Read A Touch Morbid for Free Online

again, rubbing his over them slowly to generate warmth.
    She glanced around. Everything lay under at least an inch of fresh snow. The lamps along the path were lit, fooled by the cloud cover, though it wasn’t yet dark. She blinked as the wind shifted into her face. Save for herself and Luke, the park was empty. No one would see her talking to him.
    Her fingers felt frozen, mottled with patches of maroon and white. Luke followed her gaze down to their hands.
    “Could you go, please?” She heard the desperate plea in it, knew before he answered that it wouldn’t be that easy.
    “Come on, you know I’m not going to leave you.”
    She licked her lips, and they seemed to freeze almost instantly.
    Anxiety flooded through her. How long had she been gone? Had anyone else seen her leave? Why couldn’t she have called Sebastian? Her face crumpled, and Luke lowered his voice. “No one has to know you let me help. It can be our secret.”
    “I don’t want anything from you,” she whispered. His name already sullied too many of her secrets.
    “None of this is your fault. You shouldn’t have to go through this.” She searched his eyes, waiting for some sign that he played her, malice hidden in the darkest corners, but found none.
    “Kristen,” he said, slouching forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His fingers rubbed the bridge of his nose, ran across his high cheekbone to tuck his hair behind his ear. He scooted closer. “Let me inside.”
    She heard a faint pop, the sound of static. Even her own diseased brain reacted in fear. She’d only let him do it once. Too easily she remembered the slippery shivers, the dangerous thrill of opening her mind to him. Fallen or not, he had the same skills as Gabe when it came to fixing her brain. “No.” Panic rose in her throat. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
    “Kristen, stop.” He gripped her chin, forced her to face him. She kept her eyes closed, her lips pressed tight.
    A giggle broke out. Kristen whimpered as she realized it came from neither of them. It grew into a laugh, echoing around in her head. What will he do when she loses her mind in his clutches? a small voice asked.
    A ricocheting cacophony burst through her skull. She would never Are you sure She wouldn’t dare But he has the same talents as This one crossed her, betrayed her, and she won’t make that mistake again Never let him in
    Never let him in .
    “I’m asking your permission.” Luke’s voice. Louder than the others. “Kristen, you can’t make me see you like this,” he snarled, and then his voice softened as he took her hands. “Open your eyes. Let me help you. No catch.”
    Her breath came in short gasps. Soon she’d be drowning in the madness. She’d never be able to hold out for Gabe.
    Luke’s lying He cares nothing for her It’s all a game If she gives in he wins
    “Shut up!” she screamed. She wanted to yank her hands over her ears, but Luke had her hands.
    Just this once. Letting him in even a little would give her time to reach Gabe—hell, she’d go through Az if she had to—and apologize a thousand times. She swallowed hard, her heart slamming in her chest. She only needed a little help, would let Luke in for a few seconds, no more.
    What if it’s a trick? She cleared her mind as best she could. Banished thoughts of Gabe, Eden, Az. And then she opened her eyes.
    “Do it quickly,” she choked out.
    His fingers wound gently around the back of her head, massaging into her hair, but she was barely aware, locked into the black pupils, the absence of light concentrated in the center of his eyes.
    She felt the connection take, the cool sizzle of him sliding into her skull. His breath hit her lips. The static dialed up, a scream of white noise, then again, louder. Get him out .
    She managed to lift her arms, pushing him away as her clarity came back. “Stop,” she murmured. “Stop.”
    Luke untangled from her hair when she started to resist, squeezed her shoulders. “I