Daniel Taylor Between Two Worlds Read Free Page B

could no longer leave the house without them. He peered through the window at the Barkleys’ house. A big pink heart with “D + V” scribbled inside was stuck to Vanessa’s window. They had been together for three weeks, and Daniel’s pulse quickened whenever he thought about her.
    He hurried into the bathroom to quickly shower and wash his hair. Then he pulled on his favorite clothes — black jeans and a hoodie — before running down to the kitchen. His mom had already left for work, since she had an early shift at the hospital today, but breakfast was waiting for him on the kitchen table, as always. Ever since his mother had repainted the house in light colors and cleared out a bunch of useless things — above all mementos of his adoptive father Peter — Daniel felt more at ease in his home. However, the previous day he had had a massive fight with her because she simply refused to tell him how he could get in contact with his real father. Daniel wanted to finally meet this James Carpenter — he had a right to know his father! Even Marla seemed interested in James. Daniel couldn’t blame her for that; after all, he had been part of their mother’s life. The mother they had in common — Kitana.
    His mom had said, “All in good time, Danny.” But how much time did he have left?
    He felt instinctively that the demons posed some kind of imminent threat. He knew he could rely on this intuition, since he was still linked to their collective consciousness, even when they shut him out of their minds. Daniel was getting better at shutting out the underworlders as well. He could manage it when he focused on creating a kind of invisible force field, like the ones in his computer games. When the demons tried to get into his mind, he heard a soft popping sound and felt a dull throbbing in his skull.
    Half an hour later, he rang the Barkley’s doorbell. Vanessa opened the door before he could even take his finger off the button. “Hi, Danny!” After looking over her shoulder, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Daniel sunk his fingers into her long hair and returned her affections. If it doesn’t happen soon, I’ll go mad! he thought as his hands roamed over her slender body. For days now, he could scarcely think of anything other than sleeping with Vanessa. But how could he tell her that? Talking about such things wasn’t really his strong suit.
    She pulled him boldly into the foyer. The Barkleys’ house was laid out exactly like his mother’s; only the furnishings were different. Little had changed here over the past seventeen years. Dark furniture, wall-to-wall carpeting. Vanessa’s parents were very conservative, but Daniel liked them nonetheless.
    “Hello Brenda, hello Richard!” Daniel waved at Nessa’s parents as they walked past the little kitchen. Her father was drinking a cup of coffee while her mother cleared the table. Daniel had known them both his entire life. He was surprised that they hadn’t fitted their daughter with a chastity belt, since they refused to let her go on the pill. The Barkleys’ views were a little medieval, he thought: no sex before marriage.
    Both adults nodded at him. Mr. Barkley, peering through his glasses over the edge of his coffee mug, muttered “Be good,” as Vanessa pulled him up the staircase to her room, leaving the door open.
    “Danny’s here to study!” she called back to her father, her ears turning red.
    As soon as they entered her room, Daniel closed the door behind them. He had other things in mind than being quizzed on history.
    “What are you doing?” Vanessa asked, her mouth hanging open in amazement.
    That sweet mouth must be kissed. Daniel pulled Nessa into his arms.
    “Danny!” she cried indignantly, but his caresses were emphatically returned. “We’re supposed to be doing schoolwork.”
    “Napoleon can wait; this can’t.” His lips found Vanessa’s mouth, and he placed his hands on her back to pull her body