Shadow Train Read Online Free PDF Page A

go there sometime. Slip there, I mean.” By slip, of course, she meant teleport. Using Aimee’s newfound ability, they’d slipped all over the world the last few months, going everywhere from Bangladesh to Antarctica. By now, Aimee’s powers of teleportation had grown so strong that it was as easy for her to slip to Paris as it was to hop on one foot.
    But they hadn’t been traveling much lately. On all their journeys, Aimee had an unsettling feeling that she was supposed to be looking for something she’d lost, and it haunted her. It wasn’t her mom—she remembered that she still had to look for her, as soon as her powers were strong enough. It was something else. She had a feeling it was incredibly important, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember what it was, and wherever she looked, she couldn’t find it. It was so frustrating that after a while she’d gotten sick of traveling. These days, she preferred to stay in Orias’s beautiful, old-fashioned, luxurious home with the shades drawn.
    Her father and her brother seemed to have less time than ever for her now, and she was less and less able to tolerate their company. Anyway, Jack Banfield seemed delighted that she was spending so much time with Orias. Orias had even allowed Jack to partner with him in the renovation and reopening of Hot House Strip Club as Elixir, a tea and coffee shop that featured all kinds of natural herbal beverages, and Jack credited Aimee with helping him close the deal. She’d finally been able to do something that pleased her dad. Since then, she’d had a blank check to hang out with Orias as much as she wanted—which was basically all the time.
    Tonight, Orias had styled her hair (at his urging, she had dyed it from the rebellious shade of raven black back to its original blond). She loved having him fuss over her and was fascinated by his stories about how his ancestors—his Nephilim brothers—had been the first to teach human women to adorn their faces with powders and rouge and their hair with flowers and jewels. He had also gotten her a lovely dress for Valentine’s Day—a crimson ball gown that looked like something a princess would wear. It was stunning, and once she’d put it on and Orias had helped her with her makeup, she had to admit that she looked as amazing as he told her she did.
    But it didn’t change her mood. She felt restless and apathetic. Lately, Orias even had to insist that she go to school. To her, it seemed much nicer to sit in his parlor in front of the fire, dozing, making out with him, and occasionally sipping his specially brewed tea.
    â€œI have something for you,” he said, and from somewhere beneath the table he produced a long jewelry box. He popped it open to reveal a gorgeous necklace of white gold and diamonds set around a ruby the size of a baby’s fist.
    â€œWow. Thanks,” she said. “It’s really pretty.”
    It was probably the most beautiful piece of jewelry she’d ever seen, and a year ago if someone had given her a gift like that she would probably have freaked out with sheer joy. Now, she accepted it as easily as she would a Target gift card. Looking at the dazzling jewels, she knew she should be thrilled, but she couldn’t get past the feeling that something was missing—something important—and she wouldn’t be able to get excited about anything until she figured out what it was.
    â€œHere, let me put it on you,” Orias said eagerly, getting out of his chair to stand behind her and drape the gold and diamond band across her chest. His fingers tickled the back of her neck as he did the clasp, and it instilled in her the sweet, familiar longing she felt whenever he touched her. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love,” he whispered in her ear.
    But her thoughts had already drifted away, like a slip of teleportation.
    â€œI had the dream