Book of the Hidden Read Free Page B

broken air vent under the window, her back against the wall. It was like a video that replayed itself relentlessly through her mind. An old memory Seth brought back last night.
          The face of the person was hidden in darkness. Vivian never saw who it was. It happened so fast. The bullet pierced her flesh and muscle. She heard the bang and felt the pain in her stomach, but didn’t believe it until she looked down. In the middle of her blue dress was a dark circle of warm, red blood. She sunk to the ground as her eyes closed and her mind became engulfed in the pain. She knew she was dying and wanted so badly to move, to tell someone that it was all ending for her and to say goodbye. But her body was cold like ice, everything was freezing when suddenly a warm feeling passed through her. She felt more alive and awake than ever. When she opened her eyes, two silver gleaming eyes looked down at her. Any other person would have been scared, but she wasn't. Instead she smiled. When she looked down again the blood was still there but the pain was gone.
          Vivian placed her hand over her stomach recalling the vision again in her mind. She was looking out the window but wasn't really seeing anything. Her mind flashed back to that night; back to that place. It wasn't that she enjoyed it, it was that she couldn't turn back; at least not at that moment.
          Soon enough though, she was jolted back to the motel room. Seth had gently laid a hand on her shoulder bringing her back to the present. She faked a smile and went back to look out the window while he took a seat across from her.
          "You know.... You never told me your name."
          She turned back to him, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile. "It's Vivian."
          He grinned, and stared out of the window with her. She was sure a lot was going through his mind, but what he said next she wasn’t prepared for.
          "I want no part of this. I want to go back to a normal life. If I was really changed into a werewolf, I can change back right?"
          Her heart sunk as she looked at the pained expression on his face, "Yes, but I don't know how." She looked back out the window.
          Seth sighed. "Who does know?"
          "I don’t know.... There are not many willing to know - much less even wanting to change back."
          "But.... There has to be someone... Somehow..."
          Looking away from the night she saw the desperate look upon his face. It was the same look she gave to Maeve many times regarding her fate. However, at the time she believed what Maeve said. Seth was still doubting her. She shook the thoughts away focusing back on Seth.
          "There's a book. It's the book of our kind. It will tell you how to reverse yourself back to human form."
          His smile widened. "Great! Where is it?"
          "With the rest." Vivian looked down, and picked a piece of lint off her jeans.
          "Rest?"
          She nodded. "Did you think you were the only one? There are many other creatures out there, hidden, much of the time. I left the book in my sisters’ possession."
          "When do we leave?" He asked with urgency? Vivian wanted to tell him to forget about the book and move on. Accept this creature within him the magical world connected. But she couldn't. After all, he deserved a choice.
          "Tonight! There's no need to wait." She slid off the air vent, stretching. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Seth looking at her inquisitively. "What's the matter" she asked? She raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
          He took a breath as though he was gaining the nerve to speak, but then closed his mouth shaking his head. His eyes wandered from her to a small lightening bug flying past the window.
          "Come on," she urged, "tell me."
          Seth looked away from the bug, to the floor. "How did it happen to you? How did the change occur?"
          Vivian