The Underworld Read Online Free PDF Page B

to hear things for
    myself. “I’m stil up for it.”
    “Then I’l come here tonight after everyone’s
    asleep.” He started for the door.
    A thought popped inside my head. “Wait a sec.”
    He turned around. “What’s up?”
    “Why do you think Stephan wants the star’s
    power?”
    “I don’t know…But if Stephan wants it, and he’s
    working with the Death Walkers…” He trailed off,
    worry slipping onto his face. “Wel , if our plan does
    work out, and we find out your mother’s alive maybe
    she’l have some of the answers to what the heck is
    going on.”

    ***
After I’d changed into the most decent clothes I
    could find—a pair of shorts and a purple tank top—
    and pul ed my long brown hair into a ponytail, I went
    downstairs. It took me a little bit to find the kitchen,
    which was a dimly lit room that had blue and black
    striped wal s, black countertops, and indigo tiled
    flooring. Everyone was there by the time I entered.
    Alex and Aislin were sitting at a smal oval table in the
    corner of the room, and Adessa and Laylen were over
    by the counter. Adessa was stirring something in a
    steaming pot on top of the stove.
    Aislin’s bright green eyes lit up when she saw me.
    She looked like her normal, perfect self. Her golden
    blonde hair was curled up; a pair of diamond earrings
    twinkled in each one of her ear lobes. She had on a
    lacy pink tank top and her smile was as bright as
    ever. “Oh my God. It’s so good to see you awake,
    instead of unconscious.”
    “I already told you she’d woken up.” Alex rol ed his
    eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know why you’re
    getting al excited about it.”
    “Because she’s awake, Alex.” Aislin gave him a
    firm look. “Need I remind you that for awhile we
    thought she wasn’t ever going to wake up.”
    If looks could kil , Aislin would have been dead by
    the invisible daggers shooting from Alex’s bright
    green eyes. I don’t know why he was getting mad at
    her, though. I’d already thought I was dead when I’d
    been trapped back in the black emptiness.
    They continued to scowl at each other as I sat down
    in an empty chair at the table. They eventual y stopped
    having their little stare down when Adessa came over
    and placed what looked like a pot of chicken noodle
    soup down on the table, her metal bangle bracelets
    clinking together as she moved her hands away. Like
    Aislin, Adessa is a witch, so I wasn’t going to
    automatical y assume what was in that pot was food.
    My knowledge about witches was limited, so whether
    or not they brewed pots of potions was beyond me.
    But in this new world I’d been thrust into only a few
    days ago, I was never going to assume things again.
    Or at least try not to.
    Adessa’s golden-cat eyes landed on me, and she
    gave me a welcoming smile. “Hel o, Gemma.”
    I forced a smal smile, just so I wouldn’t seem rude.
    “Hey.”
    She smiled again, tucking a strand of her black
    wavy hair behind her ear, and then went back over to
    the stove.
    Aislin grabbed the spoon in the pot, and began
    stirring it until Adessa took a seat at the table. Laylen
    did as wel , carrying a stack of bowls in his hands. As
    I glanced around at the five of us, I couldn’t help but
    think how strange this was. And I wasn’t just saying
    strange because I was sitting at the table with two
    witches, a vampire, and a Keeper, but because I was
    sitting at a table, getting ready to eat. Something I’d
    never done before in my life.
    “So who’s hungry?” Adessa asked, taking a bowl
    and scooping some—hopeful y—chicken noodle
    soup into it. When no one answered, she set the bowl
    down in front of Alex, who slid it in front of me.
    “Ladies first,” he said with a charming smile.
    How gentleman-like of him, which made it al the
    weirder.
    “Thanks,” I muttered. I stared down at the bowl of
    hot soup, watching the steam rise up as I thought of
    my mother and how, in just a few short hours, I might
    find out that