Read Online The Vanishing Girl by Laura Thalassa - Free Book Online

that hurts.”
    “I don’t really care,” Adrian said, not bothering to look back at me.
    He opened his door and, giving my arm a final, hard jerk, threw me out of his room.
    A moment later the door slammed shut, and I could hear a click and jangle as Adrian locked the door.
    I rubbed my backside and glared at the shut door. Adrian had become a pain in my ass — literally. “I don’t like you!” I yelled at the door.
    “Feeling’s mutual,” a muffled voice responded.
    This is what I get for not shooting him when I had the chance. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

Chapter 10
    “ Ember, wake up .” I felt the mattress dip slightly and a hand brush away hair from my face.
    “No,” I murmured.
    “Geez, is this going to be a habit?”
    “Mhm.”
    My comforter was yanked away. For the second day in a row I found myself naked and exposed.
    “Caden!” I shouted as my eyes shot open and I went to grab my blanket. Only as soon as I moved, my entire body screamed in pain.
    I yelped at the sharp burn that coursed through my muscles, and slumped back onto the bed.
    “Are you okay?” Caden asked, touching my shoulder, his eyes concerned.
    “Fine,” I rubbed my eyes. “Wait, why are you still in my room? Get out!”
    Caden backed away, a sinful smile on his lips. “Let me know if you need help getting dressed.” He slipped out the door before I had the chance to yell at him again. I guess even he knew when he’d pushed me too far.
    Ten minutes later I hobbled out the door, every movement painful. Outside my room Caden leaned against the wall, waiting for me. He eyed me up and down. I could tell from his expression that he was vividly remembering exactly how I looked without my clothes.
    “Why won’t you leave me alone?” I asked, exasperated.
    “We’re partners,” he said as though that explained everything.
    “Okay, then let’s get something straight: do not ever wake me up that way again.”
    He pushed off the wall and invaded my personal space. “Or else?” he asked, gazing down at me.
    “Are you seriously kidding me?” I said. “Or else I will end you.”
    His eyes crinkled at the corners; he wasn’t taking me seriously at all. “Relax, princess. I won’t do it again.”
    I ignored his annoying nickname; he only said it to rile me up. “I swear if you do, I will spend all my free time thinking of the most creative ways to embarrass you.”
    His grin widened as if me taking more interest in him was exactly what he wanted.
    We grabbed breakfast , and then I followed Caden out the back doors. A few other students streamed out with us. I watched as they broke out into a trot along the dirt path that wound its way up the mountain. It was different from the one we took yesterday, and it made me wonder just how much property was contained within the facility. Within a few seconds they’d disappeared through the trees.
    “Weaponry is outside as well?” I asked, wild grass crunching beneath my feet.
    He stretched. “Today it is.” He eyed me up and down. “Hope you’re not too sore, princess; we’ve got quite the run ahead of us.”
    Cocky, as usual. It annoyed me that his smug attitude was already starting to grow on me.
    Rather than responding, I began jogging, using the path I’d seen the other students take. I bit my cheek to keep from cursing at the pain shooting through my muscles. It was going to take days for it to go away.
    I heard light footfalls as Caden fell into step next to me. It was eerie how quiet he could be for someone so large. I’d have to learn how he did that.
    He turned to look at me while we ran.
    “What?” I said.
    He shook his head, grinning. “Nothing.”
    But it wasn’t nothing. He’d let his guard down and I saw something there, something that made my heart trip over itself. Wonder.
    The emotion was so uncalled for, so out of place, that I wasn’t sure what to make of it. So I pushed it out of my thoughts.
    We ran in silence the rest of way to the