Catching Temptation (In Darkness She Fades (Book 1) Read Free Page B

then grope the wall until the light switch pokes my hand.
    For a moment, I forget to
breathe. A bathroom with marble floors ends at a claw-foot bathtub. Lavish
curtains shimmer in the light, even with dust and cobwebs. A decorative oval
mirror hangs above a golden sink.
    I stare at my mirror image. I do
not like viewing my reflection for very long. It is too painful. Though my skin
is not as dark as moms, my features favor mom.
    “Miss you, Mom.”
    The lights black out.
    Crap. Why is the electricity
going out?
    The bedroom door squeaks. I take
a step. It slams shut, abandoning me to complete darkness. “Dammit Daniel,
can’t you leave me alone for two freakin’ minutes?” At the bathroom doorway, I
blindly ambled into my bedroom. I fumble to find the light switch. The small
bump flips up.
    Nothing happens.
    “Crap.”
    Using the wall as my guide, I
find my bedroom door. I turn the cool knob. It will not open. “What kind of
house has the locks on the outside of the door? Those drapes must be as thick
as denim to keep the room so dark during the day.” I attempt to maneuver my way
across the room, but stub my toes against the bedpost in the process. I curse
and limp closer to the draped windows.
    A pair of eyes shines in the
darkness.
    A cold hand captures my scream,
while an arm seizes my waist. I never met a monster who takes on the physical
body of a man. The creatures stalk, mock, and threaten me, but they never touch
me like this except for the monster in my dreams.
    The monster removes his hand from
my mouth.
    “Get away from me!”
    He does not heed my command. The
arm gripping my waist remains strong, but gentle.
    Shivers travel over my body. “Are
you with the masked monster I saw in the forest today?”
    “Monster?” His voice hikes,
creating a rich, deep tone full of amusement.
    I heard his voice before in the
past. The smell of pine wafts from his skin.
    “Is that what you think we are?”
He strokes a stray hair away from my face, proving his spectrum of sight in the
darkness. I despise the loss of my vision. The urge to run generates a
prickling sensation over my entire body.
    “What do you want?” My coined hip
scarf clangs when he tugs me harder against his chest. The aroma of wet earth
fills my nostrils when the strong creature bends his head to whisper into my
ear.
    “Do not fear me, Temptation. I’ve
been watching you. Only you can help me. Save me.”
    “Temptation!”
    The arm uncoils from my waist.
His fingertips linger on my neck. The next second the chandelier lights
illuminate my bedroom once again. I blink at the place where the monster’s eyes
had appeared. He is gone. The drapes billow as if a breeze swept through the
room. Chest shuddering, I back up until I hit the bedpost. He had been watching
me. At my vanity, I gaze at my shaken reflection. Save him. Save him from what?
    “Temptation Belladonna Falls,
quit being lazy, march your butt down here, and grab your boxes!”
    Aunt Sally’s voice jogs me back
into reality. Irritation allows my muscles to work. “I’m coming!” I growl and
then mutter, “Hold your stampede of horses.” Abandoning my thoughts, I escape
with one fearful glance at the empty room. Karma is so going to freak out.

 
               
    Chapter Two
    Rosewood High
     
     
               
“I can’t believe it either,” I declare into my cell phone. “To think Rosewood is
a place and not a person. I feel stupid.”
               
Karma laughs on the other end. “At least you found it, right? Wish I could be
there with you.”
               
“Least we can still talk. What do you think I should do?” Karma and I discussed
on numerous occasions what questions we would ask Rosewood, but that plan is
dead.
               
“I guess you’ll have to try and find your dream monster. Ask him what he needs
saving from. You’d better be careful. These creatures sound different from the
ones we’re used