Free Fallen: Angels in the Dark by Lauren Kate Page A

that meant she always found her way into a good time. She pulled Luce close and whispered, “Guess who just had the most gigantic fight?”
    Trevor was walking toward them, holding a drink and wearing his basketball jersey and swim trunks. Behind him, a few feet away, Rachel’s face was ablaze.
    “Perfect timing,” he said, smiling at Luce. His words came out a little slurred.
    “Trevor!” Rachel bellowed. She looked very much like she wanted to trail after him, but she stood still, hands on her hips. “That’s it. I’m telling the bartender you’re cut off!”
    Trevor stopped in front of Luce. “How ’bout a trip to the bar with me?”
    Callie gave Luce’s back a shove just before she disappeared, and Luce was alone with Trevor Beckman.
    Maybe she should have changed out of her greasy white T-shirt and cutoffs before showing up. Luce tugged at the elastic band to release the long braid she wore to work. She could feel Trevor’s eyes on her dark, wavy hair, which flowed halfway down her back. “A drink sounds good.”
    Trevor smiled, leading the way toward the bar.
    In the middle of the lawn, Rachel had gathered her minions around her. When Luce walked by with Trevor, Rachel tilted her head up and sniffed the air. “What smells like a
gas
station?”
    “Eau de working class,” answered Rachel’s number two. Shawna Clip was just as mean as Rachel but not as smart.
    “Sorry,” Trevor said, pulling Luce away. “They’re such bitches.”
    Luce’s cheeks grew warm. She wasn’t affected by Rachel’s insults, but it was embarrassing that Trevor thought she might be. He stared at her for a moment, then steered her right past the bar. “On second thought, Rachel’s dad keeps the cabins stocked with booze, too.” He grinned at her and nodded toward the woods, toward the moonlit path that led to Lake Winnipesaukee. The tiki torches only went so far, and beyond that were just the big black woods.
    Luce faltered. The woods were one of the reasons she avoided these parties. For everyone else, the dark of night meant it was time to get crazy in a good way.
    For Luce, it was when the shadows came out.
    The bad kind of crazy.
    But this was her first time one-on-one with Trevor when they weren’t holding a scalpel and breathing in formaldehyde. She was not going to blow it by being the freaky girl who couldn’t go near the woods.
    “Through there?” Luce swallowed.
    He ran his thumb along her cheek. It made her shiver. “It’s only dark until you get to the clearing—and I’ll hold your hand the whole time.”
    It was as good an offer as anyone could make, but Luce would never be able to explain to Trevor why it wasn’t really good enough. Why she felt like she was walking into a nightmare shemight not be able to wake up from. If the shadows were in there, they would find her. They would brush up against her like black sheets of ice. But she couldn’t tell him that.
    The dark closed in around them as they walked. Luce could sense murky things in the trees above their heads, could hear faint whooshes in the branches, but kept her eyes on the ground.
    Until something pinched her shoulder. Something cold and sharp that made her jump—right into Trevor’s arms.
    “Nothing to be afraid of. See?”
    Trevor started to turn her around, but Luce tugged on his hand. “Let’s just get to the cabin.”
    When they made it to the clearing, the moon came mercifully back into sight. A neat little row of cabins stood before them.
    Luce glanced at the woods but couldn’t see the way back to the party. She thought she heard the whooshing shadow in the trees again.
    “Race you,” she said.
    She took off toward the first cabin, Trevor close on her heels, until both of them collapsed at the door. They were laughing and out of breath. Luce’s heart raced from exertion and fear—and nervous anticipation about what they were doing so far away from everyone else.
    Trevor reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.
    The