Read Online Out of the Dark by Megan Hart - Free Book Online Page A

fork clean in a way that stirred another wave of desire in him.
    When he’d finished and pushed his plate away without even a smear of gravy left on it, Luke let out a long, loud belch that almost rattled the windows. Celia burst into laughter, covering her mouth with one hand. He covered his mouth, too late for embarrassment.
    â€œThe ultimate compliment.” Her eyes shone.
    â€œBrian must be an idiot,” Luke said, “if he doesn’t like your meat loaf.”
    Celia’s smile twisted a little. “He’s not an idiot. He’s a very nice man. But…he’s not you.”
    Something leaped inside him, a flicker of what he refused to name as hope. She’d opened the door for him. Gone to her knees, given him head so sweet and good it had nearly blown off the top of his brain. He hadn’t been expecting it, but it had been just what he needed. She’d given him the use of her shower. Fed him. And yet even after all that, he’d somehow still been trying to convince himself she didn’t mean any of it.
    â€œYou let me in,” Luke said.
    Celia reached across the table to take his hand. She ran her thumb along the back of it, then turned it over to trace the lines in his palm. White scars stood out there, not from the first attack but from others since. A semicircle mark from teeth. She ran a light, tickling finger over the marks, then closed his palm and held his hand in both of hers.
    â€œI know. Crazy, huh?” She tilted her head to smile at him, her eyes still twinkling though behind that light was something darker. “Totally batshit nuts.”
    Luke put his other hand over hers holding his. “Yeah. Totally.” He paused, not sure he wanted an answer but needing to hear one. “Why?”
    Celia let out a long, heavy sigh. “I don’t know. Because I can’t stop thinking about you? Because I have a sick and twisted yen for bad boys?”
    â€œIs that what you think I am? A bad boy?”
    She tugged her hands gently from his to tick off a list in the air. “Leather jacket. Motorcycle. Beard scruff. Dirty denim jeans, beat-up boots. Oh, and that little matter of the fact you disappear for months at a time.”
    It was so far from what he’d ever pictured himself as that he had to laugh, but ruefully. “And the matter of the crazy?”
    â€œYou mean the stuff about the monsters.” She said this flatly, no hint of teasing. Her gaze was just as solemn and studying. “The fact you claim you kill them.”
    Luke said nothing.
    Celia drew in another breath. She rubbed at her forehead and sat back in her chair, crossed her arms over her breasts. She looked at the back door. “I got new locks. All new doors and windows. Had to take out a home equity loan for it, but I did.”
    â€œGood.”
    She looked at him. “You burn them sometimes. Don’t you?”
    Luke paused, then nodded. “How did you know?”
    â€œI know how to use the internet,” Celia said. “I track reports of arson. Funny how often there’ve been deliberately set fires in the same locations as recent animal slaughter cases…or missing persons.”
    He said nothing, stunned that she’d bothered to check up on him. At how easy it had been for her. How stupid he’d been not to be more careful.
    â€œI don’t always burn the evidence. There are other ways to hide it, but burning…feels the best.” Saying it out loud that way sounded crazier than anything else he’d told her. Psychotic. “It’s the only way I’m sure they can’t come back.”
    She tugged her lower lip between her teeth, her brow furrowed. “You could chop them into little pieces.”
    Luke blinked. She didn’t look like she was yanking his chain. “Takes too long. Too messy.”
    â€œAh. Right. Makes sense.” Celia nodded. “Sounds gross.”
    â€œCelia,” Luke began,