Read Never (The Ever Series Book 2) for Free Online Page A

not so quick to part from you. You are fascinating for a human.”
    “Ever is not so quick to part from me because he loves me, and I love him. It’s called a relationship—reciprocal. Get a dictionary and look it up! You and me? We’re nothing. We never will be.”
    His expression turns serious again.
    “Never is a long time. And all I ask is that you give me an opportunity to be near you, to win your friendship, your favor.” I sniff derisively at this possibility. “Only until your summer solstice.”
    I do the math. A week would be okay, but the longest day of the year always lands a few days after school ends.
    “That’s through the end of the school year!”
    “Is it such a high price to pay?” he asks.
    I hesitate, my eyes narrowing.
    “And at midnight on the solstice, you’ll just disappear from my life forever?”
    “If you wish it, yes.”
    I exhale. This does, in part, give me what I wanted—a reprieve. Time and space to think things over. I raise my hand in warning.
    “I have more conditions. And if you go back on them, this deal is over.”
    He smiles and nods.
    “I expected as much.”
    “You will not use any of my friends or family as chess pieces. This is my problem, and they are strictly off limits—or I might as well jump over the falls now.”
    “I would not have hurt your young friend,” he says easily.
    I shiver when I think of Ashley sitting in the darkened restaurant, her expression vacant.
    “I don’t believe you.”
    “In any case, you have a deal. No chess. Next?”
    “I’m human, and I need privacy. You can’t just pop in on me while I’m in the shower, or whatever freaky thing you think is okay.”
    He smiles, which makes me want to slug him.
    “Done.”
    “And you and Ever will call a truce. You stay, he stays.”
    I laugh when Alex’s features cloud over.
    “You didn’t think I was going to tell him to take a hike, did you?”
    “Any other conditions?” he asks dryly.
    “Yes. You will answer my questions. I’m sick of being lied to or protected from the truth. I want the facts, or at least your version of them.”
    “Of course.”
    I walk back to the edge of the platform and look down at the powerful surge of water falling toward the oblivion of mist below.
    “Now take me back.”
    “As you wish,” he says.
    I smirk as he steps forward and wraps his arms around me.
    “Oh, yeah. And one more thing—we travel by car after this.”

4: Price of Love
     
     
    I gasp for breath and will myself not to throw up. When I see a pair of arms is still wrapped around me, I look up at Alex and glare. We’re in my bedroom.
    “If you don’t want me to be sick all over you, I’d suggest you leave.”
    Alex lifts me onto the edge of my bed. Then he leans down slowly and kisses my forehead. A strong burst of electricity courses through me, and when he pulls back, I don’t know which one of us looks more shocked at the power of it. A second later he’s gone. I fall back onto the bed and reach for my pillow, gripping it to my chest as tears roll down my cheeks.
    I just signed my life away to Ever’s worst enemy. Not one of my brighter moments, I guess. On top of that, I rejected Ever’s offer. Of what, though? Immortality? Could that really be what he meant? After a few more moments, I finally sit up. My stomach still heaving, I get up slowly and walk downstairs where I take out the sugar and dump two teaspoons into a glass before filling it with water from a pitcher in the refrigerator. I add a little bit of salt and stir it briefly before chugging the awful mixture. I need electrolytes, and we don’t have any sports drinks in the house. Eventually my muscles stop twitching and I don’t feel as sick. Peeling a banana, I walk back to my room and collect some fresh clothes.
    In the bathroom, I turn on the water and step into the shower, allowing the hot needles to beat down on me for longer than necessary, loving the sensation of the liquid heat rushing over my skin.