Page 633 of Shadowblood Souls
I reach the edge of a small park. A patch of trees stands on one side, a playground on the other.
A couple of kids are flinging themselves as high as possible on the swings, as if they’re preparing to take off into the sky. I’ve never seen humans actually fly, but those two seem to believe it’spossible. Their exhilaration trickles into me, tart and sweet as chilled apple cider.
Nearby, a toddler giggles nervously as he careens down the slide to his waiting mother. Two girls sway upside down on the monkey bars.
Playgrounds are perfect for my needs: a good, simple meal.
But I feed much better when I’m in physical form.
In the shelter of a cluster of trees, I solidify wearing a daisy print sundress and my favorite track jacket: rainbow stripes across the chest to represent all the light and color I want to bring with me.
I heard on a TV show once that you are what you wear.
The jacket’s hood materializes already pulled up over my long, vibrantly turquoise hair, which I can’t change and tends to draw attention I’d rather not have. Especially if it starts glowing.
That’ssomething no human would do.
The fresh spring air floods my newly formed lungs, filled with the perfume of the flowers blooming on a tree by the playground. Magnolia blossoms. Wonderful!
But what I really want to savor is the delight of the romping children. The ravenous prickles inside me are already starting to soften.
I amble closer to the playground and stop near the magnolia tree.
With each whoosh of the swings and clamber up the climbing equipment, I absorb more emotion in little spurts. This boy’s daring eagerness tastes like a sip of spiced hot cocoa. That girl’s dizzy hilarity could be a mouthful of pulled taffy.
The little wisps don’t soothe the deeper burn of hunger very quickly. Once I know I’ve got my balance, I can come more often. I won’t wait until I’m on the verge of starving.
It’ll be fantastic.
A little girl wanders over and gazes up at the magnolia’s luminous flowers. She stretches her hand, but the nearest one is far above her head.
A glimmer of hope flutters in my chest. I canmakeher happy.
One more bit of joy to make amends for the thousands I’ve hurt.
I dare to step closer and smile. “I can get one for you.”
It’s been weeks since I last used my voice, but the words slide off my tongue with my usual bubbly cheer. The girl grins. “Yes, please!”
The human-ish body I can shift into has many appealing features, from its unique hair to its multitude of soft curves, but it’s hardly tall. I have to stand on tiptoe to reach a flower.
The girl watches avidly. Lucky her, she’ll grow with the passing years. The only thing I can change about my human-like form is what it’s wearing.
As my fingers close around the base of the blossom, a different sort of ache jabs through my ankles and feet—not a hundred needles but one that’s way bigger than any needle has a right to be.
Shadowkind can recover from plenty of injuries that mortal bodies can’t. But some wounds aren’t so considerate.
Suppressing a wince, I hold out the flower. “Here you go.”
The girl plucks the blossom from my fingers with a gasp of delight that melts in my mouth like a gumdrop. She darts away to show off her prize.
Warmth tingles over my scalp. I tug my hood lower over my hair to cover the glow of satisfaction.
On the far side of the park, a procession of vivid colors catches my eyes. People are walking up to a large stone building, the women in swishy dresses, the men in suits.
They give off a cocktail of excitement and anticipation that tingles into me from even this far away.
I study the building. Arched windows, tall towers, intersecting lines carved into stone?—
