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.Let me learn who you areinside your head and your heart first, theneverything else will be even moreamazing. You re scared, aren t you? Terrified.She picked the towel up from the floorand wrapped it back around her waist. Offer rescinded, then, she said with awink. Not forever, I hope. No.Just for the next ten minutes orso.I groaned.She had absolutely no ideahow difficult this was or how badly Iwanted her, but I wanted no regrets fromher.She was operating on habit and pastexpectations.The desire was uneven.Iwanted her to want me as much as I didher to need me as much as she needed tobreathe.For the first time in my life, I felt likethere was hope for happiness.Not hopejust for me, hope for both of us.She dbeen living a desolation of her own,equally miserable to that of mine.And Iknew that when she ultimately returned toher life, leaving me alone in mine, wewould both be stronger and better forhaving shared our souls with each other. The rain has stopped.May I walk youhome before the next band of showersmoves ashore? I asked.She lifted an eyebrow. So formal.Isuppose I ll need pants for that. Miss Ronan would appreciate it,probably.Still holding the towel, she picked upher wet jeans. Getting into these will bea challenge.I turned my back and stared out thefoggy glass of my window at the blur oftrees swaying in the strong offshorewinds. You strike me as a girl who s upfor a challenge.She made a grunting sound as she dealtwith her uncooperative wet jeans. Youcertainly threw the gauntlet down inchallenge today, Liam MacGregor. Thezing of her zipper was followed by theclick of the snap at her waistband. I hopeyou know you re going to lose. I certainly hope so.11The fury of a demon instantlypossessed me.I knew myself nolonger.My original soul seemed,at once, to take its flight from mybody; and a more than fiendishmalevolence.thrilled everyfibre of my frame. Edgar Allan Poe,from  The Black Cat, 1843I remembered seeing helicopters comeand go from the mansion when I wasyounger, but this was the first time I dbeen close to one.Like a fantastic, terrifying dragonfly, ithovered overhead before descending onthe circular landing pad, creating gale-force winds.I shouldn t be here, I told myself.When I walked Anna home yesterdayafter the storm, she insisted I come todayto meet her friends.I knew our worldswere incompatible and wanted no part ofthis gathering.Then she kissed me withsuch passion I would ve agreed to mostanything and I did, so here I was, full ofdread, bracing myself against artificialwind and outsiders.The first person off the helicopter wasa thin, short, blond girl who ran to At annaand tackled her in a hug.They were joinedby a much taller girl with short brown hairwho embraced her in a similar manner.Last off was a tall, fair-haired guy aboutmy age.He had broad shoulders and worea dark green sweater and jeans.Irecognized him from the tabloids.He wasin many of the pictures with Anna.Unlikethe girls, he didn t run; he strolled slowlyover to the group, pulled Anna to him, andkissed her on the mouth.This was the first time I d ever felt thedemon inside me stir.Until this moment,I d always held out hope it would remaindormant forever.A buzzing filled my headand a sickening churn consumed mystomach, making it hard to breathe.Anna pushed away from him andimmediately sought me with her eyes.Ipretended to study the helicopter, walkingbehind it to put more distance between thegroup and myself, desperately attemptingto force the demon back.I shouldn t behere.The helicopter engine roared and thewind increased until the machine lifted offand eventually zoomed out of sight.Thesilence it left behind was almost hollow.I swallowed the lump in my throat asAnna led her group of friends my way.Everything in me wanted to run away asfast as possible to run and keep running.But I held firm.She had asked this of me,and I had agreed.The short blonde took rapid steps muchlike a sandpiper in order to keep up withher long-legged companions.Anna and thetaller girl walked arm in arm, and the boytrailed behind them, shoulders back,looking directly at me.Again, the demonstirred, causing the hairs on my neck tostand on end. Hey, guys.This is Liam.He lives hereon the island, Anna said. Liam, this isSuzette.The short girl stepped forward andextended her hand [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]