Read Online Mania by J. R. Johansson - Free Book Online Page A

you.” My throat felt tight and those were the only words I could get to come out.
    Parker’s mom squeezed my arm and then turned toward the kitchen. “I’m heading out to do a showing, but I’ll grab Parker for you. Come in and have a seat.”
    I stood for a moment in the empty entry and was surprised when my balance skewed slightly and I had to steady myself on the door frame. Wow … it had been awhile since I’d been this sleep deprived. I’d lost track of how many nights I’d been without a Builder, but it had obviously been too long. I needed a Builder by tonight. I decided to call Libby as soon as I was done talking to Parker and tell her I was heading to Cypress Crest next. I knew she would leave with me if she could; she always did. We’d grown up together. When I needed her, Libby was there—always.
    Once I’d regained my equilibrium, I shook my head and straightened, relieved no one else was here to see me. This was definitely one of those moments of weakness Dad warned me to never let anyone see.
    I moved down the hall, walked around the corner, and ran into Chloe—hard enough that her face hit my chest. She bounced off and knocked a lamp toward the edge of a nearby end table.
    â€œWhoa.” I reached out with my right hand and caught the lamp before wrapping my other arm across Chloe’s back, pulling her against my chest to steady her. Just from her being so close, my heart doubled its pace. The side of her face was pressed against my neck and I could feel her warm breath inside the collar of my jacket. She pulled back with an awkward laugh and turned her face up to mine. Her eyes looked like dark and light eddies of gray marble from this close. They were absolutely beautiful.
    She was a Taker. Her eyes were deadly.
    I pulled away so fast her mouth fell open slightly. Then I acted supremely focused on the lamp I held in my other hand, safely returning it to its spot on the table. When I thought this moment couldn’t get more uncomfortable, I turned toward the archway in search of a reason to leave.
    Instead, I found Finn and Parker standing there watching us, each with a very different emotion stamped across their faces. Finn’s expression was slightly horrified, while my brother was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.

Eight
Parker
    â€œWell, that didn’t take long.” I smiled and tried not to look too amused. It was hard not to enjoy the thoroughly uncomfortable expression on Jack’s face. Taker or not, ever since I’d gotten her out of Finn’s body, Chloe was starting to grow on me. Anyone who could make Jack respond with human emotion was good for him.
    Finn managed to slip quickly from shocked right back into natural Finn form. “Agreed. This is definitely in the running for the easiest quest ever.”
    â€œNot quite.” Jack frowned as he walked past us to the dining room and slid into a chair at the table. “Where are Addie and Mia?”
    I followed suit, taking the seat across from him. “Mia is taking a painting class and Addie went with her.”
    Jack looked surprised. “Oh, that’s great.”
    â€œYep, it is.” I nodded briefly and then got back to the point. “What happened in Logandale?”
    Jack studied the wood on the table as Finn sat down on my right. He looked at Finn, out the window, at the floor, anywhere but at me. He was avoiding eye contact with me more and more lately. I just wished I understood why.
    â€œWe had a … problem,” Jack said, finally.
    I saw a movement behind him and realized that Chloe was the only one who hadn’t joined us at the table. She had a tendency to always stick to the shadows around here anyway, probably because of the way Finn reacted to her simply being in the room. But she physically winced at Jack’s last word and slipped into a recliner in the living room where she could still see us.
    â€œWhat kind of