Free Falling Blind: The Sentinel Wars by Shannon K. Butcher Page B

clothing and a little cash. She wasn’t sure where she’d go or what she’d do, but there was no more time to linger here, accepting the kindness of those who ran this place. And now that Logan was here with Hope, it was only a matter of time before Maura was found out. She couldn’t avoid him forever.
    It was time to leave and find her own way in the world. She only wished the idea didn’t scare her more than any demon ever had.
    For the thousandth time, Maura reached for her twin sister, seeking the comfort of her presence. All she felt was the black chill of utter nothingness, leaving her to wonder if Sibyl was even alive. Even if she was, she was beyond reach now.
    Maura was truly alone.
    *   *   *
    Cain thought he could follow Rory? That was cute and all, but that was the one nice thing about her curse: She could see him coming.
    And it was Cain. She’d caught a glimpse of his hand, along with her pink hair, and doubted anyone else had hands that big, especially not with those same scars.
    She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. She saw nothing. “I know you’re there. You might as well come out.”
    This section of the street was dark. There wasn’t any traffic this late. The bars and nightclubs had long since closed. Dawn was still hours away. People were mostly asleep, giving her a bit of a reprieve from her suddenly hyperactive visions. She could still see what they saw, but at least it was the calm, quiet black of the inside of eyelids.
    Cain stepped around the corner. He seemed even bigger than he’d been before, looming like some kind of giant. He was imposing, his body giving off ragged, desperate vibrations that called to her. If she hadn’t seen him save her life with her own eyes, she would be running right now.
    But she wasn’t running. In fact, the urge to inch closer was nearly overwhelming. She remembered how it felt to be surrounded by his strength, to have the visions disappear, leaving her floating in peaceful serenity. It would be so easy to cross the distance and fling herself at him—beg him to make her problems and fear go away, just for a little while.
    If she’d been a weaker person, that’s what she would have done. But weakness like that wasn’t a part of her makeup. It had been burned out of her DNA before birth, preparing her for a life that was harder than most.
    She knew fear. She knew pain. Those things were as familiar as old friends. It was her neediness that freaked her out—her desire to get closer to a man she didn’t dare trust.
    What if she found the person who stopped her visions and she couldn’t trust them, either? What if she never found a cure?
    She couldn’t go there now. That place was a dark, scary one best left behind a locked door of nice, solid denial. She couldn’t possibly face both her deepest fears and Cain at the same time.
    The wind ruffled his dark hair. His feet were braced apart, planted firmly on the pavement. He kept his hands at his sides, but it wasn’t a lazy stance. She had the distinct impression that he could have his invisible sword in hand in an instant if necessary.
    “How did you know I was there? I didn’t make a sound.”
    She ignored his question. “What do you want?”
    “You need to come with me. We’re going to take you somewhere safe.”
    “Thanks, but no thanks.” She turned and walked toward where her car was parked. It was still a few blocks away, but the chances of her running into the person who blocked her visions were getting slimmer by the moment. Time to cut her losses and head home before the city woke up and she was too blind to drive.
    “Please don’t make me stop you,” he said from behind her, much closer than he’d been a minute ago. “I really don’t want to touch you again.”
    A spurt of adrenaline hurried her stride. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of running away. Power walking away didn’t count as a cowardly act. As far as she was concerned, power walking in