Free Painfully Ordinary Special Edition by Stephanie Amox Page A

need
to contact my mom before she calls the police or simply finds and kills me
herself.” My rising anxiety triggered a storm of questions.
    Talon exhaled noisily. “Wow. You got on a roll there. Well
first, most people don’t know of the existence of Sanctuary. Its secrets are known only to a select few. Second, Jace and Leah are in the next room, looking quite cozy the last time I saw them.” He
patted my hand reassuringly. “Also, I already talked to your mom. She knows
where you are and wants you to stay put. She knows I will protect you with my
life.”
    I heaved a sigh, pulling my hands from his and rubbed my
temples. “I don’t understand. Why are
you willing to do that? You hardly know me, but our relationship has progressed
faster in the last week than all my others combined. So, what is it about being
with you that makes me feel so alive?” My eyes filled with unshed tears. “You
could have anyone you wanted. Why me? I’m no one.”
    He focused on the floor for a moment before meeting my
gaze.
    “Caitlin, you have no idea how precious you are. I cannot
explain why. During my short time with you, I have experienced things I never
thought possible. You are the light to my darkness. Without knowing you, I
would have been forever silenced in my own, quiet world.”
    I stared at him, speechless. How was I supposed to respond
to that? He managed to put everything I was feeling about him into words.
    I reached over, taking his hand in mine. “I have nothing to
offer you. I am not beautiful, rich or brilliant—just painfully ordinary.”
    He looked frustrated. “Can you not see how other people see
you? I have to fight to stay in control when we walk in public. You draw the
eye of every male in the area. You are beautiful inside and out, and it shows.”
He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his hair. “You put way too much
stock into the opinion of one completely psychotic jackass.”
    I dropped my hands into my lap. “I know. It’s just so much
easier to believe the bad things.”
    He grabbed both my hands in his. “One day you are finally
going to realize your potential, and I definitely want to be there when you
do.”
    I turned away from his gaze and stared at the table next to
the couch at the bowl that held the stones. They fascinated me. I wondered if
they were hot.
    I ran my hand over the glow.
    Interesting.
    I couldn’t feel any heat coming off them at all. Talon eyed
me as I reached over and plucked a stone out of the bowl. As soon as my hand
touched the surface, it burst into a brilliant emerald glow causing Talon to shield
his eyes from the glare.
    I exclaimed. “ Awesome !
Did you see that? What makes them
glow brighter when you pick them up?”
    Talon inched his way to the edge of the couch and stood up.
“They don’t. They will only glow like that when held in the hands of a Lumina .”
    A lump formed in my throat. Why did he look so freaked out?
Was he suggesting that I was one of these Lumina ? What did that mean? Was it a bad thing?
    “Talon, what is a Lumina ?”
    His shoulders drooped a bit. “Unfortunately, this changes
everything. I need to talk to Jace. Stay here for a minute and I’ll send Leah
to you.” He backed out the door.
    Actually backed out.
    What was that all about? Why did he need to talk to Jace?
What was Jace going to be able to do? I didn’t have any time to think about it
before Leah came streaking into the room, and grabbed me around the neck.
    “Caiiiitttiiii!”
    She jumped on the couch and almost dumped both of us on the
floor.
    “Isn’t this the most amazing place? It’s like a club. You can order food and drinks, watch TV, surf the Net.
They even have Xbox 360! There are all kinds of mini-rooms with papasan chairs
and everything. But this,” she gestured to the room we were now in, “this is
the only room furnished with an actual full-sized couch and loveseat. According
to Jace, it’s only for VIPs. Woo-hoo. Finally we are VIPs!”
    I rubbed