From Gods (Descendant Prophecies Book 1)(25)

"Liar!" Everett's tone startled Skylar and even Amanda. "You killed  Remus, didn't you? And you convinced Mason you didn't. My blind brother  may not see, but I can. Who sent you to kill us?"

"Please, you've got to believe me. I didn't do anything. Remus tried to  kill me. He tried to-" Knowing they wouldn't believe her, Skylar  frantically looked for a way out. With no sense of direction and without  a flashlight, where would she go?

Everett lost his patience. He extended his arm and grabbed Skylar by her  throat. "Tell me who sent you," he sneered through his gritted teeth.

Pinned against the tree by Everett's hand, she tried to pull him off.

"Everett. We're not sure who she is. Don't kill her. Mason likes-I mean, she's Mason's friend," Amanda pleaded.

"Since when do you care who I kill or not?"

"Since now, since Mason. You've never killed anything in your life  besides the vultures. If you're wrong-well, I don't want to think about  what Mason will do to you."

"Let. Her. Go," Mason demanded, having a difficult time getting his  words out. Wearing shorts and a white T-shirt, he rested his hand on the  tree for support. Looking extremely lethargic, his movements were  sluggish as he loosely held a small flashlight. Though he seemed  somewhat aware of what was going on, he appeared to be struggling to  stay alert.

Everett released his grip and stepped away. Letting out a dreadful cough  and taking in the fresh cool air, Skylar composed herself. Ecstatic to  hear Mason's voice, she knew she would be fine.

Mason continued to confront his family, "Who . . . drugged . . . me?"

"I did," Everett confessed. "I drugged your wine. I needed to know who she really is."

"And exactly . . . what is she? Do you even know . . . what you're  talking about? Now I have to explain . . . everything to her. How . . .  why we exist. She can't even defend herself . . . from you. How could  you assume . . . she killed Remus?"

Skylar already knew how and why they existed. She knew he had only said those words to throw them off.

"I can sense some kind of energy from her I didn't feel before. I don't  understand. If she isn't one of us, she must be something. I'm almost  certain she is a keeper of death. Can't you feel it? Or are you blindly  in love?" Everett laughed out loud.

Mason didn't answer. He shook his head, seemingly trying to stay focused.

"Oh joy. My little brother is in love with a killer," Everett continued.         

     



 

"I'm not . . . in love and she is not a killer. You're too obsessed,  thinking a keeper . . . is on our trail." Mason turned to Amanda. "How .  . . could you?"

Amanda locked her eyes on the ground to where her flashlight shone  brightly and then she looked up. "This is totally your fault, Everett.  I'm not helping you again." Then she turned to Mason. "I'm sorry, but I  was only thinking of you. You know what the prophecy says. Something as  critical as this, we can't wait around and find out." Then she turned to  Skylar. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Now you know we're . . .  different. Welcome to our crazy world." Amanda headed back to the house.

Everett offered no apologies and stormed off angrily. Skylar looked  distraught, her back still against the tree. Too terrified to move, she  felt as if her legs were planted to the ground like the roots of the  tree.

"I'm sorry," Mason mumbled, stumbling toward Skylar. "I didn't know he .  . . she . . . had . . . would do this. I knew something was up . . . so  sleepy, but couldn't control it. I tried to fight it off." Mason shook  his head, trying not to fall asleep. "We should get out-before I crash  on the ground. Here . . . take this flashlight. Go straight this way."  Mason pointed ahead.

"Let me help you." Skylar did as she was told and draped his arm over  her shoulders to steady him. The weight of his body caused Skylar to  bend low. Dragging her feet and sometimes stumbling, she managed to find  her way back with Mason's directions.

Without a word, Skylar took Mason straight to his bedroom. She  accidentally fell on top of him when she tried to ease him onto his bed.  She tried to wiggle off, but Mason's hold was too strong, even though  he could barely control his mind and body.

"Smell . . . nice." He sniffed her hair and then his arms dropped down to his sides.

"Thanks, but right now you have no idea what you're doing."

"Stay . . . lay . . . to me," he mumbled. "I'll . . . keep . . . you  safe." His words were soft and sluggish. His right arm reached for her,  then he rolled over to his side with his eyes closed.

"Okay, I'll just lie here next to you," Skylar agreed reluctantly,  taking off his shoes and then hers. Not wanting to keep her sweater on,  she took it off and placed it on the edge of the bed. Though she wasn't  comfortable sharing his bed, she felt safe just from his presence, even  while he was almost asleep. Thinking it was an opportunity to ask him  questions since he was drugged, she asked freely, "Mason?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you blame me for Remus's death?"

"No."

"Are you and Amanda close?"

"What? Close? Amanda . . . yes."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No. No more . . . no questions. Go sleep. Tired." He snuggled against the pillow.

Did "no more" mean he'd recently broken up? "Are you mad at me?"

"No . . . but . . . I will," he moaned.

"What if I hurt you?"

"You won't."

"How do you know? I don't even know what I did to Remus. I-"

"I know. Echo . . . sleep."

"Why do you care?"

"Trouble."

"Trouble?"

"Trouble . . . I think . . . like . . . Echo."





Something hot leaned against Skylar's body. Slowly she peeled her eyes  open to settle on Mason's beautiful face. She loved the scent of him,  the faint musky spice from his aftershave that still lingered from the  day before. With what she could see from the position she was lying in,  she knew she wasn't at her cousin's house. Then vivid images of the  previous night's events merged to the forefront of her mind, making her  aware this wasn't a dream.

Shock from seeing their bodies intertwined sent exhilarated tingles  through her, but she didn't know what to do. His arms and legs were on  top of hers, snuggling her as if she was a body pillow.

Breathe. No, don't breathe. No, breathe. She was afraid to wake him up.  She wanted to stay snuggled into him as long as possible, but she  couldn't help but wonder how he would react when he saw their bodies  positioned in such an intimate way.

Though she enjoyed being in his arms, she knew he wasn't aware of what  he was doing. Instead of pulling him out of his sleep, she studied his  facial features. With her eyes she traced the curves of his eyebrows to  his thick eyelashes, moving her gaze to his strong cheekbones, to his  nose, and last of all, down to his kissable lips. How she wondered what  it would be like to press her lips to his.         

     



 

When he snuggled tighter, she held her breath and held it longer when he  leisurely rubbed his heavy leg against her bare skin. Simultaneously,  his hand slid down her back to the hem of her shirt, lifting it with his  fingers while mumbling words she couldn't understand. Gliding upward,  warmth produced from the palm of his hand made an erotic heat spread  through her whole body.

Skylar gasped when his hand started to move again, caressing her in a  circular motion. The same electric feeling, between a mild shock and the  subtle heat that emanated from him, aroused her in ways she had never  known. The heat started from her belly button, igniting tiny fireworks  that spread to the rest of her body, making her hot and quivery. Oh  Mason, what are you doing in your sleep and with whom? She desperately  wanted to know.

When the motion stopped, she wondered if he had been dreaming or was  aware of what he'd been doing. Slowly, she tilted her head back to see  if he was awake.

Mason's eyes were wide open, and he looked flabbergasted. Startled, she  jerked out from his hold, almost falling on the floor. Mason sat up and  raked his hair back as confusion showed on his face. "Did we umm, did I  try to . . . did something happen last night?"

Embarrassed he would ask such a question, Skylar got out of bed. "No.  What kind of girl do you think I am?" She realized she was wearing what  she had worn to bed last night and she was braless. Embarrassed at the  thought, she crossed her arms without making it obvious.

"You're in my room. On my bed," he said matter-of-factly.

"You told me to stay here last night."

"I did?" He paused, deep in thought as his brows angled crookedly.

"Don't you remember anything that happened last night? Your brother  Everett tried to kill me in the woods." Skylar was irritated. She didn't  want Mason to think she had been trying to take advantage of him.