Read Online A Perfect Darkness by Jaime Rush - Free Book Online Page A

softened. “Are we?”
    â€œWith our participants, yes. The ones who are causing us trouble are another story altogether. I’m not going to let a few rogue twenty-year-olds threaten everything we can achieve. That’s why it’s imperative that we crush them.”
    Â 
    Amy slid the repaired necklace over her head and pressed her fingers to it. It was like having Lucas with her. God’s protection wouldn’t hurt either. She made the hour’s drive into Baltimore to the park where she imagined walking alone through the dark—and having Eric jump out of the shadows.
    As she drove closer, though, she saw lots of cars and people and more rainbow flag stickers than she’d ever seen. Cars were parked all along the roadways and in spots that weren’t quite parking spaces. It wasalmost nine o’clock now. She chewed her lower lip and searched for a spot. “Yes, mine!” she said when she saw reverse lights flash on.
    She pulled into the space and got out. Music floated from a distance, as did the sounds of hundreds of people talking and laughing. Many wore costumes as outrageous as those in any Mardi Gras she’d seen on television. Man and man held hands as they headed toward her, women walked with their arms around one another. The banner across the park’s entrance read BALTIMORE GAY FESTIVAL.
    A bark of laughter erupted. “Oh, Eric, you do have a sense of humor.” Likely, he had looked for an event where there would be lots of people in which to get lost.
    She glanced behind her as she made her way into the heart of the festival, seeing no one suspicious. Once again she’d weaved and wound through the city, feeling quite clever. For someone who liked her safe little world, she had to admit she was revved up by the excitement of intrigue. She looked around for Eric and Petra, knowing they must be watching her. And again she was in the frustrating position of waiting for them to approach.
    The music grew louder and the crowd thicker. A band jammed and a hundred costume-clad people gyrated in front of the stage. The scent of sausage and peppers and fried dough permeated the air. Amy made her way closer, getting bumped and jostled and even pulled into a quick dance with two other women. She begged out and continued on. Someone else swung her around, and before she could protest, a tall person dressed as Wonder Woman draped an American flagcape over her shoulders. The woman’s icy blue eyes sent her the message to cooperate. She knew those eyes—Petra. As they twirled, Amy felt a wig settle on her head. Petra swung her away toward a silver-clad man who took her hand and pulled her against his hard body.
    Eric. Eric with dark red hair.
    He smiled, friendly as could be, except in his eyes. He did his best to look like a guy trying to dance and failing miserably. Or maybe that was real. Petra stalked over and grabbed her arm, looking for all the world like a jealous girlfriend. She gave Eric a She’s mine look and dragged Amy off, gesturing in angry ways while she muttered, “Play along.”
    â€œWhat is—”
    â€œLook, if you want to go back to being with a man, just say so! You don’t need to play games.”
    People glanced over at Petra’s tirade, and Amy might have been embarrassed if she hadn’t been so confused. With the chaos, no one paid all that much attention.
    â€œI, uh, don’t want to be with a man,” she said, and then, after a quick breath, “Stop being such a jealous bitch.”
    Petra’s eyes sparked with approval. She swiveled around to face Amy. “Then prove it.”
    They were standing in front of the restroom door, where, as usual, the women’s line snaked for miles.
    â€œFine,” Amy muttered, taking Petra’s hand and bypassing all of those women twisting uncomfortably and now protesting their audacity as they entered the restroom.
    Petra made no apologies as they