Sixteen Going on Undead by Yvette Ford Page B

clung to the nearest bookcase with one hand and threw the other hand out ahead of me. I don’t know what I was planning on doing, but what happened blew my mind. I felt the energy leave my body just like it did when Lorcan was hiding in my room. That time I knew where Lorcan was even though my eyes couldn’t see him. This time I didn’t have a clue. I just knew somebody was here who had jokes, and I was going to make him sorry.
     
    Like I said, the energy or power or whatever you wanted to call it shot out of me, through my arm, and across the floor. I couldn’t see anything, but a cart of books just flew up off the floor and smashed against the wall. When it did, books landed everywhere, and people screamed. But that wasn’t what I was focused on. A shadow uncurled from the floor under a table, separated from the table’s real shadow and darted out of the way just before the cart hit next to it.
     
    I could tell myself that was a coincidence, but it wasn’t likely. Without a second thought, I let go of the bookshelf and took off after the shadow. The more he had to move away from the shadows in the room—and there were few because the library was bright for reading—the more he was visible. I had the feeling he shouldn’t even be trying that trick here where someone would notice.
     
    He moved fast, but he couldn’t get up to what I guessed was vampire speed because of so many people around. He was headed to the exit, and I was right on his tail. A familiar chuckle sounded in my head at the same time I realized it was that dumb behind Blake. I was right on him, like he wanted me to catch him. At the front door, I laid a hand on his shoulder just as I heard Ronnie tell me to come back.
     
    Just that quick, Blake threw on a hood, spun around, and had me in his arms. The world around us went out of focus while we moved through the doors and away from the library parking lot. I couldn’t believe how the wind blew against my face, and I couldn’t make out anything around us. I fought to get out of Blake’s hold. “Get your hands off me, Blake. What are you doing?” I shouted through gasps for breath.
     
    His hold tightened. “Come on, we’re going for a little joy ride.”
     
    “Joy ride, my butt. Let me go!”
     
    I elbowed him and ended up hurting myself. Trying to remember how to conjure up that energy flow, I concentrated, and Blake laughed over top my head because I was tucked under his chin, held against his chest. If it was Lorcan, yeah, but Blake was on the boney side, and not comfortable, for real.
     
    I was getting angrier at him for his games. “Put me down, idiot!”
     
    Had to be the anger that triggered the power because like before it came out of nowhere and was like a fist to Blake’s chin. He went flying one way, and I went flying another. I bumped the ground and landed in a heap of pain in the middle of an alley. I shook my head to clear it, but I was getting a headache, and from the feel of my forehead, a lump was forming there too. Blake was so going to pay.
     
    Standing up on trembling legs, I looked around and didn’t recognize the area. Not that I had memorized back allies, but something told me this was deeper into the heart of the city, not where you wanted to find yourself even in the day time. Fear crept over me, and the anger I had felt at Blake began to dissipate. All that was left was self-preservation.
     
    Hearing a grunt behind me, I spun around to find Blake splayed on the ground, in clear view of the sun. His cloak might have been thick, but it was no match for ninety-five degrees and zero humidity. Even a drop of sweat wouldn’t sizzle for long out here before it evaporated.
     
    Blake was dying. One of his hands slid to the edge of the cloak but didn’t venture past it. “Please help me, Tanesha,” he rasped.
     
    I should let him stay there. After all, he was the enemy, a vampire. But he was also a person. I think. And I couldn’t stand there and watch him