My Soul to Steal
Page 45
She wants you to give up on a boyfriend youre not sure you want back, and an investigation that consists entirely of a list of supernatural creatures scribbled on a phone message pad? Sorry, Kay, but it doesnt sound to me like shes the one lacking logic.
Wow. When he put it like that, the whole thing sounded soinsubstantial. And really, really pathetic. Still If you were a cop investigating a murder, wouldnt you be most interested in the suspect with a criminal record?
Alec perked up again. Wait, Sabine has a record? You didnt tell me that.
Yes I did! I set my Coke on the end table and studied him more closely. You seriously need to start paying better attention. I know youre still getting readjusted to the human world, but your memory has so many holes we could strain noodles through it. And this was more than simple forgetfulness. I could tell from the way he refused to look at me, and from the tense line of his shoulders.
A chill developed at the base of my spine and began working its way up slowly. Whats going on, Alec?
Alec took a long, slow breath, and only after several seconds of silence did he finally meet my gaze, deep brown eyes practically swimming in fear. Somethings wrong, and I think Im starting to understand whats going on. I need to tell you something, but I need you not to freak out on me, okay?
Why were people always telling me that?
The chills traveled up my spine and into my arms, where chill bumps burst to life. Telling me not to freak out pretty much guarantees that I will freak out.
Sorry. He took a deep breath. Heres the deal My memory of the past few days doesnt just have holes in it. It has hollows. Big, gaping blank spots.
Uh-oh. How big is big?
Alec leaned back on the couch and scrubbed his face with both hands. Scary big. I wake up and have no idea how I got wherever I am. I cant remember what I was doing. Its veryunsettling.
I would have gone with bizarre and terrifying. But then, I hadnt spent the past quarter century surrounded by true terror.
When did this? I began, then my voice faded into silence when the rest of what hed said sank in. Wait, you said you wake up and have no idea whats going on. Sothis happens when you go to sleep?
The fear churning in my stomach put a bad taste in my mouth. Something strong and foul. Something distressingly familiar
Yeah. Its him, Kaylee. Alecs dark gaze held mine captive. Avaris possessing me.
No. I shook my head vehemently, even though denial wasnt really an option. No, no, no. He cant. I made myself put my can down before I could crush itand drench myself in cold soda.
Alec stared back at me from the couch. He looked so vulnerable suddenly. Younger than his nineteen-year-old body, and much younger than his middle-aged mind and soul. Nothing else makes sense.
Neither does this, I insisted. It cant be Avari. He doesnt have the strength. Not without you there to supply extra power.
For years, the hellion had used Alec like a walking snack, drawing energy and nutrition from him to fuel his own evil projects and ambitions. But without Alec at his disposal, Avari shouldnt have enough energy to possess someone in the human world. At least, not so often or for any serious length of time.
Alec sighed, and the weight that sound seemed to carry was unimaginable. At this point, Im assuming hes found a new proxy. I cant think of any other way this could be possible.
My head felt like it was about to explode. Youre saying Avari took over your body just to gossip with me and snag some snack cakes? No. He was wrong. He had to be. Alec, you talked to me. Both of those times, you spoke, and it was your voice, not Avaris. That would have been impossible if he were possessing you.
Alec shook his head slowly. No, that would have been impossible if he were possessing you. Or Emma, or Sophie, or anyone else he doesnt know very well. But Ive spent the past twenty-six years with him, and hes been drawing power from me the entire time. Hes intimately familiar with my physiology, and it makes sense that hed know how to work my voice box, along with the rest of my body.
No. Damn it, no!
I was breathing too fast and had to focus to keep from hyperventilating. This cannot be happening. Avari could not have been so close to usinside Alecwithout us knowing! Not now that I knew the signs. The voice was the giveaway. He wasnt supposed to be able to use his puppets voice!
This doesnt make any sense, Alec. Why would he burn so much energy just to chat with me and eat some refined sugar? He didnt even tell me what he was doing, so he couldnt have been feeding off my fear and anger. Why would he go to all this trouble, then not take credit for it?
Alec didnt answer. He propped his elbows on his knees and let his head hang below his shoulders, and all I could see of him then was the rapid rise and fall of his arched back while he breathed too fast and too hard.
Alec? What are you not telling me? Because it was obvious by then that there was more. Maybe much, much more.
But he didnt answer.
I left my chair and settled onto the couch next to him, laying one hand on his warm arm. Alec? I couldnt decide whether to be mad at him for holding back or sympathize with the obvious pain of whatever he was going through.
Wow. When he put it like that, the whole thing sounded soinsubstantial. And really, really pathetic. Still If you were a cop investigating a murder, wouldnt you be most interested in the suspect with a criminal record?
Alec perked up again. Wait, Sabine has a record? You didnt tell me that.
Yes I did! I set my Coke on the end table and studied him more closely. You seriously need to start paying better attention. I know youre still getting readjusted to the human world, but your memory has so many holes we could strain noodles through it. And this was more than simple forgetfulness. I could tell from the way he refused to look at me, and from the tense line of his shoulders.
A chill developed at the base of my spine and began working its way up slowly. Whats going on, Alec?
Alec took a long, slow breath, and only after several seconds of silence did he finally meet my gaze, deep brown eyes practically swimming in fear. Somethings wrong, and I think Im starting to understand whats going on. I need to tell you something, but I need you not to freak out on me, okay?
Why were people always telling me that?
The chills traveled up my spine and into my arms, where chill bumps burst to life. Telling me not to freak out pretty much guarantees that I will freak out.
Sorry. He took a deep breath. Heres the deal My memory of the past few days doesnt just have holes in it. It has hollows. Big, gaping blank spots.
Uh-oh. How big is big?
Alec leaned back on the couch and scrubbed his face with both hands. Scary big. I wake up and have no idea how I got wherever I am. I cant remember what I was doing. Its veryunsettling.
I would have gone with bizarre and terrifying. But then, I hadnt spent the past quarter century surrounded by true terror.
When did this? I began, then my voice faded into silence when the rest of what hed said sank in. Wait, you said you wake up and have no idea whats going on. Sothis happens when you go to sleep?
The fear churning in my stomach put a bad taste in my mouth. Something strong and foul. Something distressingly familiar
Yeah. Its him, Kaylee. Alecs dark gaze held mine captive. Avaris possessing me.
No. I shook my head vehemently, even though denial wasnt really an option. No, no, no. He cant. I made myself put my can down before I could crush itand drench myself in cold soda.
Alec stared back at me from the couch. He looked so vulnerable suddenly. Younger than his nineteen-year-old body, and much younger than his middle-aged mind and soul. Nothing else makes sense.
Neither does this, I insisted. It cant be Avari. He doesnt have the strength. Not without you there to supply extra power.
For years, the hellion had used Alec like a walking snack, drawing energy and nutrition from him to fuel his own evil projects and ambitions. But without Alec at his disposal, Avari shouldnt have enough energy to possess someone in the human world. At least, not so often or for any serious length of time.
Alec sighed, and the weight that sound seemed to carry was unimaginable. At this point, Im assuming hes found a new proxy. I cant think of any other way this could be possible.
My head felt like it was about to explode. Youre saying Avari took over your body just to gossip with me and snag some snack cakes? No. He was wrong. He had to be. Alec, you talked to me. Both of those times, you spoke, and it was your voice, not Avaris. That would have been impossible if he were possessing you.
Alec shook his head slowly. No, that would have been impossible if he were possessing you. Or Emma, or Sophie, or anyone else he doesnt know very well. But Ive spent the past twenty-six years with him, and hes been drawing power from me the entire time. Hes intimately familiar with my physiology, and it makes sense that hed know how to work my voice box, along with the rest of my body.
No. Damn it, no!
I was breathing too fast and had to focus to keep from hyperventilating. This cannot be happening. Avari could not have been so close to usinside Alecwithout us knowing! Not now that I knew the signs. The voice was the giveaway. He wasnt supposed to be able to use his puppets voice!
This doesnt make any sense, Alec. Why would he burn so much energy just to chat with me and eat some refined sugar? He didnt even tell me what he was doing, so he couldnt have been feeding off my fear and anger. Why would he go to all this trouble, then not take credit for it?
Alec didnt answer. He propped his elbows on his knees and let his head hang below his shoulders, and all I could see of him then was the rapid rise and fall of his arched back while he breathed too fast and too hard.
Alec? What are you not telling me? Because it was obvious by then that there was more. Maybe much, much more.
But he didnt answer.
I left my chair and settled onto the couch next to him, laying one hand on his warm arm. Alec? I couldnt decide whether to be mad at him for holding back or sympathize with the obvious pain of whatever he was going through.
