Burning in a Memory Read Online Free PDF Page A

she knew now’ it wouldn’t have happened.
    “They do, but they didn’t try to kill me. They will spare me and I will be doing better than I was before!”
    Then Mistel snapped.
    “You’re an idiot. Nothing will be better for you ever again!” she screamed.
    Mistel crossed the room in seconds. Adelaide backpedaled, but she couldn’t escape her in time. The shade knocked her sideways, into the table.  The wood collapsed under Adelaide’s weight and she hit the floor.
    “Stop! Stop!” Adelaide held her hands before her face. She struggled to feel the magic within her chest, to conjure anything to help her survive , but she struggled. Mistel, on the other hand, did not.
    “You’ve really fucked up, Adelaide. You could have pretended to be a human forever. Or you could have joined my coven and rejoined the only real family you have left in this world. But now you’ve put your head on the chopping block for the Hawthorns instead.”
    Mistel’s words were harsh but the shade never attempted to strike out again. Adelaide stood on shaking knees and collected herself. The fall had hurt but her attempt to rapidly conjure magic hurt more. She focused on speaking over the pain.
    “Not everything to do with other shades has to end badly. They promised me protection! I can do this task for them. It’ll be easy, and hell, Mistel, maybe if I curry favor with the Hawthorn coven then I can help you too. I know you’re not doing well at your coven now. They can help you.”
    Mistel laughed bitterly . “I don’t need your help,” she hissed. Within seconds, she left Adelaide to stand there alone.
    Minutes passed before Adelaide finally animated. She checked the doors and the windows. She double-checked that every bolt was in place and every exit was closed up. There was no telling when Mistel would come back, but she felt reasonably safe now. The shade had made numerous appearances in her life and had never done anything truly harmful.
    By the time she returned to her bed, exhaustion overtook her.  She didn’t remember falling asleep, but she woke to the sound of knocking. She heard it and ignored it until a voice followed.
    “Adelaide, it’s me. Are you there?”
    She suddenly perked up. The sound of the voice pierced the lingering haze in her mind. She sprung from the bed. Her body was sore from yesterday, but she still made a mad dash to the door. How long Adam had been waiting, she wasn’t sure. She passed the front window and saw the red Jeep outside so at least he hadn’t given up. She hurried to unbolt the locks and she threw the door open.
    “Hi Adam,” she whimpered. She struggled not to sound as winded as she felt, but likely failed. Both of his eyebrows rose when he caught sight of her appearance.
    “Sorry, I’m so sorry. I have no idea how I overslept.”
    He kept watching her. She hadn’t checked a mirror, but knew that the last night couldn’t have been kind to her. Her makeup from yesterday awkwardly caked her face and her artificial curls had fallen into disarray.
    “Um, you,” he stopped. His face had flushed.
    “You’re welcome to sit, but I still need a little bit. Am I making you crazy late?”
    “You’re…you’re changing?”
    She paused and tilted her head.
    “Shit, I’m sorry,” she gasped when it hit her. She hadn’t changed from her sheer nightgown. The number might not have classified as lingerie, but she suddenly felt naked in it.
    “Oh geez. I’ll be right back.” Feeling lightheaded, she was lucky she could conjure words at all. Hurrying to her bedroom, she left him on the porch. She shut her door and went straight into overdrive. Tearing clothes from the closet, she put together the first matching outfit she could find.
    Adelaide slowed only to peer closer into the mirror. Her skin had held up well and she didn’t see any visible bruises from last night. She brushed out the last of the curls until her black hair fluffed around her shoulders and tried on the shiest