Read Not Your Average Happy Ending for Free Online

the words. It was so cold I could see the breath in front of my face. Not good.
    “Uh…Ash? I think we have company.”
    Something moved through the treetops. Too big to be a bird. It flew over us and floated to the ground a few yards away.
    I sucked in a breath. I knew exactly what it was. Not good at all.
    “Dude. Is that a banshee?” Sam lifted his hands as if preparing for an attack.
    She was dressed in white, her wild red hair stuck out in every direction. Like how I pictured Medusa looked, but without the snakes. Her dark eyes glowed and her mouth was turned up in a smirk. She was quite beautiful, and looked more like a human than anything. Well, except for the sharp claws where her fingernails should have been. I didn’t know a lot about banshees, but I did know to steer clear of them. They were dark creatures.
    “Yes. Yes it is,” I said. I recognized her. She was at the Academy for a few months when we were younger. I knew she left in a hurry, but every banshee I’d heard of lived in Ireland. Not Washington.
    She cocked her head to the side, studying us. We didn’t move. If we didn’t piss her off, maybe she’d leave us alone. I really didn’t want to hear about a death omen.
    Her eyes focused on me and her smile widened. “Ash Summerland. I’ve been waiting for you.”
    “Gizelle,” I said, giving her a small nod. I heard Sam’s gasp of surprise, but kept my eyes on her. “What can I do for you?”
    “I’m flattered you remember my name. I was only at the Academy for a few months.” Her voice was airy and higher than I remembered, with a slight Irish accent.
    I nodded. “I’m surprised you remembered mine as well.”
    She floated a few inches toward me, her white dress rolling in wispy waves around her. “Everyone knows you, Ash. There are many people looking for you.”
    I started at that. “What do you mean?”
    “There’s a price for whoever finds you.”
    “Obviously I’m not too hard to find.” Why would people be looking for me?
    She raised an eyebrow. “You wish to be found?”
    “I wish to find Dax. If he’s here, tell him to show himself.”
    “Your brother is not here.”
    “Then who put a price on my head?” My hands clenched into fists, my whole body on edge.
    She laughed. “Who else? Your father.”
    “My father?” Perfect. Just perfect. The one person I never ever wanted to meet was out to get me. When Shenelle first told me my father was a djinn, I didn’t want to believe her. But somehow, deep down, I knew it was true. “What does he want with me?”
    She shrugged. “No one knows. He just wanted to find you. Says you have something he needs.”
    “I don’t have anything he would want.”
    “What about Kendall?”
    I shifted, feeling a slight breeze flow around us. “What about her?”
    She lifted a hand, watching it as she moved it through the air. “You care for her safety don’t you? You care for her life? You wish her to stay far away from harm?”
    I clenched my jaw. I wasn’t sure if she was testing me or not. “Yes. More than anything.”
    “Then you come with me.” She looked at Sam. “But only you. Your friend will stay.”
    “What?” Sam said, his eyes narrowed. “Not part of the plan, babe.”
    She hissed at him.
    I shot Sam a look to stop talking. Banshees and elves didn’t get along. Elves were beings of healing and life. Banshees were bringers of death. Obviously she knew exactly what he was.
    “Where would you take me?”
    She shook her head. “Secrets can’t be shared. You’ll find out, but only if you follow.”
    “And what if I don’t?” My fingertips grew warm. I could feel my magic simmering beneath my skin, waiting to be released.
    Her eyes flared red, but changed back to normal just as fast. “Things may get messy. I do not wish to harm you, but if I must…” She smiled.
    I was sure she knew exactly where my father was, but I wasn’t about to fall into a trap. There was too much at stake. I wasn’t even looking