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She heaved an I can't deal with this right now sigh. “You know that the faeries can't take you. They're all strictly prohibited from kidnapping. ”
“Someone should tell Reth. Besides, it's not the kidnapping, it's what he does to--”
“Enough, Evie. Maybe hanging out with Lend isn't such a bad thing if it will get you off this obsession you have with the faerie. ”
I stopped in my tracks. She kept walking for a few steps before she noticed. “My obsession with him? Why won't you believe me about this? I thought you cared about me!” Angry tears stung my eyes, and I closed my them before I could say anything else. Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. “Whatever. I'm going back to my room. ”
“Just be sure and tell me before you go and see Lend again. ”
“Sure, because we're big on trust here, right?” Before she could answer I turned and walked off.
Chapter Eleven
LIGHT MY FIRE
The next day (after sending a rather snippy message to Raquel informing her that I was going to see Lend) I went into his room, laptop in hand. He was Chinese and utterly adorable this morning. “What do you have planned for today?”
I gave him a stern look. “I'm going to make you realize that Easton Heights, while popular with viewers, is severely underrated by critics. ”
He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “So Raquel's resorted to torture. ”
I hit him in the shoulder and continued. “I've picked out three episodes that not only showcase superb acting but also have unparalleled writing. And you are going to love them. ”
“Is that an order?”
“No, it's a threat. ”
He put his pillow against the wall as a cushion and sat all the way back on his bed. I sat next to him, not minding that we had to be touching so we could both see the screen. That's when it hit me--right then, when our arms were touching--that I was totally crushing on him. It should have been obvious since I thought about him pretty much all the time, but at that moment I knew. I liked him. Like liked him. A lot. Not in just a fun-?to-?finally-?have-?someone-?to-?flirt-?with way, but in an I-?wanted-?to-?hold-?his-?hand-?and-?kiss-?him way.
And suddenly even Easton Heights couldn't make me feel better. I was overwhelmed with insecurity. What if he was nice to me because I was the only person here who was nice to him? What if he had a girlfriend in the normal world? The way he could change his looks, he could have fifty girlfriends and they'd never know! And what would happen if IPCA let him go? I'd never see him again. The thought was crushing. But what would happen if they didn't? He'd get bitter and angry and blame me, since it really was my fault that he got caught.
Lend nudged me. “It wasn't that bad,” he said, smiling, and I realized the first episode was already over.
I managed a weak smile. “Wasn't that bad? It was awesome. ”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sure. Why wouldn't I be?”
He reached out and put his hand on top of mine. My heart skipped a beat--he liked me, too!
“You're worried about what's killing the paranormals, aren't you?”
Crap. He didn't like me. “What does it have to do with me?” I asked before I thought about it. “I mean, it's bad, yeah, but not really my problem. IPCA will figure it out. ”
He moved his hand. “You don't get it, do you? Evie, it has everything to do with you. You're a paranormal, whether you like it or not. ”
Okay, I so didn't like that. I was about to say so, but he just kept going.
“They're our kind, and whatever's killing them is not only a threat to the few special things that are left, it's a threat to us, too. ”
“I'm sorry that paranormals are dying, but honestly, not too sad that the vampires who were trying to kill me ended up dead. ”
“It's not just vampires; there are whole species out there you have no idea exist. And if this goes on much longer, they won't. The world will be a much colder, emptier place for it. ”
“Isn't it already?” Bitterness saturated my voice. I couldn't be one or the other--by being both normal and paranormal I didn't belong anywhere. I was sick of not belonging.
“Trust me when I say it's not. And I want to show that world to you. But we've got to make sure it's still there to see. ”
