Free Ungifted by Kelly Oram Page B

imagination.
    Yeah, a nightmare. That’s all this was. I’d gone to bed angry and frustrated. I’d fallen into a restless sleep, and was now having the world’s most realistic nightmare.
    Still, even if it was a nightmare I wanted to wake up.
    Call for Ethan.
    It was just a fleeting thought, but I swear it hadn’t been my thought. It was a voice in the back of my mind.
    How could I call for Ethan when I couldn’t scream?
    I tried anyway. I screamed again so hard my voice began to hurt.
    “There is no use fighting me, love. It is too late now. You will be mine soon.”
    I pinched my eyes shut and called out with my mind. ETHAN!
    Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!
    A moment later there was a knock at my door and Ethan grumbled, “What is it, Grace? Would you stop screaming?”
    Andrew whipped his head around and hissed at the door.
    Ethan, help me!
    Ethan swung the door open, and when he saw Andrew he said a word that was strictly forbidden at Atherton Prep Academy. His whole body went rigid as if he was getting ready to pounce, but he didn’t actually move.
    “What have you told her?” he asked Andrew.
    “Interesting company you keep, love,” Andrew said to me without taking his eyes off Ethan.
    Ethan just stood there. Why wasn’t he doing anything? Andrew wasn’t that big and didn’t appear to be armed. If Ethan took down Randy, he could totally take Andrew. Why was he just standing there?
    Was it because I hadn’t wanted Ethan’s help? I’d asked him to stop over and over, and now here I was desperate for him to come to my rescue. I’d been so mean to him. So ungrateful. He hated me enough now that he wasn’t going to help me.
    I’m sorry, okay? I’m so sorry! I know I don’t deserve it, but please help me! Don’t let him hurt me!
    Ethan’s eyes snapped to me, and his face went dead white. Seeing him look so completely shocked and afraid made me panic. I couldn’t just lie there and wait when I could still taste Andrew’s blood in my mouth. I fought again as hard as I could and ended up kicking the corner post of my bed with my cast. Searing pain surged up from my foot and brought on a new wave of tears.
    “Grace, just stop for a minute before you make things worse!” Ethan barked. He looked at Andrew and said, “What is going on?”
    I was so shocked I stopped moving.
    How could Ethan be yelling at me right now? And for trying to fight off an attacker? Especially when Ethan didn’t seem to be planning an intervention. How could he be mad at me for this? It’s not like it was my fault.
    Ethan’s anger confused me so much that I started bawling uncontrollably.
    “My business is nothing that concerns you.” Andrew sounded way too calm for the situation. “The girl is human. It is my right to claim her.”
    “I’ll kill you if you try it.”
    Ethan’s threat was enough to make Andrew spring into a defensive crouch in front of me.
    Once I was free, I couldn’t think of running or fighting. The only thing I could do was roll onto my side and throw up.
    Ethan gasped and Andrew’s response was viscous and smug at the same time. “Yes, you’re too late. There is no stopping the Change now. It is best you forget the girl and let us be on our way.”
    Suddenly, there was a blinding light in my room that made Andrew scream in pain. Then Ethan flew at Andrew.
    Literally.
    Flew at him.
    Because he had wings.
    I’d never seen anything like him. He was radiating a heavenly glow and had huge snow-white wings that looked more glorious than anything on this earth had a right to look.
    I was so awed by the sight before me that I couldn’t even process the impossibility of it. “Beautiful,” I whispered.
    I couldn’t recognize the danger I was in, either, until there were two gigantic, snarling wolves bursting through my bedroom door. Then I became paralyzed with fear.
    Ethan had Andrew pinned on the floor and the two wolves flanked him on either side. Their presence made Andrew go insane with rage.
    “I have