Free Ungifted by Kelly Oram Page A

you to miss it.”
    I picked up the crutches Ethan had set on the floor at my feet. When Ethan followed me across the room as though he were going to help me up the stairs, I shrugged away from him. “I can do it.”
    Ethan shook his head. “I’ve seen you in PE—and that’s without crutches.” He lifted me into his arms. “I don’t trust you with the stairs.”
    Tears burned my eyes again as he carried me to my room. “Haven’t I already lost enough of my dignity today? Do you really need to tuck me into bed, too?”
    Ethan rolled his eyes but then sighed. “Your dad was out of line,” he said, sitting down next to me on my bed as if settling in for a long conversation.
    I held my breath for a minute. When I was sure I wasn’t going to cry I said, “Can you do me a favor, please?”
    “Anything.”
    “Don’t ever bring up my father. He’s not my favorite topic of conversation.”
    Ethan looked completely frustrated with me again. I didn’t understand why, but I was done trying to figure him out. Finally, he nodded. “Okay.”
    We sat in awkward silence for a minute and I wondered why he wasn’t leaving.
    “I really need this job, Grace.”
    I didn’t want to hear his excuses. I especially didn’t want an apology, which is what looked like was coming out of his mouth next, so I lay down on my bed and rolled myself away from him. “It’s okay. I get it. I already told you it’s fine.” When Ethan still didn’t go anywhere I added, “Would you mind shutting the door on your way out?”

Have you ever had that feeling when you know you’re asleep and you can’t wake yourself up? I was doing that now. There was a cold breeze coming from somewhere that had stirred me from the unconscious state I’d been in, but hadn’t quite pulled me all the way to the land of the living.
    I felt fingers on my cheek and realized I was dreaming. It made sense that I was dreaming about someone touching my face since in the last thirty-six hours or so I’d had three exceptionally cute guys each stroke my face so intimately they’d rattled me inside and out.
    I wondered which of those three guys I was dreaming about right now, and hoped it would be a good dream and not a nightmare.
    “We meet again, Grace St. Claire,” a voice whispered.
    “Andrew?”
    “Yes, love.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “You knew I would come for you, didn’t you? You felt the connection, too.”
    He coaxed my lips slightly open and dripped a warm, sweet liquid into my mouth. When I was forced to swallow, I finally woke all the way up.
    I opened my eyes, but my dream didn’t end. Andrew was really there, smiling down at me. He was holding his hand in a tight fist over my face, letting dark drops of blood drip into my mouth.
    Andrew realized I’d woken up and immediately clamped his bloody hand over my mouth.
    I screamed and screamed, but the sound was so muffled I doubted anyone would ever hear it.
    I thrashed hard enough that Andrew had to climb on top of me and pin me with all of his weight. I’m so small it wasn’t that hard for him to have me completely trapped.
    “Shh,” he cooed and wiped at the tears streaming down my face with his free hand. “You are resistant to my charms, but I promise you, once you turn you will not fear me.”
    I could taste the blood still running from his hand. It didn’t taste the way I imagined blood tasting, but it made me sick to my stomach anyway. I welcomed the nausea. I wanted nothing more than to vomit.
    I jerked my head from side to side, but I couldn’t get myself free from Andrew’s grip.
    “Don’t be frightened, Grace. My blood is a gift. Six hundred years I have searched for someone to share my immortality with. The moment I met you, I knew the wait was worth it.”
    I had to still be dreaming.
    The things he was saying made me feel like I was in one of Cynthia’s books. I’d even told her Andrew reminded me of a vampire. I was just manifesting my fears with my crazy