Under A Blood Moon (Elemental Enchanters) by Carrigan Richards Page B

Peter shook his head. “No, sorry. That was rude.”
    “She was struck by lightning,” she mumbled, and fidgeted with her ring.
    Peter made a sound, but Ava wasn’t quite sure what it was.
    “I was outside playing—.”
    “You don’t have to tell me. I don’t want to upset you.”
    “It’s okay.” She drew in a shaky breath. “There was a storm coming. My mom came outside to get the sheets from the clothesline and told me to go inside. But I just took my time cleaning up my dolls.” Tears blurred her vision. “If I had listened to her, I wouldn’t have seen the lightning reflected in the glass doors.”
    “Ava .”
    She looked up and several tears fell. “The last memory I have of her…” Ava saw in her mind, the blood oozing from her mom’s head and her singed body. “I kept screaming for her but she never woke up. How could such a thing have happened?”
    Peter pulled her against him. “I—I wish I knew what to say.”
    “ It feels weird knowing I’ve told someone else.” She tilted her head up at him and searched his eyes. “Someone who understands me.”
    “I can’t ever imagine how you must feel.”
    “Yes, you can. Your mom left.”
    “Yeah, but she had a choice. I do know how it feels not to have a mom. If she couldn’t stand my dad so much, at least she could’ve made an effort for me. She could’ve given me advice or just been there for me. At least, we have each other.”
    “Yes. We do have that,” she said, and their eyes locked.
    Ava wanted to kiss him and knew she needed to leave before the desire became too much. She was getting in deeper. Why was she doing this to herself? It was only going to hurt even more. But she wanted this. This level of comfort and honesty. She couldn’t remember the last time she and Thomas had such a sincere conversation. If ever. Peter was understanding and cared for her. Ava wanted to tell him that she wanted to be more than just friends.
    Forbidd en .
    H er mouth went dry.
    “I should go before Dad starts to worry.” She stood from the couch, breaking the intense connection.
    “Okay,” Peter said. He picked up a dark blue jacket and handed it to her. “Here, take this. Looks like the bottom’s about to fall out.”
    “Thanks.” She smiled and put on the jacket. She inhaled. It smelled like him.
    He opened the door for her and then followed her to his car. The wind blew, gaining strength, and the temperature outside warmed. Only in the South could it be warm one day and cold the next.
    Peter got in the car after her and cranked it. “We should hang out more often. It’s been a while.”
    “We hang out every Friday night.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “I meant not at a football game. It’s been like two months.”
    “I’m sorry. I’ve just been busy.”
    When they pulled up next to her car in the school parking lot, she dreaded leaving th e moment and going back to reality. But she got out anyway.
    Peter came around to her side. “I just want to make sure you’re happy. I care about you, you know.”
    “I’ll be fine. I had a good time.”
    “Me, too. I’m glad you came.” He stepped closer, and her breath hitched.
    Peter wrapped his arms around her tightly. It relaxed her , and for a moment, Ava wanted to draw him closer and run her hands through his hair. She was sure he could feel her pounding heartbeat.
    She quickly pulled away. “Goodnight.”
    He grinned, showing the dimple in his cheek. “Goodnight.”
    Ava slid behind the wheel, and then he closed her door. She started the engine and drove away. The stupid warning from Gillian kept bothering her. But why was it forbidden? Other than keeping their kind a secret.
    Her phone rang, startling her, and she answered, thinking it was Peter.
    “Where are you?” Thomas asked, angrily.
    His words slurred evidence that he was still drunk. She didn’t even want to think how he got home.
    “Home,” she said. Like she was really going to tell him the truth.
    “ How’d you get