Page 75 of Soul of Shadow
Charlie gasped as he lifted her from the floor, pulling her body in until she was flush against his chest and torso. Her toes dangled several inches off the floor. She had an unhinged desire to wrap her legs around his waist, even though they were completely surrounded by students and chaperones, teachers serving punch from a giant glass bowl. For one flash of insanity, she didn’t care. She didn’t care about her mission, her dignity—anything. All she wanted was him.
It couldn’t last. Like lightning splicing open a tree trunk, Charlie’s senses crashed back down upon her. She was not here to kiss Elias, no matter how good it felt. She was here to get information out of him. She was here to betray him, because he had betrayed her first.
With a breathless inhale, Charlie broke away. She tried on a sheepish smile, hoping it would hide any of the nerves now bubbling in her stomach. Elias blinked blindly at her, as if he couldn’t even remember where he was. His hooded eyes followed her lips as she untangled herself from his grasp, sliding back down to the floor.
She had to play this exactly right.
When her toes touched the ground, she glanced over her shoulder at the gym door. “Should we…” She looked back at Elias. “Maybe go find somewhere more private?”
Elias’s eyes flickered with doubt. For one breathless moment, Charlie thought he was going to say no. To reject her, or else call her out on what she was doing—taking advantage of the unspoken connection between them.
But then the doubt cleared from his eyes, and they filled with a smoldering intensity so certain that it scared Charlie a little bit.
“Yes,” he said, releasing his hold on her hips. “Yes, let’s do that.” He glanced around at where Lou and Mason were dancing, a few dozen feet away. “Let me just tell them that we’re stepping away for a minute.”
Before Charlie could reply, he turned and wound through the crowd. She watched as he ducked between friends and couples, making his way to Lou and Mason. When he reached them, he whispered something in Mason’s ear. Her brother nodded, thenturned around and wove toward the punch bowl. Once he was gone, Elias placed a hand on Lou’s shoulder, leaning in to speak directly to her. She couldn’t see Lou’s face, but she thought her best friend was nodding. With a final squeeze of Lou’s shoulder, Elias turned and worked his way back toward Charlie.
“What did you—” she started to ask, but Elias took her hand and yanked her through the crowd. He didn’t even glance at her. Just tugged her along, eyes intent on the gym door.
“Elias,” she said, stumbling along behind him. “Elias.Where are we—”
The minute they exited the gym, Elias spun her around and pressed her back to a row of lockers. She inhaled, caught between fear and thrill. The lockers clattered behind her. Elias hovered above her, one hand cupping the skin between her neck and collarbone.
“Ask me now,” he whispered.
“What?” she asked, head spinning. What was going on? She couldn’t tell if Elias was angry, suspicious, or just intent with desire.
“Ask me.” He leaned closer. “What you wanted to ask in the gym. Ask me now.”
“I…” Her voice faltered.What I wanted to ask him back in the gym.The investigation. Yes. Sophie’s task for her. She couldn’t lose sight of why she was really here, no matter how distracting Elias’s behavior was. She swallowed, steadying her gaze on his. Whispering, she asked, “What was that wolf creature you told me to look out for?”
She knew it was a mistake as soon as the words left her lips. Elias withdrew immediately, straightening to his full height and dropping his hand from her neck.
“I knew it,” he said, shaking his head.
“Knew wh-what?” Charlie asked, head still spinning.
Instead of responding, he grabbed her hand again and dragged her down the hallway. His grip was stronger than before, his movements jerkier. There was no tenderness left in his touch. She tried to yank her arm away, but his hold stayed firm. She always forgot how impossibly strong he was. His fingers were like metal clamps.
“Elias,” she said, beginning to panic, “I—”
Then, as abruptly as he started to walk, he stopped, spinning her body around and pulling her into a darkened classroom. He slammed the door behind them and thrust Charlie forward so hard that she tripped and fell to the ground. She grunted when she hit the floor, its cold tiles unforgiving beneath her. When she looked up, it was just in time to see Elias lock the door, flick on the lights, and lower the blinds.
“What are you—” she started, but then she glanced over her shoulder and realized that someone was there. Someone was standing in the corner of the classroom, just to the left of the door. Someone Charlie hadn’t noticed when she first walked in.
Lou.
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Charlie started to stand.
“Don’t,” Elias said, holding up a threatening hand.
She froze on the floor. Her eyes darted between Elias and Lou. She waited for her friend to do something, to lash out at Elias, try to save them. But she just remained in the corner of the classroom, back ramrod straight, staring dully forward, as if she didn’t see anything at all.
“Lou?” Charlie whispered.
“She can’t hear you,” Elias said.
