Read Online Mind Games: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Lillim Callina Chronicles Book 6) by J.A. Cipriano - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J.A. Cipriano
Tags: Fantasy
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harder I stared at them, the more confused I became. What in the hell was going on?
“Lillim!” our new teacher said, startling me out of my confusion. I looked over at him, still blinking as he stared right at me. “Can you come up here please?” he asked and something about the way he said the words made a chill run down my spine. What did he want?
“Um, okay,” I replied, slowly getting to my feet as the entire class turned and looked at me. My cheeks heated up as I wove through the desks, found my way to the front, and approached the substitute.
He leaned over me, placing one thin hand on the desk blocking us from the rest of the class. “We don’t have a lot of time, Lillim. Not before Jormungand realizes what I’m doing,” he hissed, and his breath smelled vaguely of snake.
I tried to take a step back, but my wrists started to ache, burning like they were on fire as he looked into my eyes. His own were like the sucking void of the abyss. A shudder ran through me as I stared into the nothingness within, trying to keep myself from being pulled inside. Something told me if that happened, I wouldn’t be coming back out again.
“Wha-what are you?” I squeaked like a mouse caught in a cobra’s gaze.
He said something, but it came out garbled, and he sighed in exasperation. Annoyance crossed his face as he looked around. “I can’t tell you, but you can remember. If you do, call upon me, and I will come. I will cross the entirety of the world to help you. You must remember who I am. If you do, you can be free.”
Strangely, I actually believed him. I couldn’t tell you why, but something about him felt more real, more solid than most of the other people I’d seen or heard.
“How can you help me?” I asked, and as I said the words, the shrill cry of the fire alarm shattered my hearing. I turned toward the sound, my ears throbbing as the substitute grunted next to me.
I spun back toward him, but he was gone. I stared at the spot he’d occupied only a second before, flabbergasted. Where had he gone? Before I could look further, someone grabbed my arm, and tugged me out from behind the teacher’s desk.
Ian had me by the bicep, a strange look on his face as he moved us toward the exit, his hands ice cold and viselike. I had half a mind to try to resist as he pulled me through the crowd of students trying to get through the door, but this was my chance to ask him some questions. If only I knew what those questions were.
He leaned his head close to my ear. “Why were you staring at me?” he whispered, and his voice was like the wind heralding a winter storm.
“I had a dream about you,” I replied before I could help it.
He stared at me for a long time, various thoughts running through his brain, and though I didn’t know why, I got the impression none of them were, “this girl is nuts.”
“Okay,” he said, pulling me through the throng of people and jerking me out of the tide of bodies heading out toward the black top. Already lines were starting to form in the parking lot, presumably to make sure everyone actually showed up. I had the sudden, near-overwhelming urge to join them but fought it off. Something strange was going on, only I wasn’t quite sure what it was.
“You don’t think it’s weird that I dreamt about you?” I asked, and he stared at me for a long time before answering.
“I dreamt about you too. I just didn’t know it was you.” He waved one hand at me. “You’re dressed a lot more conservatively now.” He said it totally deadpan, and though his eyes didn’t leave my face, I had the sudden urge to cover myself.
“I was wearing snakeskin, wasn’t I?” I asked, my cheeks aflame.
“Yes. You spoke, and I couldn’t do anything under the force of your gaze.” He glared at me for a moment. “Something is wrong. I keep doing things and finding myself in random places. It’s like home, but it isn’t.”
“I know the feeling.” I nodded to him as I glanced
“Lillim!” our new teacher said, startling me out of my confusion. I looked over at him, still blinking as he stared right at me. “Can you come up here please?” he asked and something about the way he said the words made a chill run down my spine. What did he want?
“Um, okay,” I replied, slowly getting to my feet as the entire class turned and looked at me. My cheeks heated up as I wove through the desks, found my way to the front, and approached the substitute.
He leaned over me, placing one thin hand on the desk blocking us from the rest of the class. “We don’t have a lot of time, Lillim. Not before Jormungand realizes what I’m doing,” he hissed, and his breath smelled vaguely of snake.
I tried to take a step back, but my wrists started to ache, burning like they were on fire as he looked into my eyes. His own were like the sucking void of the abyss. A shudder ran through me as I stared into the nothingness within, trying to keep myself from being pulled inside. Something told me if that happened, I wouldn’t be coming back out again.
“Wha-what are you?” I squeaked like a mouse caught in a cobra’s gaze.
He said something, but it came out garbled, and he sighed in exasperation. Annoyance crossed his face as he looked around. “I can’t tell you, but you can remember. If you do, call upon me, and I will come. I will cross the entirety of the world to help you. You must remember who I am. If you do, you can be free.”
Strangely, I actually believed him. I couldn’t tell you why, but something about him felt more real, more solid than most of the other people I’d seen or heard.
“How can you help me?” I asked, and as I said the words, the shrill cry of the fire alarm shattered my hearing. I turned toward the sound, my ears throbbing as the substitute grunted next to me.
I spun back toward him, but he was gone. I stared at the spot he’d occupied only a second before, flabbergasted. Where had he gone? Before I could look further, someone grabbed my arm, and tugged me out from behind the teacher’s desk.
Ian had me by the bicep, a strange look on his face as he moved us toward the exit, his hands ice cold and viselike. I had half a mind to try to resist as he pulled me through the crowd of students trying to get through the door, but this was my chance to ask him some questions. If only I knew what those questions were.
He leaned his head close to my ear. “Why were you staring at me?” he whispered, and his voice was like the wind heralding a winter storm.
“I had a dream about you,” I replied before I could help it.
He stared at me for a long time, various thoughts running through his brain, and though I didn’t know why, I got the impression none of them were, “this girl is nuts.”
“Okay,” he said, pulling me through the throng of people and jerking me out of the tide of bodies heading out toward the black top. Already lines were starting to form in the parking lot, presumably to make sure everyone actually showed up. I had the sudden, near-overwhelming urge to join them but fought it off. Something strange was going on, only I wasn’t quite sure what it was.
“You don’t think it’s weird that I dreamt about you?” I asked, and he stared at me for a long time before answering.
“I dreamt about you too. I just didn’t know it was you.” He waved one hand at me. “You’re dressed a lot more conservatively now.” He said it totally deadpan, and though his eyes didn’t leave my face, I had the sudden urge to cover myself.
“I was wearing snakeskin, wasn’t I?” I asked, my cheeks aflame.
“Yes. You spoke, and I couldn’t do anything under the force of your gaze.” He glared at me for a moment. “Something is wrong. I keep doing things and finding myself in random places. It’s like home, but it isn’t.”
“I know the feeling.” I nodded to him as I glanced
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