Free Reining In (The Network) by Dawn Judd

losing him all together. I finally pulled into the drive, pulling up next to his jeep.
    I sat in my car for a moment before I finally forced myself to open the door and get out. My legs felt like lead as I drug myself to the front door. I stood there for almost a full two minutes before I finally knocked. At first, I didn’t hear an answer. I almost thought about leaving right then, thinking I would have a great excuse. I went; he wasn’t there. But I knew that wasn’t good enough for Mack, and it wasn’t good enough for me.
    So I knocked again. This time, I heard someone yell from somewhere inside the house. I heard him running towards the front of the house, and I began to hyperventilate. I crouched down, putting my head in my hands, trying to pull myself together. That is where I was when Jake opened the door; crouched down, pale as ever, looking like I was about to throw up.
    “Um, are you ok?” I heard him ask. I looked up at him, and smiled weakly. The minute his eyes met mine, I almost fell over. God, his eyes were beautiful. The brilliant marbles goldish brown had me mesmerized, and it took me a moment to realize he had even asked me a question.
    “Uh, yeah. Just a little out of sorts. It was a long drive.” I said as I reached for the hand he had offered me. I could feel his hand tense up under mine as I spoke. When I was upright and looking right at him, I realized that he didn’t know it was me sitting there until I had spoke. He didn’t move; he didn’t say a word. He just stood there, staring at me, never letting go of my hand.
    I couldn’t read the expression on his face. I couldn’t tell if it was shock or anger or maybe both. We both just stood there for a long time, neither of us saying a word. A pit in my stomach had started to grow, and when I could take it no longer, I finally spoke up.
    “Jake, I….” I trailed off, looking away, trying to find the words. When none came to me, I looked up at him again, just as he reached up and took my face in his hands and pressed his lips against mine. If I had planned on saying anything, I had forgotten what it was.

Chapter Eight
     
    The night air was unusually cool for the time of year. Moonlight splashed across the waves and I wiggled my toes in the warm sand. It was an odd combination, but somehow, it was settling. I had been out there for close to an hour, staring out over the waves, arms wrapped around my knees.
    It was the dream that brought me out here. No, that’s not right. It wasn’t a dream, not really. It was a memory, one that crept into my dreams and ripped me from the best sleep I’d had in weeks. I had done my best to sneak out without waking Jake. It just wasn’t something I could discuss with him; not now, anyway. I just needed to be alone; to think. So here I was, listening to the waves crashing, and watching the sand crabs scamper past me in the dark.
    It was the one memory I had tried to erase from my mind throughout my entire existence. No, it wasn’t some horrible bloody nightmare; far from it. But it might as well have been. The images that brought me here tonight were the memories of my end, and of my beginning. I had been reminded of the day I died, the day he took away my life, and gave me a new one.
    I suppose if things had turned out differently, I would’ve been grateful for what he had done. My mortal life was not a pleasant one. Truth be told, before he found me, I had been ready to end my own life. So my death was not exactly what haunted me, but more what it represented. The events that occurred immediately after I became immortal were what had me here now, staring out at the ocean.
    There were things I had never told Jake, or anyone else for that matter. Even Mack would be shocked to know some of the secrets I had kept from him. I leaned my head on to my knees and sighed loudly. I should’ve never gone to New Orleans. It was a stupid thing. I know Mack wanted me to squash Vyktor’s attempts to find me, but if