Кирстен Уайт - Paranormalcy

“Wow. Your dad rocks.”

“I know. So then we took you inside—What happened to the doorknob, by the way?”

“Umm, oops?”

He laughed. “Anyway, we found Vivian on the floor. I thought she was dead, but my dad found a pulse. When you didn’t wake up right away we brought you both here. You’ll be fine, just some minor burns and hypothermia, which was kind of hard to explain.”

I laughed drily. I had managed to stop Vivian, free the souls, and not kill anyone in the process. Or die myself. I had done okay. “Where is Viv?”

“She was here, but I think she’s gone now. My dad says she’ll probably never wake up, so he found someone who could take care of her.”

I frowned, wondering who on earth could do that until I remembered my first visitor. Raquel would take good care of her. The idea of Vivian, asleep and alone forever, made me sad, but at least she’d be safe from the faeries.

I wondered when the same thing would happen to me, when I would burn out.

“So, I’ve got a question,” Lend said. “What did you mean when you said if you kept the souls you could stay with me?”

I bit my lip. Lend had no idea that he was immortal, his soul brilliant and eternal. I opened my mouth to tell him but couldn’t choke out the words. It felt like as soon as I said it, that would be the end for us. “I don’t know.” I shrugged and tried to smile. “All those souls burning me up inside, I was kind of whacked out.”

“What did it feel like?”

I shifted uncomfortably. Remembering it made me feel even colder; I wanted to forget how amazing it was. I couldn’t have that again. Ever. “Crowded?”

“Well, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too. So, what was so important that you had to leave?”

“Ah.” He plopped a bag on the bed next to me. “I thought you’d want something to do until you got released.” He pulled out a box. A boxed set, to be more specific. The first two seasons of Easton

Heights.

“Shut up!” I shrieked. “You really were worried about me, weren’t you?”

He smiled but the strain showed through. “I was really scared I’d lost you.”

I scooted over, patting the bed next to me. “No such luck. And now you get to watch forty straight hours of Easton Heights with me!”

He turned on the first disk, shaking his head, then got onto the bed next to me. “Small price to pay for getting to hold your hand.”

I wasn’t cold anymore.