Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Kellan patted my arm and then wheeled the car around. “I’ll even drop you off at the school. When you’re done, I’ll come get you.”
As he drove, I watched him. Who was this new Kellan? As of a day ago, I would’ve never thought he’d be dropping me off to do my paintings. I would’ve had a heart attack even thinking about that possibility. And now it’s happening. What else had changed?
A different thought occurred to me. “Do Vespar and Gus know?”
“About what you paint?”
He knew what I painted!
Kellan shook his head. “They don’t know a thing. It’s why they’re so angry. They know we’re keeping them in the dark about something.”
My mouth was so dry. “About Mom and Dad?”
“What about them?”
I sensed a sudden stillness in him, but asked anyway. “Is it true? Are they around, but I can’t see them?”
He hesitated for a moment. “Yes. They’re there.”
“Why don’t I see them?”
“I don’t know, but my guess is because you don’t want to see them. You have the power to do that.”
I looked down at my hands. They looked so human, clasped together as if I was praying. My skin even looked a little tanner, not the normal complete pale that I’d always been. Then I felt the tattoo burn on my arm. It started to circle my skin again.
My voice was hoarse. “Why would I not want to see our parents?”
Kellan didn’t answer for a moment. When he did, his voice was soft. “I don’t know, Shay. I can’t answer that for you.”
When we pulled into the school’s parking lot, I didn’t reach for the door handle right away. Instead, I looked at my brother and saw he sat guarded against me. He didn’t want me to see something about him. I wanted to ask him what it was, but I knew I didn’t dare. So I asked instead, “You know what I paint?”
“I know.” He looked down.
“Do you know why?”
To this, he smiled. “Are you asking me why I think a demon would paint angels? Hell if I know, but there’s gotta be a reason. Right?”
“You’re not scared? Gus and Vespar would freak if they found out.”
“Gus and Vespar are terrified of you. Period. Anything you do will freak them out.”
It hurt hearing that, but it was true. “You aren’t scared of me?”
“No.” He looked up and met my eyes. He wasn’t guarded this time, and he let me see into him again.
I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to look again, but when I did, I saw that the demon had grown still. The third and fourth layers in his eyes almost seemed loving. Peaceful. Suddenly it was too much for me.
The inside of that car was too overwhelming, and I couldn’t handle being there so I reached for the handle and shot out. I took a few steps away when I heard Kellan say quietly, “I should be, though.”
I paused for a second and then kept going. When I got inside, the car was already gone, and I breathed in relief.
“You shouldn’t keep company with demons.”
A surge of alarm shot through me, then out of me. Light exploded down the hallway, and it highlighted who stood in front of me. It was a guy who looked my age, a bit older. He had brown hair that was slightly long and tucked behind his ears. His cheekbones were set high, giving him a classic model-type of handsome. When he smirked, I saw that he didn’t care how powerful I might’ve been.
The light turned off then, and we were in the dark again.
“Who are you?” I asked.
He laughed. “You know who I am.”
I didn’t, and then I did. “You painted those other ones of Kellan.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” He laughed again. “He’s a demon. They’re all demons. Why are you with them?”
I frowned. “They’re my family.”
“No, they aren’t. They’re demons. You’re not. Why are you with them?”
Wait—what? “I’m not a demon?”
His eyes pierced through me. “You’ve always known you weren’t one of them. You put a blanketing spell over yourself to stop from seeing it and dealing with it. What are you doing?”
“Who are you?” I wasn’t a demon? I’d known this whole time? I heard what he said, but I couldn’t think of that then. Who was this guy, and why didn’t I feel like he was dangerous? How did I know he’d painted those of Kellan?
“You’re not ready. You can’t handle this yet.”
He sounded as if he was saddened because of that. Then, when I felt like he was going to leave, I jerked forward. “Wait! Tell me who you are. I have to know.”
“You know who I am, but I can see you’re not ready to let yourself know. If you really want to know, ask Kellan.”
Kellan knew? Before I could ask anything more, he vanished, and I was left feeling cheated of something. And then I hadn’t turned the other way before Kellan spoke behind me, “I thought he might show tonight.”