Free Goddess of the Night by Lynne Ewing

card, you're looking for answers, and the information you'll
receive will be
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    difficult to
believe, so you'll put yourself in danger. You'll have confused
feelings and not be sure what to do, but you can't run from this
problem. The only way is through it."
    Serena looked
down at the cards. She turned over the next and let out a small gasp.
Before Vanessa could catch her, she stuck the card back in the deck.
Her quick jerky movement toppled her glass of milk.
    "Sorry."
She ran to get paper towels. She brought them back to the table.
    Vanessa helped
her sop up the milk. "What did the last card say?"
    "Nothing,
I didn't even really see it before I spilled the milk."
    Vanessa knew
she was lying. She had looked too frightened. She had seen something
in the cards. And why did she keep staring at Vanessa? Maybe Morgan
was right.
    Serena tossed
the wet towels in the trash, then came back to the table. "So do
you want to watch some TV, or go down to Ed Debevic's and watch them
dance on the counter? I love their hot fudge sundaes."
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    Serena was
talking too quickly. What was she afraid of? Surely she would tell
her if she thought she was in danger.
    "You
didn't tell me what you saw in the last card," Vanessa said.
"The one that frightened you.
    "Oh,
that." Serena tried to laugh but it came out sounding fake. "I
would have told you all the usual stuff that everyone thinks
fortune-tellers make up anyway, about a happy life and all that."
    But Vanessa
knew she was hiding something. "Are you sure there wasn't more?"
    Serena seemed
nervous. "No, I'd tell you if there was more," she said.
"Come on, let's go to Ed Debevic's. It'll be fun."
    "I can't
tonight. I promised Mom I'd be home early." Vanessa pulled a
twenty-dollar bill from her jeans pocket. She handed it to Serena.
    Serena started
to take the money, then stopped. "I can't charge a friend. Just
don't tell anyone else I didn't charge you. Telling fortunes is a
cool way to make extra cash."
    "Thanks."
Vanessa tucked the money back in her pocket. "I'll see you
tomorrow."
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    "Yeah."
Serena walked her to the back door.
    Vanessa hurried
down the drive to the front of the house, then stopped and looked
back.
    "Freaky,"
she whispered. She knew Serena was holding something back, but why
would she? Was it something about Michael? Or Morgan? She felt
heartsick.
    She turned and
bumped into a girl with long black hair. The girl gasped and took a
step backward. She looked like a gangbanger, in black cargo pants and
sport tank. Homemade tattoos covered her back and arm. She was thin
with large brown eyes that seemed afraid of something she saw in
Vanessa's face.
    "What?"
Vanessa said.
    " Ten
cuidado" the girl whispered. "Be careful."
    That made
Vanessa more uneasy than if she had snarled.
    "Sure,"
Vanessa muttered uncertainly and began the long walk home. She
decided that she shouldn't see Michael anymore. Her heart twisted at
the thought. But that took care of one problem, at least. Then she
could concentrate on finding out who was following her and why.
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    Chapter 11
    M ONDAY
MORNING Michael was standing on the concrete steps at school when
Vanessa and Catty arrived. He wore khakis and Birkenstocks. His
tumble of black hair curled against a white T-shirt. He waved, and
adrenaline shot through Vanessa with a sweet pleasant tingle. What
was it about his smile that made her body turn traitor to her mind
and crave his touch?
    "Come on."
Vanessa pulled Catty back the way they had come.
    Catty looked
up. "Maybe he's looking for you.
    "I'm done
with him."
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    The look in
Catty's eyes told her that she didn't believe her.
    "I'm too
embarrassed to see him," she begrudgingly admitted. "Besides,
I can't have a boyfriend. There's no way it can work out. I can't
even kiss him without going invisible."
    Catty glanced
back at the cement steps. "If he were my boyfriend, I'd find a
way."
    By noon, heat,
smog, and automobile exhaust had settled over the city. Security
guards stood at the front gate