Embrace The Night Read Online Free PDF Page B

again as he closed the door behind them. “Here,” he said, and handed her one of the books.
    “Oh, thank you,” she said, taking it and clasping it to her chest. “I was afraid it had gotten lost or destroyed.”
    “Here’s the other.” He bent and retrieved it from under a low-growing bush.
    “How did you find me? How did you know?”
    “The book.”
    She shook her head. “I mean, you were eating—or going to eat. Why did you leave? And how did you know to come…this way?”
    Now he looked uncomfortable, then all expression was wiped from his face. “I had a feeling.” He shrugged again.
    A feeling. Sage narrowed her eyes as if that would help her read his mind. It didn’t. But then, before she could speak, she heard her name and turned to see Theo approaching.
    He took one look at her, and even from the distance she could see his face turn shocked, then black with anger. She must look terrible if he could tell something was wrong that far away. Sage automatically brushed her hair back, refastening most of it in its band, and adjusted Simon’s shirt over her torso.
    “What happened?” Theo fairly ran up to them, glancing at her, and then turning to Simon. He bristled with ferocity. “What the hell happened?”
    It took Sage a moment to realize that Theo wasn’t accusing Simon—which had been her first thought after seeing his expression—and that not only was he asking
Simon
to explain what had happened to
her
, but he wasn’t even acknowledging her, let alone asking how she felt.
    But then Theo, her dear friend who’d
kissed
her earlier tonight (a consequence which still surprised her), curled an arm around her shoulders and tugged her up against his side. Hard and tight. Still not looking at her…but now she felt the rage and trembling beneath his skin.
    “Why don’t you ask Sage?” Simon replied coolly. Again, she noticed that flavor of an accent in his voice. “She broke the bastard’s nose.” He met Theo’s eyes and she felt as if some sort of message passed between them that she didn’t comprehend. Then, with the barest of nods in her direction, he turned and walked away. Casual, loose, easy.
    And as he disappeared into the shadows, the last bit of her control slipped away. Her stomach swirled like a vortex. She looked up at Theo and said, “Get me out of here. I don’t—”
    But it was too late. She lunged for the bush and barely made it before her stomach rebelled.
    He gently pulled the straggling hair back from her face as she bent and violently emptied her belly.
    Theo. Lucky she had such a good friend that would stand by, holding her hair and wiping her face while she puked.
    Simon told himself he should seize the opportunity.
    He’d only been to the underground computer lab a few times since he and the others arrived in Envy and were brought into the inner circle of the Waxnickis’ Resistance, but he knew the way. And now that Sage was with Theo, they’d be busy for a few minutes—hopefully longer, if Theo would hitch his
ganas
up and do something other than flex that ridiculous dragon
placa
and look at the woman with puppy-dog eyes when he thought no one was watching.
    Chavala.
Take her back to her room, or
your
room or somewhere and tell her how it is.
    At the very least, Simon was glad to escape from what he recognized as a rapidly deteriorating situation. Sage was about to fall apart, and the last thing he needed was to be trying to comfort her. He didn’t need to be getting anywhere near those delicate shoulders and slender hands and that long, thick, fascinating hair. He could fairly smell her innocence, all wrapped up in that smooth skin and intelligent blue eyes. Hell, her upper lip had a small freckle right on it, right at the fullest part, and every time he noticed it, the bottom dropped out of his stomach.
    No. He needed to get far away from the breakdown on the horizon. Especially since he didn’t want to deal with the complication of Theo coming upon such a