Jade's Awakening (Delacourt Saga Book 1) by Isabelle Hardesty

suitcase. "Do you want me to call the police?"
    "No, I'm okay. Just a prank." He crawled out and leaned on the nearby table. He felt his muscles scream.
    "Here's some water. You've got a mean friend if you don't mind me saying. That's just not right."
    "Yeah, he's mean, alright."
    Alejandro walked out into the bright afternoon. He covered his eyes. "Seven, I'm going to kill you when I find you." He marched down the hot pavement and dialed Jade.
    * * *
    Jade packed her few belongings in her bag. She hadn't known she'd be stuck wearing the same things for so long. She held up her t-shirt from yesterday. She did not want to wear that again.
    "We've got to take you shopping soon."
    "That's a great idea. Let me change quick. I'll be right out."
    "Okay, I'm here."
    Jade jumped when she heard a crash from the other side of the door. She heard voices and another crash.
    "Jade! Run!" Seven yelled.
    Alejandro held a metal pipe and swung it, hitting Seven in the chest. He fell on the bed in pain.
    Jade opened the door and jumped back when a second person ran towards her with a knife.
    "I'm coming for you," the woman screamed.
    Jade held up her hand and sent the knife flying into the hallway. She swung her fist, knocking the woman into Alejandro.
    "How could you?" Jade asked Alejandro. Tears welled up in her eyes.
    "My mom was killed by a supernatural. I hate your kind, Jade. I want to find a way to make you normal again."
    Seven kicked Alejandro's legs from under him. He fell and landed on a small table, shattering it to pieces.
    "Jade, fly." Seven said.
    "What?" she asked.
    "You have to escape by flying out of here." Seven pointed to the window. "I'll be right behind you."
    She didn't know if she could do it again. She looked at Alejandro and saw him scramble to his feet.
    "Be careful, Seven." She had to focus to shapeshift. She ran into the bathroom and shut her eyes, but her nerves were getting in the way. She heard a crash and closed her eyes again focusing on a bird. Her body convulsed and she turned into a white dove and flew out of the window.
    * * *
    Jade tried circling the area, hoping to find Seven, but began to grow tired. What if he didn't make it out alive? She flew to the only place she knew she could find shelter. She landed on Nina's balcony. The sliding glass door was shut. She had left her key that Nina gave her in her clothes.
    Jade convulsed and shapeshifted back to her regular form. She crouched down, hoping no one could see her. She was naked and needed clothes. "Please be unlocked, please be unlocked." She tried to open the sliding glass door, but it was locked She saw the key that Nina kept on a hook near the refrigerator. Jade held up her hand and motioned the key into the lock. The key fell.
    "Hey miss." The neighbor from a few apartments away saw Jade on Nina's balcony. She held her phone in her hand.
    Jade ignored the woman.
    "Hey, what are you doing over there? I'm calling the cops on you."
    Jade tried to focus on the key, but it dropped again. She had to block everything out. Her pulse raced. She focused on the key and used her hand as a guide to control the key.
    "I'm watching you. They're going to get you. And where are your clothes?"
    "Come on, come on," Jade whispered to herself. She had to get in and out before the police came. The key finally went into the lock and she moved it. She heard the click and she flung the door open.
    Jade ran inside. She heard the police car and grabbed the bag by Nina's door. She sped to the stairwell and walked out slowly with her sunglasses on. She kept walking until she felt far enough to relax.
    She looked inside the bag Nina gave her and found a few items like a flashlight, beef jerky, a flip phone, a map and chewing gum. She also saw a one hundred dollar bill. She couldn't get very far with a hundred bucks. At the very bottom, she found a folded up white dress and the leather bound book she'd been curious about.She needed more money so she called her dad.
    Jade barely