Breaking Away (The Man in the Shadows) Read Online Free PDF Page A

before she thrust herself at him and ruined everything; forever. There was only one chance to make it right, and he had not spent his entire life protecting her to throw it all away now.
    He stifled a sigh and sang:
    “I listen for the glories of your sweet perfection,
    While I bury the effect you have on me.
    I’m a stranger and I’ll vanish....
    This is not the first time...”
    Trailing off, he slowly ran his fingers over the contours of her face. Beauty, unmatched, he thought. After a few moments, she slumped slightly against his hand. He caught her with his free arm and held her up.
    Tenderly, he took in the vision of her, sleeping, in the void between his world and the human world. He had to leave her be for now. He should not have come to her tonight, revealing his secret. If the High Lords found out, he could be severely reprimanded. Nevertheless, he had seen her so hurt, crying, confused, that he couldn’t help himself, and came running to her aid. He had figured that the mere sight of him would calm her, help her forget about her problems, be happy. And it worked. But now, regrettably, he had to leave her, suppress her memory of the events that had taken place between them... besides one minute detail. He ran his hand down her face, down her neck. He leaned in close and whispered intensely, “Wake up now, Maika.”
    Her eyes opened energetically. Her heart pounded in her chest, in her head. Now at home, in bed, she bolted up, as if shocked to life, and breathed, “Of all the wonderment in the world... Him.”
     
    ***
    Overhead, stars twinkled, unknowingly littering the black sky with shining sprinkles, winking at the earth, flirting before running off and hiding behind the sun. Ethan stood with his arms crossed, trying to count them. Shivering slightly from the cold October wind, he starting to tap his foot, impatient. Where in the world is Maika? he wondered. She wouldn’t run off with a stranger... Would she? She was pretty drunk! The truth dawning on him, he tore his eyes from the sky and leveled out his gaze again, looking at the deserted street. Pivoting his head, he looked north down one side of the street, then south down the other. No one. What if someone took her? Took advantage of her? What if she’s hurt?
    He started towards the door of the building, and ran into the god-like bouncer. “Bruce!” Ethan shrieked, half out of surprise, half out of desperation. “Bruce... Have you seen the girl I came in with? Short, long black hair, corduroy jacket?”
    Bruce scowled for a moment, then returned with, “I haven’t seen her for awhile, Brother. I have seen her jacket, though.”
    A jolt rocked Ethan’s body. He almost shouted, “ Just her jacket?”
    “Yeah, man,” the large man answered. “It’s right down the stairs, in the club.” He added with a hint of loathing, “It’s on the back of that vomit colored couch.”
    Ethan patted him on the back in thanks, and barreled into the building, hustling down the staircase, skipping every other stair. When he arrived on the bottom floor, the place was entirely empty. Made sense, closing time was at two in the morning, and it was 2:15am. Apparently, everyone takes ‘You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here’ very seriously.
    Heart sinking, aching, he grabbed Maika’s jacket in his hands, and he began to twist the fabric unconsciously as his fingers curled into fists. How could he leave her alone with hundreds of strangers? How could you?? his mind growled.
    Taking his cell phone out of his front pocket, he flipped it open and pressed the number two, Maika’s speed dial number. Scared for her safety, furious at himself, it seemed ages before the call even connected, and a millennium before the ringing turned into her voicemail message. “You’ve reached Maika!” Her voice sounded like an angel. “If you don’t leave a message, I refuse to call you back!” BEEP.
    “Maika!” Ethan cried. “It’s me. Please, it’s very