Page 117 of The Book Reader
“You found the book?” she bursts out, her eyes darting from me to the doorway in excitement. “We can tell that daemon guy?—”
I shake my head. “He can’t have it, Lucy—we can’t tell him.” The words punch out of my mouth, a different kind of possession hits me, one that makes the markings burn hot over my skin. They flash gold, lighting the room a little.
“Why not?” she snaps.
“It’s mine, Lucy, mine alone. He won’t be able to use it without me.” I snap back, and an unsettling feeling falls in the pit of my stomach like a rock. I look at her before I stand up. “I need another drink.” I walk into the kitchen, not looking back at either of them. If Lucy wants to talk more, we can do it in here; this conversation is better away from Mekhi. The yellow-eyed demon scared him enough at Aunt May’s.
“Get me another drink, Hitch. This conversation is enough to turn me into a drunk,” he shouts from the living room. He laughs, but I can hear the nerves in his voice. I know deep down, no matter how much he pretends he is okay, he’s not. He hates all of this.
Lucy gets up and follows me into the kitchen.
“Ari, we have to give him the book. He asked for it,” she begs me.
“Lucy. I’m not giving that daemon the book; you don’t understand the power it has. No one can have it.” My voice echoes loudly around the kitchen; I shudder as the need to protect my book, to run to it and hide it, hits me like a lead balloon. The possessive need to keep the book to myself hits me harder than it did the day I got it.
The powers from the book are still a mystery to me, but I do know that if they fall into the wrong hands, they will come for me.
They will try to make me use it; I refuse to let any more people get hurt.
“Why? It’s not like you need it!” she snaps at me for the second time tonight, the tone of her voice is something I’ve never heard come out of her mouth,
I take a deep breath to try to calm myself, but it still comes out harshly. “How do you know what Ineed?”
Lucy looks startled at my outburst; she gasps in surprise. “Your eyes glow?” Her words come out shocked.
“Yeah, when I’mpissedoff!” Annoyance thick in my voice, I snatch the cocktail mixer and pour myself another drink. The alcohol seems to be taking longer to kick in right now. I wish I were shit-faced drunk.
We fall into an uncomfortable silence. Lucy marches over to the counter to get herself a drink, avoiding eye contact with me. We have never fallen out like this.What has gotten into her?
Lucy sips her drink, her eyes shifting to the stairs and back to me a few times as if she is waiting for someone to walk down them.
Pulling in a hard breath, I exhale. Lucy and I have been as close to each other as Mekhi and I have been.
“I’m sorry I’ve not been around. When Gaelan and I move back in?—”
“He is moving in?” she asks, a little taken aback.
“Yes, if you are okay with him too?”
Lucy shrugs. “I’ve not met him yet, but I’m happy for you.”
She doesn’t sound happy, but I keep that to myself and hand her a brownie. “He is coming here later tonight so I can introduce you both. Maybe we could get breakfast in the morning?”
She takes the brownie, takes a bite, and speaks around chewing. “Yes… Breakfast would be nice. I’m going back out tonight.”
“You are?” I ask her now, wondering if she is upset with me for not letting her meet Gaelan before he moves in. “Luce?” I continue, “I’m sorry, Gaelan and I are mated. It all happened so fast, but it’s perfect, he is perfect.”
She smiles at me. “I’m sorry for being a downer, I just don’t want anything to happen to you, I love you too much.”
“You’re still my best friend, Lucy; you always will be, no matter what, okay?” I say, looking into her eyes. She still looks so sad. I wish I could make the light she has always had in her eyes shine bright again. “I know, and you will always be mine; no man can get in the way of that, no matter how hot they are.”
“Are you really going out?” I ask her to wish she would stay in and chill with Mekhi and me.
“I just came home to get a few things, but I will be back for breakfast,” she says, kissing my cheek.
“Bitchies! Time for cocktail hours!” Mekhi screams excitedly from the doorway.
Lucy offers me her best, ‘I’m faking this until I make it smile,’ she says, walking over to Mekhi. ‘I’m not staying, but save me a cocktail.’ She kisses Mekhi on the cheek, then runs up the stairs.
