Free Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen Page B

ice-cold against my muscles. But then I realize I should have waited until Aiden brought clothes before I got in. I crack the curtain and am surprised to find a set of folded clothes on the bed, along with a towel. I shut off the water and get dressed. The blue shirt fits me perfectly, but the pants are a little too long, so I tuck them in my boots, before lacing them up. It’s strange wearing clothes that aren’t black and I feel a little out of place.
    There’s a knock at the door and I quickly pull my hair back into a ponytail. “Yeah, you can come in.”
    Aiden enters, the blood washed from his arms, but the lines still remain. “You look better.”
    “Thanks,” I mumble, adjusting the shirt. “You didn’t have to lock me in.”
    “Yeah I did.” He smiles and for some reason I return it.
    His breath catches, and his heart misses a beat. I quickly erase the impulsive smile from my face and he shakes his head and picks up a knife from off the floor.
    “So I’m guessing you’re hungry.” He puts the knife into his pocket and zips up his jacket.
    “Yeah, I guess.” My eye catches the book. “Can you… do you know how to read?”
    He looks perplexed and follows my gaze. “Oh that. No I can’t.” He nudges the book aside. “Someone found that one day, while out in the city.”
    “You’ve been out to the city?” I ask.
    “Everyone has at one time or another.” He opens the door. “Let’s go get you something to eat.”
     
    Downstairs, everyone receives me with inquiring eyes, making me feel like I forgot to put pants on or something. Maci’s sitting next to Ryder on a turned over crate near the farthest corner. She’s stuffing her mouth full of a bright yellow food I don’t recognize, but it smells delicious.
    “What is that?” I ask as Aiden pops one into his mouth.
    “Food,” he crunches. He wipes his face with his sleeve and hands me one.
    Hesitantly, I take it and nibble a small bit. My tongue is immediately overflowed with the sweetest taste that’s ever touched my tongue.
    “What is this?” I ask, juice dripping down my chin.
    “The best thing in the world,” he says.
    Ryder shoots him a disgusted look and her heart knocks quickly against her chest, not out of fear, but out of anger. “It’s good to see you two are getting along so well after only spending a few minutes with each other.” She stands, much taller than I remember, her head nearly touching the ceiling. “So what’d you do? Hit her over the head to get her to cooperate or something?”
    Aiden touches a strand of my hair distractedly, as if he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. “She’s actually really cooperative; at least she was once I let her go.” He winks at me, but then blinks and drops my hair.
     “Well, isn’t that wonderful,” Ryder says sarcastically. “No we can all just sit around and be one big happy family.”
    If this girl doesn’t watch it, she’s going to end up getting her ass kicked.
    “The other one on the other hand is turning out to be a pain in the butt.” He drops down on a crate and pops another piece of food into his mouth.
    “You mean Bernard?” I sit down and Maci wraps her arms around me.
    “I’m so glad you didn’t die, Kayla,” she says softly.
    I give her a gentle pat. “Me too, Maci. Me too.”
    Sometimes it’s hard for me to be close to people. If they’re particularly fearful when they touch me, the rush of fear can be so intense that it’s enough to almost send me to the ground. But what I sense off of Maci, is enough to make my ears ring.  Monarch. Maci’s afraid of Monarch.
    Ryder leans back against the wall and puts her hands behind her head, kicking her filthy boot on the table. “So have you decided what you want to do with them?
    “No one’s doing anything with me,” I say, before Aiden can respond.
    “Yeah, ‘cause Kayla can do whatever she wants,” Maci says. “She can even take on a Higher.”
    Aiden, who was taking a sip from a