alec ever find her? Avari blinked, then turned from the mirror to meet my furious gaze through narrowed eyes. I do love a resourceful proxy. But the hard, angry line of Emmas jaw said that wasnt entirely true. Alec had been up to something without Avaris knowledge, and the hellion was pissed. And Alec has always been exactly that.
How long have youhad him? I asked, stalling for time as my brain whirred almost audibly, grinding in search of some way to get rid of the hellion.
Avari tilted Emmas head to one side, as if surprised by my interest. And suspicious of it. Oh, two or three decades, he finally said. And he has proven most useful. Yet that little twitch of irritation was back. Even when he doesnt intend to. Emmas body stepped closer to me, one hip cocked, one side of her mouth curved up in a lewd grin. For instance, you are a hard child to get in touch with. Though I must say you arent particularly difficult to get inside of
Rage and horror battled within me as Emmas borrowed gaze swept the length of my form before finally returning to my eyes. I had the sudden urge to cover what little flesh my clothes didnt hide, and couldnt help wondering what the hellion had done with my body when hed occupied it. And how often that had been.
If I actually got Nash back alive, he was going to tell me every single thing that happened while I was literally out of my own mindor Id kill him myself. And based on Tods angry, narrowed eyes, he was thinking something very similar.
Emma stepped forward again, and I answered with another step back, my pulse racing,my jaws clenched so hard I was half-afraid my teeth would crack. How many times? I whispered, trying to showcase my anger while hiding my terror.
He took another slinky step toward me, wearing my best friends body like a slut wears spandex. And this time when I backed away, my thighs hit the edge of the desk. I had nowhere left to go, unless I was willing to let him follow me through the rest of Emmas house. Which I was not.
How many times have I been in you? Avari asked, leering at me with Emmas wide, brown eyes, and I flinched over his phrasing. My skin crawled just thinking about him being on the inside of my flesh, breaching the most sacred of my boundaries: that which defined my soul.
Several, the hellion answered at last, and his next step put himput themless than a foot away. And I must say its a genuine pleasure. Emmas body leaned forward and her cheek skimmed mine, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Each Her lips brushed my jaw, and I swallowed thickly.
and every Her hot, damp breath puffed against my earlobe, and I closed my eyes, trying not to breathe.
time. Avaris last word stirred the sensitive hairs on my neck, just below my ear, and I swallowed the whimper caught in my throat.
I opened my eyes, and over Emmas shoulder I saw Tod standing with his fists clenched, his face flushed in fury, jaw bulging as he silently ground his teeth.
Then the hellion stepped back, smiling through Emmas pouty mouth, and her eyes took on a lecherous glint so disturbing and disorienting that my whole body shuddered. But as much fun as Ive had playing teenage bean sidheonce when your boyfriend didnt even realize youd stepped out of your body
Rage raced through my veins so fast and hot I thought I would combust. What the hell had he done! What had he made me do? And did Nash really think it was me doingwhatever Avari had done with my body?
I have yet to find a good way to communicate with you. Though we came so close with your classmate the other day. Confusion must have shown through my mounting fury, because as Avari turned, running one of Emmas slim fingers over the desktop, he lifted one of her artfully arched brows and continued. How is your arm, by the way? Her loaded gaze traveled to the bandaged bulge beneath my right sleeve.
Understanding slammed into me like a hammer to my skull. It all came back to Avari. All of it.
Nash was right. Avari was Scotts shadow man. He was the hallucination Doug had seen in his passengers seat. He was the hellion selling its breath to Nash. Avari had possession of Addisons soul. Hed bribed Tod and Everett into delivering and disseminating his toxic byproduct. He was holding Nash captive in the Netherworld. And Avari was organizing the Liminal Celebration, which would conveniently coincide with our Winter Carnival.
Oh, nooo Avari ran Emmas hand down her side and over the generous curve of her hip, cocking it to one side for a better view in the mirror. I like this one. Truly lovely. She is definitely worth the effort of exploration.
My jaws ached from being clenched, but I forced my feet to remain still. There was nothing I could do to hurt Avari without hurting Emma, and I wasnt sure what abilities, if any, Avari brought with him to the body he possessed. Knowing my luck, if I tried to throw a punchnot that I even knew howhed freeze me where I stood, or do something worse than groping with Emmas borrowed hands.
How could I not have noticed her before? She feels familiar. Both of Emmas hands slid around her hips to cup her backside as Avaris gaze traveled down in the mirror. But not obviously so. How did Alec ever find her? Avari blinked, then turned from the mirror to meet my furious gaze through narrowed eyes. I do love a resourceful proxy. But the hard, angry line of Emmas jaw said that wasnt entirely true. Alec had been up to something without Avaris knowledge, and the hellion was pissed. And Alec has always been exactly that.
How long have youhad him? I asked, stalling for time as my brain whirred almost audibly, grinding in search of some way to get rid of the hellion.
Avari tilted Emmas head to one side, as if surprised by my interest. And suspicious of it. Oh, two or three decades, he finally said. And he has proven most useful. Yet that little twitch of irritation was back. Even when he doesnt intend to. Emmas body stepped closer to me, one hip cocked, one side of her mouth curved up in a lewd grin. For instance, you are a hard child to get in touch with. Though I must say you arent particularly difficult to get inside of
Rage and horror battled within me as Emmas borrowed gaze swept the length of my form before finally returning to my eyes. I had the sudden urge to cover what little flesh my clothes didnt hide, and couldnt help wondering what the hellion had done with my body when hed occupied it. And how often that had been.
If I actually got Nash back alive, he was going to tell me every single thing that happened while I was literally out of my own mindor Id kill him myself. And based on Tods angry, narrowed eyes, he was thinking something very similar.
Emma stepped forward again, and I answered with another step back, my pulse racing,my jaws clenched so hard I was half-afraid my teeth would crack. How many times? I whispered, trying to showcase my anger while hiding my terror.
He took another slinky step toward me, wearing my best friends body like a slut wears spandex. And this time when I backed away, my thighs hit the edge of the desk. I had nowhere left to go, unless I was willing to let him follow me through the rest of Emmas house. Which I was not.
How many times have I been in you? Avari asked, leering at me with Emmas wide, brown eyes, and I flinched over his phrasing. My skin crawled just thinking about him being on the inside of my flesh, breaching the most sacred of my boundaries: that which defined my soul.
Several, the hellion answered at last, and his next step put himput themless than a foot away. And I must say its a genuine pleasure. Emmas body leaned forward and her cheek skimmed mine, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Each Her lips brushed my jaw, and I swallowed thickly.
and every Her hot, damp breath puffed against my earlobe, and I closed my eyes, trying not to breathe.
time. Avaris last word stirred the sensitive hairs on my neck, just below my ear, and I swallowed the whimper caught in my throat.
I opened my eyes, and over Emmas shoulder I saw Tod standing with his fists clenched, his face flushed in fury, jaw bulging as he silently ground his teeth.
Then the hellion stepped back, smiling through Emmas pouty mouth, and her eyes took on a lecherous glint so disturbing and disorienting that my whole body shuddered. But as much fun as Ive had playing teenage bean sidheonce when your boyfriend didnt even realize youd stepped out of your body
Rage raced through my veins so fast and hot I thought I would combust. What the hell had he done! What had he made me do? And did Nash really think it was me doingwhatever Avari had done with my body?
I have yet to find a good way to communicate with you. Though we came so close with your classmate the other day. Confusion must have shown through my mounting fury, because as Avari turned, running one of Emmas slim fingers over the desktop, he lifted one of her artfully arched brows and continued. How is your arm, by the way? Her loaded gaze traveled to the bandaged bulge beneath my right sleeve.
Understanding slammed into me like a hammer to my skull. It all came back to Avari. All of it.
Nash was right. Avari was Scotts shadow man. He was the hallucination Doug had seen in his passengers seat. He was the hellion selling its breath to Nash. Avari had possession of Addisons soul. Hed bribed Tod and Everett into delivering and disseminating his toxic byproduct. He was holding Nash captive in the Netherworld. And Avari was organizing the Liminal Celebration, which would conveniently coincide with our Winter Carnival.
