Free The Devil's Prey (The Demon Within) by Jessica Stark Page A

her, imagining what it must have been like for her.
    ‘When I arrived at the hospital, I saw two of your friends. Both of them were crying, and Lauren was standing there, looking very smug for some reason. When they let me in…you were so pale and covered in bandages. The doctor told me not to get my hopes up for your survival, told me you were just hanging on. All I could think was that I couldn’t lose you. I had already lost your father to these people, and I could not lose you. When I asked Lauren why this had happened, she said it was because you were a pure fairy, and that really scared me.’
    Mum continued sobbing, and I thought about what would happen if she had lost me, or if I were to lose her. I knew if I were to lose Mum, I would be gone. I don’t think I could ever live without her.
    ‘I am still alive , Mum.’ She nodded her head, and we sat quietly for a while. ‘I thought I was going to die, too. I remember trying to fight them off, and I thought I was winning when he just came at me. I remember him laughing, then everything went black, and that was it.’ That was a lie. I remembered everything clear as day, but I didn’t want to tell her all of it.
    ‘O h, Summer, I don’t know what I would do without you.’ We kept hugging each other until she said it was time to cook dinner. I sat at our island bench on a bar stool and watched Mum cook dinner. We talked about anything and everything, just like old times.
    ‘So I was talking to Jack the other day , and he wanted to know if you have gained any new powers yet,’ she said casually.
    I choke d on my drink. ‘Umm…no, not yet.’ I cringed, trying not to think of what other powers might surface eventually.
    ‘Well , keep me updated.’ My phone started ringing, and when I saw that it was Amanda, I let it go to voicemail. It started ringing again a few seconds later.
    ‘Are y ou going to answer that?’ Mum said over her shoulder, and I rolled my eyes.
    ‘N ope,’ I said sharply.
    ‘Who is it?’ she ask ed, and it started ringing again.
    ‘W ell, this time it is Lauren.’ At this, Mum was standing in front of me.
    ‘Does she know you are here?’
    ‘Nope.’ I could imagine Lauren having a fit, and I smiled.
    ‘You going to ring her back?’
    ‘Nope.’
    ‘Summer Burns ! What is going on? And don’t tell me it’s nothing.’ I sighed. Nothing gets past my mother.
    ‘W ell, I had a fight with Ethan, and Amanda is ignoring me because I was hanging out with the volleyball team all day.’ I took a sip of my drink and looked at Mum.
    ‘W hy were you and Ethan fighting?’ Usually I admire my mum’s persistence, but today I just wished she’d let up.
    ‘That… I am not telling you, so please don’t ask again.’ My phone started ringing again, and I finally picked up. ‘What?’ I yelled.
    ‘Summer , where are you?’ Amanda.
    ‘Why do you care?’ I have attitude in my voice , and Mum was giving me a look.
    ‘Come home , Summer. Lauren is going nuts.’ I just loved the way she said Lauren’s name, like I cared what Lauren thought.
    ‘Not yet ,’ I said.
    ‘Summer , get your bloody ass home now!’ a deep voice said, and I knew it was Ethan.
    ‘Why , Ethan? Afraid I am with another man?’
    I hear d him growl, and I knew I was stirring him up big-time, but I didn’t care. He wouldn’t listen to me earlier, so it was his fault.
    ‘Summer , if you don’t tell me where you are, I swear to god-’
    I cut him off . ‘You’ll what, Ethan? You’ll kill me? Well, I am sorry to say been there, done that, and I don’t fancy doing it again.’ I could hear Amanda in my head and Lauren in the background of the phone. ‘Well, now that we have had a nice chat, dinner is ready, and I really would love to enjoy it.’ I hanged up the phone and growled at it.
    ‘D on’t even ask,’ I told Mum, holding up my hands. She backed away into the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready. Once I finished dinner, I asked Mum if she could