Read Online Pretty When She Destroys by Rhiannon Frater - Free Book Online Page B

herself in the coffee shop where she had spent her last few hours of her human life. “I fell back to sleep,” she said in awe to the slim blonde girl seated across from her.
    “Only for a little bit,” Bianca said, shrugging. “The sun will go down soon.”
    Bianca was just as Amaliya remembered her. Fair hair, big blue eyes, small pink cupid bow mouth, a fashion style that was perfect for the old Nineties grunge scene, and a desperate look on her face for love and approval that reminded Amaliya far too much of herself at eighteen.
    “I can’t trust you,” Amaliya said, sadness filling her. “You might be him .”
    Fingers playing with her coffee mug, Bianca nodded. “That’s true. He’ll try to fool you. It’s what he does.”
    “I wanted to save you. I had hoped that I wasn’t the only one, you know?” It felt foolish to pour out her feelings to a dream phantom, yet Amaliya wanted to say what she’d been keeping hidden away since the night at the graveyard. “I really needed you. I have Cian. I love him. I had my human family, too. I didn’t realize how alone I felt until I realized The Summoner had stolen you from me.”
    Bianca let out a long sigh. “We could’ve helped each other.”
    “I’m remembering things now. From when I was a kid and I thought I was making things up. That I had an over-active imagination. But now I know what I saw were ghosts. I just learned to turn it off. Maybe that’s why I always felt so removed from everyone and everything. I had to make myself that way to survive, but it robbed me of something important.” Amaliya rolled her eyes and laughed. “Gawd, I sound like I’m on Oprah or something.”
    Bianca gave her a wistful smile. “Yeah, you do.”
    “I’m so sorry you’re dead. I’m so sorry that he took your body from you. I’m so sorry that I’m going to have to destroy your body to kill him.”
    “Amaliya, I’m not dead.” Sliding her hands across the table, Bianca’s fingers stopped scant centimeters from Amaliya’s. With her chin on the table, Bianca stared up at Amaliya. “I need you to find me. I’m still alive.”
    The atmosphere of the dream instantly darkened as the air grew cold and stale.
    “This isn’t real.” Amaliya hesitated. “Right?”
    Bianca closed her eyes, tears sparkling along the edge of her eyelashes. “I’m still here.”
    “Bianca?” Amaliya lashed out, trying to grab her hands, but darkness flooded over Bianca, consuming her. “Bianca!”
    Amaliya awoke again.
    Sitting up, she pressed her hands to her face to discover she’d been crying in her sleep.
     
     

 
    Chapter 4
     
    The second Amaliya stepped into the gaming store, every eye in the place turned toward her and all conversations instantly ceased. Benchley rocketed out from behind a long counter toward her while his sister yawned dramatically and continued tapping away on a laptop.
    “Hey, Amaliya!”
    Benchley’s voice filled the store. The noticeable lack of talking was starting to annoy Amaliya, as were the pointed stares in her direction. Wearing black jeans, a Black Sabbath tank top, and high heels, Amaliya knew she looked hot, but the attention she was getting was ridiculous.
    “Haven’t y’all ever seen a woman before?” Amaliya muttered.
    One half of the store was filled with books, collectible dolls, boxes filled with miniature armies, and things Amaliya would label as nerdy. The other half of the store was crammed with long tables covered in small buildings, foliage, and figurines surrounded by human males and only one or two females. The boys and men were of all ages, from a kid who looked around ten to an old wizened man in a wheelchair. Half of them needed a shower desperately.
    “Neck beards, return to your games!” Alexia shouted from behind the counter.
    The rumble of voices started back up just as Benchley reached her. “I didn’t know you were coming to the store tonight.”
    “Neither did I,” Amaliya confessed. Sweeping her