course he knew.
He just didn’t want me to know.
“So an escort is the key.”
“Yes.”
“Does the Everliving escort have to be willing?”
She cocked her head as if I were crazy.
“Never mind. I have to go. I have someone I need to talk to.”
She walked me to the door; and as she opened it, she said, “Just remember, if you do go to the Everneath, don’t eat anything.”
I didn’t need to ask her why not. Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and that was why she’d been forced to become queen of the Underworld.
“Don’t worry. I won’t eat a bite.”
When I got inside the car, I slammed the door shut, fuming. Cole had told me it was impossible to mask my energy, because he didn’t think I’d ever find out the truth. But he didn’t know I had Mrs. Jenkins.
“You lied to me, Cole.” I said it out loud. I was going to kill him. Then I was going to take his lifeless body, drag it to the Everneath with me, and use it as my “escort.”
Deep breaths .
Twenty minutes later, after several calming exercises Dr. Hill had taught me, I was in my room getting dressed for Harry O’s. I was pretty sure that’s where the Dead Elvises would be playing tonight, and now that I knew the truth, I wasn’t about to miss my chance to confront Cole.
SEVEN
NOW
The Surface. Harry O’s .
T here were rumblings on the internet about Deads sightings in Park City. According to eyewitnesses on the scene, fans were already starting to line up at Harry O’s.
I pulled off my yoga pants and changed into some dark jeans. I even put on my black leather boots, which Cole had complimented once. Anything I could do to encourage him to give up information. But after our encounter yesterday and then that whole fiasco with the queen, I didn’t know if I was ready to face him again. Every meeting with him brimmed with intensity. It didn’t matter how sure I was of my intentions when I was alone. When I was with him, I couldn’t trust myself. I knew it when he showed up at the graduation ceremony. My reaction was beyond the reasoning mechanism inside my head. It was down to an elemental level. My brain knew to stay away, but every cell in my body reached out to him. A reflex reaction.
I wondered if he could sense it too. I hoped he couldn’t. I needed him to think I wasn’t susceptible to his influence. It would make saving Jack harder if he knew the truth.
My dad had gone back to work after the detective left. Despite his protectiveness today, some of the discrepancies surrounding Jack’s disappearance had to be bothering him as well. But I couldn’t think about that now. I realized how selfish it sounded, but repairing my damaged family would have to wait. Would there ever be a time when my strained relationship with my father and brother wouldn’t be overshadowed by the fallout from my mistakes?
I hoped so.
I got to Harry O’s a few minutes before the band was scheduled to take the stage. The air in the club dripped with sweat and an alcoholic mist. There was no way I’d avoid coming home smelling like beer. One step inside and my clothes had already soaked it up. Hundreds of fans crammed the dance floor and overflowed onto the viewing platforms near the bar at the back. There was a lot more skin showing than the last time I was here, evidence of the summer weather.
Because I was alone, I easily slipped through the congested areas and settled into a spot on the edge of the first riser. The Dead Elvises’ popularity had grown in the past few months. They’d released a couple of new songs, and rumor was they were going to debut one tonight. Since the concert was technically a secret, there was no guest list at the entrance. People would file in until the crowd threatened the fire ordinance.
I couldn’t believe I was here again. I’d met Cole at this very club. Jules had talked me into going with her. She’d been worried about me because the trial of the drunk driver who’d killed my mom was about to
He just didn’t want me to know.
“So an escort is the key.”
“Yes.”
“Does the Everliving escort have to be willing?”
She cocked her head as if I were crazy.
“Never mind. I have to go. I have someone I need to talk to.”
She walked me to the door; and as she opened it, she said, “Just remember, if you do go to the Everneath, don’t eat anything.”
I didn’t need to ask her why not. Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and that was why she’d been forced to become queen of the Underworld.
“Don’t worry. I won’t eat a bite.”
When I got inside the car, I slammed the door shut, fuming. Cole had told me it was impossible to mask my energy, because he didn’t think I’d ever find out the truth. But he didn’t know I had Mrs. Jenkins.
“You lied to me, Cole.” I said it out loud. I was going to kill him. Then I was going to take his lifeless body, drag it to the Everneath with me, and use it as my “escort.”
Deep breaths .
Twenty minutes later, after several calming exercises Dr. Hill had taught me, I was in my room getting dressed for Harry O’s. I was pretty sure that’s where the Dead Elvises would be playing tonight, and now that I knew the truth, I wasn’t about to miss my chance to confront Cole.
SEVEN
NOW
The Surface. Harry O’s .
T here were rumblings on the internet about Deads sightings in Park City. According to eyewitnesses on the scene, fans were already starting to line up at Harry O’s.
I pulled off my yoga pants and changed into some dark jeans. I even put on my black leather boots, which Cole had complimented once. Anything I could do to encourage him to give up information. But after our encounter yesterday and then that whole fiasco with the queen, I didn’t know if I was ready to face him again. Every meeting with him brimmed with intensity. It didn’t matter how sure I was of my intentions when I was alone. When I was with him, I couldn’t trust myself. I knew it when he showed up at the graduation ceremony. My reaction was beyond the reasoning mechanism inside my head. It was down to an elemental level. My brain knew to stay away, but every cell in my body reached out to him. A reflex reaction.
I wondered if he could sense it too. I hoped he couldn’t. I needed him to think I wasn’t susceptible to his influence. It would make saving Jack harder if he knew the truth.
My dad had gone back to work after the detective left. Despite his protectiveness today, some of the discrepancies surrounding Jack’s disappearance had to be bothering him as well. But I couldn’t think about that now. I realized how selfish it sounded, but repairing my damaged family would have to wait. Would there ever be a time when my strained relationship with my father and brother wouldn’t be overshadowed by the fallout from my mistakes?
I hoped so.
I got to Harry O’s a few minutes before the band was scheduled to take the stage. The air in the club dripped with sweat and an alcoholic mist. There was no way I’d avoid coming home smelling like beer. One step inside and my clothes had already soaked it up. Hundreds of fans crammed the dance floor and overflowed onto the viewing platforms near the bar at the back. There was a lot more skin showing than the last time I was here, evidence of the summer weather.
Because I was alone, I easily slipped through the congested areas and settled into a spot on the edge of the first riser. The Dead Elvises’ popularity had grown in the past few months. They’d released a couple of new songs, and rumor was they were going to debut one tonight. Since the concert was technically a secret, there was no guest list at the entrance. People would file in until the crowd threatened the fire ordinance.
I couldn’t believe I was here again. I’d met Cole at this very club. Jules had talked me into going with her. She’d been worried about me because the trial of the drunk driver who’d killed my mom was about to
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