Free Charity Rising (Charity Series Book 2) by DeAnna Kinney

shrugged it off and headed downstairs. But the action troubled me for the rest of the night.
    At school the next morning, I cal ed Ashley over as soon as I exited my car.
    “What’s up?”
    “I need to talk to you.”
    Without warning Levi was suddenly walking beside us.
    “Hey. Bye,” I said to him.
    His eyes grew wide. “I love you too,” he teased.
    “Look, Ashley, see Spot run.” I peered up at him. “That’s your cue to leave—us girls need some alone time.”
    “You know, kitten, if you weren’t so cute I’d bend you over my knee.”
    “Shh, not in front of the children.”
    “Oh, forget it.” He bent down, kissed my forehead, and then he was gone.
    “Okay, now that Rover’s gone, what’s up?” Ashley asked.
    “Hey, I’l have to remember that one. Anyway, Levi’s been acting strange. Has Josh said anything to you about it?”
    “No, as a matter a fact, he’s in ful Levi worship mode right now. He said he was proud of the way Levi was handling the whole vampire-
    trying-to-locate-them thing. He said he was very brave and that his biggest concern was keeping you safe, even saying that the survival of the pack depended on your survival.”
    Well, it was true .
    “Listen, something’s not right. Occasional y he’s been acting odd. He looks at me funny, and alarms are going off in my head like crazy.”
    “You mean more than usual?” she teased.
    “I’m serious. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
    “Have you been watching Star Wars again?”
    I stared at her for a moment. “Yes, but that’s beside the point.” I shook my head. “Ash, are you even listening to me?”
    “Of course, but this is Levi we’re talking about. The man who gave his soul to God in order to save your life, the man who almost gave up his
    pack for you, the man who’s risked his life many times to keep you safe, the man who runs when you say run, and who al ows you to cal him stupid
    doggy names without so much as a flinch because it entertains you. The man is crazy in love with you, so that in itself makes him odd.”
    I smiled. “Wel , when you put it that way. I guess he is pretty awesome.”
    “He’s the best—for you—I mean.”
    “Okay, if you think it’s okay, I’l drop it, for now. But last night he told my mom to screw off—sort of.”
    She jerked her head around and peered at me wide-eyed. “Wel , you didn’t say that! Something’s definitely off! Levi would never say a thing
    like that!”
    “See!”
    “Okay, this cal s for some investigating.”
    “That’s my girl.” I could always count on good old Ash. You know Charity code and all that. “Oh, and I have something else to talk to you
    about later, but now we better get to class.”
    Levi caught my arm as I entered the cafeteria. “Are you avoiding me?”
    “No. Wel maybe. Okay, yes.”
    “Did I do something?”
    “If you don’t know then I’m not tel ing,” I snapped.
    “Wel , whatever it is I’m sorry.” He smiled, flashing me his dimples. He knew I couldn’t resist them. Cheater!
    “You know what? That’s not gonna work this time,” I replied, knowing ful wel it would.
    “Oh, real y? Wel maybe this wil .” He took my hand and led me out of the cafeteria doors and around to our usual spot at the back of the
    building. Suddenly, his lips were on mine. Against my wil , my arms went around his neck, pul ing him closer until he was pressed firmly against me.
    “That’s not fair,” I breathed.
    “Are you protesting?”
    I smiled. “No.”
    He laughed and kissed me again, but we were soon distracted by a commotion coming for the lunchroom. He glanced at me, and then
    grabbed my hand and pul ed me along as he ran around the corner and through the cafeteria doors and froze. What we saw then shocked us. A
    fight had broken out in our absence. Food started flying as some capitalized on the violence. Levi ducked just missing the clump of macaroni
    headed toward his face. I laughed until I recognized Ashley right in