Read Online Fall of Night by Rachel Caine - Free Book Online Page B

He had messy, curly hair that flopped in his eyes, and a million-dollar smile. ‘I’m Nick Salazar. This nutcase is Oded, that’s Jenny, Amanda, Trent …’ He reeled off names as if he’d known them all his life, though Claire was pretty sure he’d just met them. ‘Nice to meet you guys. Viva, right? Cool name.’
    ‘Thanks,’ she said. She looked scared, but determined.
    ‘Hey, you need a bag,’ Jenny said, and dug in her backpack to come up with a tote with the MIT logo. ‘Try this. What room are you in?’
    ‘Screw that, the question at hand is what’s your major?’ Oded said. ‘Because let me just tell you right now, any answer other than World of Warcraft or Advanced Ninja Studies will not be accepted.’
    ‘Fight Club,’ Viva said. Oded considered, and offered her a fist bump. She took it.
    ‘I stand corrected,’ he said. ‘She just levelled up.’
    Claire wanted to stay with them – wanted it so badly she could taste it. The easy, silly friendship reminded her of what she’d left behind, and she craved it … but she really did need to talk to Shane. So she drifted off, and Viva – deep into the conversation now – hardly noticed her departure. Claire jogged off to a trail that led to Stratton Student Centre. It was, at this hour, not very busy; she found a quiet table, acquired mocha, and sat down with her phone.
    Then she dialled Michael’s phone.
    ‘Hey.’ Shane’s voice was dark and warm and deep, and she sank into it as if it were a blanket. ‘You okay, tough girl?’
    ‘I am now,’ she said. It wasn’t quiet where he was; she heard a rumble, maybe wheels. ‘Are you driving?’
    ‘I’m mobile, yep. You know me, always moving, like a shark. I’m restless without you.’
    ‘I miss you,’ she said. She leant against the wall. ‘I
really
miss you, Shane.’
    ‘How much?’
    She laughed. ‘Not enough to tell you in public, especially while you’re driving.’
    ‘Damn, there goes my chance for some hot sexy talk.’
    His voice just did things to her, she realised … made her feel warm and liquid inside, made her think all kinds of things she probably shouldn’t be picturing out here in front of food court staff. ‘I hate my housemate,’ she said, to change the subject to something safer.
    ‘Elizabeth? I thought she was your best friend in high school.’
    ‘She was. In high school. But—’
    ‘She changed? Yeah, that happens. Look what happened to Michael.’
    ‘Shane!’
    He laughed again, low in his throat. ‘Kidding, Claire. I’m just saying people change. If you’re not there for it, it’s not always easy to adjust to it, right? Which is why I hate this. I hate missing your life. I hate missing those little moments that change you. Because they’re going to change
us
.’
    He was right, but … but also, not. ‘I need to change a little on my own,’ she said. ‘Shane, I love you, and I want to be with you, but I need to breathe, too. I need to fly a little and see how far I can go. That’s why I took this chance. It’s not forever. It’s just a while.’
    ‘Maybe a short while if your housemate drives you crazy. What’s she doing?’
    ‘Let me see … she’s a drama queen, and not in a fun way; she’s controlling; she’s OCD; she’s passive-aggressive …’
    ‘You had me at drama queen. I have got to meet this chick.’
    ‘No, you really don’t, trust me. She used to be fun and nerdy, but now – now she’s so self-consciously
not
, you know? She’s working so hard to be cool that she’s uncool. I think maybe she had a bad relationship.’
    ‘Roger that. Seen too many tragic examples. You know, the ones in the hipster hats who try looking like some unholy love child of Jack White and Ashton Kutcher?’
    ‘I learnt a new word today.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘Fidiot.’
    ‘Ah, you’re so cute. You didn’t know that word? You know what it stands for, right?’
    She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Fucking idiot?’
    ‘I love that you