Read The Light and Fallen for Free Online Page A

minutes had passed.
    He quashed an intense urge to get up and
smash the clock with a book. Instead, he clenched his hands
together into a tight ball and forced himself to sit still. He was
startled by the burst of emotion that coursed through him. The
force of his impatience was wild, hot and primal. For a second he
was lost, all skin.
    He held onto the edges of the desk until his
knuckles turned white, and after a few seconds the rash impulse
began to ebb away, replaced with the calm serenity that he normally
felt. He slowly allowed himself to relax as his sense of control
returned. Human emotions were definitely going to take some getting
used to. He had known they would, but he hadn't been prepared for
their strength.
    He snuck another glance at the clock and saw
that only a minute had passed. He was embarrassed to admit to
himself how annoying being forced to wait for a few short minutes
could be. It seemed ridiculous, considering that he had existed for
such an infinitely long time.
    After thirteen more torturous minutes the
bell finally set him free. He leaped to his feet and hurried out
the front door. He had done what the Guardians had asked; he'd
wasted almost eight hours sitting in a little desk. Now, finally,
he could focus on the key.
    He had just pulled open the door to his truck
and thrown his bag into the passenger seat when he saw Samara. She
had pulled her hair back into a ponytail and was sitting in her car
fiddling with the radio. Another rash impulse flashed through his
brain. Go over , it nudged him. Thank her for talking to
you at lunch. For helping you find the gym.
    Lucian considered it for a moment, but then
he shook his head. It would be foolish to spend any more time with
her. He had already thought about her too much today. And told her
she was beautiful. And intriguing.
    Why did I do that? he chastised
himself. It was true, but he shouldn't have said it. He should've
let her walk away. She's just a distraction , he thought. He
turned away and swung himself into the truck. A distraction was
something he definitely didn't have time for.
     
     
     

Chapter 17
     
     
    Samara plugged a CD into the player and
backed into the line of cars exiting the parking lot. She turned
the radio up as the line inched forward, and considered whether or
not she should stop to get groceries on the way home. She knew she
probably should, but instead she turned out of the parking lot and
headed towards home. There was always a chance that her mom had
cooked today.
    When she turned the corner onto her street
she sighed. She pulled into the driveway and parked directly behind
an ancient wood paneled Plymouth whose front two tires were off the
concrete and had weeds growing up against them. She was blocking it
in, but it didn't matter. Her mom still hadn't left the house.
    She jogged up the steps and gave the front
door two quick raps before unlocking it. "Mom?" she called. She
stepped into the dark entryway and flicked on the lights. "Mom,"
she called again, "where are you?"
    She headed to her parents' bedroom without
waiting for an answer. When she pushed the bedroom door open she
could see her mother leaning against the windowsill. The afternoon
sun shone brightly around her, and threw her unmoving figure into
shadow.
    Samara flipped on the lights and tossed her
backpack on the floor. "Hey," she said. "Do anything exciting
today?"
    "Not a thing." Dina turned and gave a forced
smile. "Are you home early?"
    "Nope." Samara pointed to the digital clock
on her mom's dresser. "It's 3:45."
    Dina focused on the clock and blinked. "I
guess it is."
    Samara walked slowly across the room and
stood beside her mother at the window. "What do you want to eat
tonight?" she asked. She ran a hand across Dina's hair and smoothed
it behind one ear. "And don't say you're not hungry. I don't want
you wasting away on me."
    When Dina didn't answer, Samara followed her
sightline into the backyard. She was staring toward the back fence
where a