Read Online Heavy Metal (A Goddesses Rising Novel) (Entangled Select) by Natalie J. Damschroder - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Natalie J. Damschroder
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of her abilities, she is encouraged to experiment under safe, controlled conditions to determine the extent and range of those abilities. Privacy is also encouraged, to protect against the negative repercussions of public notice.
—The Society for Goddess Education and Defense , New Member Brochure
Riley cursed as she followed Sam onto the crowded interstate a few minutes later. She paid enough attention to barreling semis and flying Mercedes to avoid getting crushed, but half her mind was still back in the quiet library.
A few minutes into their Millinger search, she’d noticed tension in Sam’s hands as he typed, and his tone had grown more clipped. She felt so stupid. Without intent, she’d pressed herself all over him. He probably thought every lean was a come-on, when she was only trying to see the screen better. When she shifted away in a hopefully not-too-obvious manner, he’d relaxed a little, confirming his discomfort. But what kind of discomfort was it?
Riley had been attracted to Sam since the moment she saw him in the bar, a tower of steady strength. Rescuing her from Sharla and Vern and the other guy had turned up the volume, but she wasn’t that shallow or out of touch with herself. She knew the difference between gratitude and chemistry. But maybe he thought she didn’t and squirmed because he didn’t want her attention.
There’d been a definite contrast between his reassuring manner this morning at breakfast and his abruptness when he packed up in the library. For a second, when he’d looked at her full-on before shutting down the laptop, Riley thought she saw a flare of interest, and heat had surged through her body. And then the tension returned. So maybe he was attracted to her but didn’t want to be.
“Stop it,” she scolded aloud. It would take three hours to get to Boston, and she would drive herself insane with all this. She liked Sam. He was sweet and courageous, not to mention friggin’ hot, but she had way too much going on already. She was homeless, for one thing. Sam saw her as helpless, and that wasn’t a good basis for a romantic relationship. So she’d force herself to forget all that, stop reverting to high school with all the he-likes-me, he-likes-me-not drama, and just concentrate on getting her life back.
She wasn’t convinced that Sam’s path—education and “defense” by the Society—was the right one, but he’d made good arguments. All her mother’s and grandmother’s ranting for all those years had become so much noise in her head now. Her insistence that the Society was dangerous and not to be trusted stemmed from a child’s lack of understanding. Try as she might, she didn’t remember any details that would explain why her family had felt that way. It was time to form her own opinions and make her own decisions.
Maybe her great-grandmother had been a goddess. A barely discernible image hazed through her mind of her mother’s grandmother doing…something Riley had wanted to think was magic. G-Nana had died when Riley was four, so she knew she wouldn’t remember any more than that, but maybe she’d still had her abilities. Why didn’t her grandmother, then? Or her mother? And why had it suddenly reappeared in Riley herself?
The Society was as likely as anyone to have answers. What was the worst that could happen? They could refuse to give them to her. Laugh and turn her away. Throw stones and chase her out of town with a pitchfork.
But they could also welcome her. She could meet other people like her. Not real family, of course, but women who understood what it was like to be unique in the world. The information she’d read so far indicated some goddesses worked openly, using their abilities in their jobs. Others kept their heritage private, their talents for personal use.
Yeah, but none of them are like you. She swallowed bitterness. So far, her abilities only allowed her to harm people, whether unintentionally or out of self-defense. Sometimes
—The Society for Goddess Education and Defense , New Member Brochure
Riley cursed as she followed Sam onto the crowded interstate a few minutes later. She paid enough attention to barreling semis and flying Mercedes to avoid getting crushed, but half her mind was still back in the quiet library.
A few minutes into their Millinger search, she’d noticed tension in Sam’s hands as he typed, and his tone had grown more clipped. She felt so stupid. Without intent, she’d pressed herself all over him. He probably thought every lean was a come-on, when she was only trying to see the screen better. When she shifted away in a hopefully not-too-obvious manner, he’d relaxed a little, confirming his discomfort. But what kind of discomfort was it?
Riley had been attracted to Sam since the moment she saw him in the bar, a tower of steady strength. Rescuing her from Sharla and Vern and the other guy had turned up the volume, but she wasn’t that shallow or out of touch with herself. She knew the difference between gratitude and chemistry. But maybe he thought she didn’t and squirmed because he didn’t want her attention.
There’d been a definite contrast between his reassuring manner this morning at breakfast and his abruptness when he packed up in the library. For a second, when he’d looked at her full-on before shutting down the laptop, Riley thought she saw a flare of interest, and heat had surged through her body. And then the tension returned. So maybe he was attracted to her but didn’t want to be.
“Stop it,” she scolded aloud. It would take three hours to get to Boston, and she would drive herself insane with all this. She liked Sam. He was sweet and courageous, not to mention friggin’ hot, but she had way too much going on already. She was homeless, for one thing. Sam saw her as helpless, and that wasn’t a good basis for a romantic relationship. So she’d force herself to forget all that, stop reverting to high school with all the he-likes-me, he-likes-me-not drama, and just concentrate on getting her life back.
She wasn’t convinced that Sam’s path—education and “defense” by the Society—was the right one, but he’d made good arguments. All her mother’s and grandmother’s ranting for all those years had become so much noise in her head now. Her insistence that the Society was dangerous and not to be trusted stemmed from a child’s lack of understanding. Try as she might, she didn’t remember any details that would explain why her family had felt that way. It was time to form her own opinions and make her own decisions.
Maybe her great-grandmother had been a goddess. A barely discernible image hazed through her mind of her mother’s grandmother doing…something Riley had wanted to think was magic. G-Nana had died when Riley was four, so she knew she wouldn’t remember any more than that, but maybe she’d still had her abilities. Why didn’t her grandmother, then? Or her mother? And why had it suddenly reappeared in Riley herself?
The Society was as likely as anyone to have answers. What was the worst that could happen? They could refuse to give them to her. Laugh and turn her away. Throw stones and chase her out of town with a pitchfork.
But they could also welcome her. She could meet other people like her. Not real family, of course, but women who understood what it was like to be unique in the world. The information she’d read so far indicated some goddesses worked openly, using their abilities in their jobs. Others kept their heritage private, their talents for personal use.
Yeah, but none of them are like you. She swallowed bitterness. So far, her abilities only allowed her to harm people, whether unintentionally or out of self-defense. Sometimes
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