Read Online Ember by Kristen Callihan - Free Book Online Page A

bon e. T h e a gony in it wa s e nough to finish shr e dding wh a t wa s l e ft of h e r soul . W h a t h a d sh e don e ? S h e could only th a nk th e h ea v e ns th a t Fa th e r h a dn’t been at ho me. He wou l d h a v e t a k e n his o w n pound of fl e sh h a d h e discov e r e d h e r gu e st . P r a y G od non e of th e n e ighbors h a d h ea rd th e ma n’s shouts of p a in . S h e did not know wh a t sh e ’d s a y shou l d a const a bl e a rriv e.
    G oing to hospit a l h a d been out of th e qu e stion; on e wa s m or e lik e ly to di e fro m picking up an inf e ction th e r e th a n on e wa s to be h ea l e d . Besides, M ir a nd a kn e w how to h ea l burns .
    I t had been a tri a l t hough, cu tti ng t he t hug ’ s c l o t hes away wh il e he w rit hed as skin pu ll ed away w it h h i s c l o t h i ng, ge tti ng h i m ca l m so t ha t she m i gh t a tt end t o h i s r oas t ed fl esh.
    A sob brok e fro m h e r m outh as sh e rush e d into th e kitch e n . He n ee d e d m or e l a ud a nu m. S h e n ee d e d m or e m ilk to so a k th e lin e n strips th a t sh e ’d ging e rly pl a c e d upon hi m. Hee dl e ss , sh e wa s r ea ching for h e r r e ticul e wh e n a p a ir of a r m s w r a pp e d th em s e lv e s a round h e r wa ist .
    M ir a nd a squ ea k e d , but h e r body r e cogni ze d Ma rtin in an inst a nt . He pull e d h e r b a ck a g a inst his h a rd ch e st b e for e turn i ng h e r round . H is lips me t h e rs in a hungry kiss. S h e did
     
    not d e ny hi m. N othing could be m or e w e lco me at th a t m o me nt . S h e n ee d e d to be h e ld just now , m or e th a n sh e n ee d e d to br ea th e.
    Ma rti n ’ s go l d eyes g l eamed when he fi na ll y l e t he r go. “ He ll o, go r geous. ” H i s hand smoo t hed down he r back. “ I wan t t o come home t o a kiss li ke t h i s eve r y day. ”
    A nic e thought , but h e r m ind wa s on th e thug in h e r bed upst a irs , a ma n who m ight v e ry w e ll di e on h e r . “ Ma rtin , I n ee d to — ” He r w ords w e r e cut off wh e n h e kissed h e r a g a in . I t wa s a nic e kiss, as kisses w e nt , but sh e squir me d a g a inst hi m, d e sp e r a t e to get a word in .
    He pull e d b a ck , oblivious , it s eeme d . “ W h e n w e a r e ma rri e d , I w ill co me ho me to this . ”
    A sh a rply dr aw n br ea th b e hind th em stopp e d h e r fro m r e plying . S h e a nd Ma rtin both fro ze. M ir a nd a w inc e d as sh e pictur e d th e sc e n e th e y ma d e.
    “ W h a t did you s a y? ” c ame th e sh a rp hiss fro m h e r f a th e r .
    S lowly th e y turn e d to f a c e hi m. Fa th e r’s f a c e h a d gon e p a sty , but a f l ush of a ng e r wa s quickly rush i ng up his n e ck . “ Y ou ’ v e been cr ee ping b e hind m y b a ck , h a v e you? ”
    M ir anda d i dn ’t know whe t he r he spoke t o he r or Ma rti n. I t d i d no t ma tt e r . They we r e one i n t h i s. “ Fa t he r , we mean t t o t e ll you. ”
    “ O h? ” He took a st e p clos e r , a nd his h a nds fist e d . “ W h e n wou l d th a t be? W h e n you’r e sw e lling w ith a b a st a rd child? ”
    She lift ed he r ch i n. “ Su r e l y you can ’t ob j ec t t o my ma rr y i ng Ma rti n. ”
    “ Su r e l y I can !” he r oa r ed. “ I t o l d you t o s t ay away fr om h i m. ”
    Ma rti n fli nched. “ S ir … ”
    “ Do no t ’ s ir’ me, you was tr e l . ” Sp ittl e fl ew fr om Fa t he r’ s
     
    lips . “ I tr ea t you lik e a son , a nd this is how you r e p a y me ?”
    M i r a n da s t epped i n f r o n t of M a r t i n . “ Y ou t r eat h i m l i k e a son, and ye t you wou l d deny h i m t he oppo rt un it y t o become son t o you i n tr u t h? Why? ” She c l enched Ma rti n ’ s hand. I t was t oo co l d. “ To wha t can you poss i b l y ob j ec t ? ”
    The hea t i n Fa t he r’ s eyes d i mmed j us t a b it . “ I ’ ve no tr ue ob j ec ti on t o you r cha r ac t e r , boy. ” Fa t he r’ s gaze wen t t