The Soul's Mark: FOUND Read Online Free PDF Page A

usually so shy and quiet.
    “Well, that’s a silly question.   Why wouldn’t I be?”
    Before Amelia could say anything more,
Angelle disappeared, shutting the door behind her.
    With a sigh, Amelia looked over at the
steaming tub filled with bubbles.   Her
body ached with tension and the water looked alluring.   She stripped off her clothes, enjoying the
sweet aroma of the bath salts and slid into the tub, immersing herself in the
bubbles and warm water.
    It was wonderful.   The house, Angelle, Eric,
Mabel.   Dreams really do come true, she thought.   She could feel her body start to relax as the
warm water soothed her aching muscles.   She let the sweet, fruity smells fill her lungs and she lay back dipping
her head under.   As the tension floated
away, her jumbled mind seemed to clear.
    Amelia let out a soft, contented sigh and
reached for the cloth.   She scrubbed the
smeared make-up off her face and shampooed her hair.   The shampoo smelled sweet, like a fruit punch.
    Finally, after, she didn’t know how long,
but long enough to be all wrinkly like a prune, Amelia got out of the tub, wrapped herself in a plush yellow towel and wiped down
the steamy mirror.
    When she saw her reflection, Amelia
smiled.   She could barely believe that
this was happening.   She felt happy and
an odd sense of belonging.   A quick
thought crossed her mind, what if the others aren’t as welcoming?   But she quickly pushed it away, not wanting
to ruin the peace she felt at that very moment.

CHAPTER 3

 
 
    Angelle, Amelia assumed, had left a stack
of clothes on the bed and she picked out a pair of black leggings and an ivory
knit turtleneck sweater dress.   She put
on some make-up and scrunched mousse in her long, curly hair, leaving it down
to air dry.
    Once she was satisfied with her appearance,
she glanced at the alarm clock beside her bed and realized that it was already
4:45.
    On her way out of the room, in search for
the kitchen, Amelia noticed another door, slightly open beside the
bathroom.   Curious, she reached in and
flipped the light switch.   It was an
office.   A dark wooden desk sat in front
of a large bay window with a computer.   Across from the desk was a bookshelf with all her textbooks.   She smiled, excited to have her own little
study place and then, not wanting to be late for dinner because she was sure
Mabel wouldn’t be happy about that, she bolted out of the room in search for
the kitchen.
    Amelia found the kitchen, miraculously, on
the first try.   But when she came around
the corner, veering through the living room, so preoccupied trying to figure
out if she was going the right way, she walked right smack into another cute
guy.   Jeez,
is this the attack of gorgeous people? she thought
as she looked up at him and mumbled a quick apology.
    He smiled down at her, a smile that
reminded her of a father looking down at his little girl.   She knew he could not be more than
twenty-five, but there was something impossibly wise and mature in his
eyes.   “Hey kiddo,” he greeted, ruffling
her hair.   “I’m Luke.”
    “Hi,” she replied, gawking at him.
    “You’re just time for dinner,” he said and
walked over to the rounded end of the island.   He draped his jacket on the back of the chair and took a seat beside
Angelle.   Luke was big, bulky, and at
least three inches taller than Angelle and Eric.   His face was warm looking, with thoughtful
hazel eyes and short, spiky brown hair.   He wore a dark gray-collared shirt with the top few buttons undone,
showing the top of his hard muscle-lined chest, and a light blue tie loosened
at the neck.
    “You can sit,” he said, in a deep and
booming voice, with a touch of an accent that Amelia just couldn’t seem to
place.   It was a watery mix with a hint
of Irish and something else, Italian maybe.   “I promise we don’t bite.”   He
chuckled, a velvety sound, and gestured to the empty chair beside Eric.
    Mabel started setting