Consume (The Devoured Series) Read Free Page A

Something was going on with me. I stood quickly to bolt across the street.
     
    I didn't look in my haste.
     
    The car didn't have a chance to stop before it was too late. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact…
     
    It never came.
     
    I looked up and saw the car had stopped. The woman's face behind the windshield was frozen in her fear of hitting someone. I turned in a slow circle to see that everyone else has frozen, too. No one moved, no one breathed, no one blinked.
     
    I was so confused until I felt a presence behind me. I turned around quickly and was met with a boy, his face covered in the shadows of the oak tree he was standing under. It reminded me so much of when Eli had first started invading my consciousness. He had always hidden himself in shadow…
     
    "Who are you?" I asked, because just standing there staring at him seemed a little unproductive.
     
    "My name is whatever you want it to be," he said sweetly. "What's your name?"
     
    "Somehow, I think you already know."
     
    He laughed a deep chuckle. "Clever girl. You are Clara. Nice to meet you. I'm Finn, and you almost passed out on the sidewalk, Clara."
     
    "What?" I looked around and saw nothing or no one but him and me. "How do you know that?"
     
    I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, "Call me Mister Know It All ."
     
    "This is a reverie," I realized.
     
    His body visibly tensed. "How do you know what a reverie is?"
     
    I thought about how to answer that. Something was going on. "You're a Devourer, aren't you? And this is a reverie? Eli won't like you going into my head, you know."
     
    He cursed and turned quickly, punching the tree trunk. "Eli, you idiot," he said quietly.
     
    "How do you know him?" I asked, but I knew exactly how.
     
    "Let's just say that I'm looking for him," he drawled and stepped out of the shadows. He was a pretty guy, with thick lashes and creamy skin. "Tell Eli for me will you?"
     
    I noticed he had no accent and no piercings. He wasn't snarky either. He was different for a Devourer. "Sure," I said and immediately came aware on the sidewalk. I was still crouched there and breathing deeply to keep from passing out. Just like he said.
     
    I glanced up to see Eli running across the quad and parking lot. There were a few people who had stopped to stare at me, but no one asked me if I was ok. The closer Eli got, the more I could see his anger.
     
    "Show's over," he growled to everyone. "Or you could just stand around like idiots and stare at her instead of helping her!" he shouted just as he reached me. That got people's feet moving.
     
    He didn't crash into me. He slowed just in time to ease himself into my personal space. He gathered my face in his hands gently. "What's the matter, baby?"
     
    I couldn't help it, I grinned. He looked confused by that and asked, "Did you hit your head?"
     
    "No," I said through a small laugh. "You called me baby. You've never called me that before."
     
    He smirked, but tried to tame it down. "Come on. What happened?"
     
    "I met a guy named Finn-"
     
    "Finn was here!" he almost shouted. He smiled, like he was truly happy about something. "Where? What happened?"
     
    "He said to tell you he was looking for you."
     
    "He talked to you and then just left?"
     
    "No. He told me in the reverie I had when I-"
     
    Eli was no longer smiling. I stopped speaking because I was confused by the sudden contained rage on his face. "He brought you into a reverie?"
     
    "Yeah," I thought back, "he pulled me in when I got blinded by the sun. But it wasn't just being blinded it was painful and way too bright to just be that." I shook my head. "Anyway, I crouched down to stop the pain and when I did, he pulled me in. I didn't know it though and he made me think I was going to be hit by a car before everyone froze, and then they all disappeared."
     
    "I can't believe he did that to you," he growled. I looked up at him with confusion on my face. He grasped my arms gently, bringing me