me.
It didn’t register at first. There was a faint uncomfortable feeling that spread across my body the moment I’d started down the stairs. Light poured in through the back door and the kitchen window. The curtains had been left open, as they usually were during the day. I never bothered coming downstairs when it was light out, so no one had ever bothered closing them.
I cried out and recoiled back, slamming into Jeremy who fell backward onto the steps. The sun wouldn’t kill me right away, but if I stood under it long enough, I’d be crispy fried.
Sienna groaned as she thumped up against the door. I hoped the pain had taken enough out of her that she would simply collapse there and the chase would be done, but instead, she started scrabbling at the doorknob, as if she was blind and couldn’t see it.
I couldn’t let her escape. I pushed myself to my feet, and ignoring the growing pain, I went after her.
“Close the curtain,” I shouted at Jeremy as I took off after Sienna. If she got out that door, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from chasing after her. I’d rather die out under the sun than let her fall into Levi’s clutches again.
If the door hadn’t been locked, I don’t think I would have caught up to her. The doors at Levi’s place never were, meaning anyone could come and go as they pleased, though no one ever made a move without Levi’s permission. Sienna was so used to that, she didn’t even think to check the lock before trying to rip the door open. I think the pain only added to her confusion.
She wailed as she tugged at the door, her entire body jerking as she pulled. It took her a good couple of seconds to think to check the lock. By then, I was on top of her.
“Sienna, stop!” I shouted as I grabbed her by the arm. I spun her around, thinking to grab her around the waist and hug her to me until she calmed down, but she was too wild. Her eyes were wide as she tore from my grip. She snarled something, sounding like a feral animal, and then she used both hands to push me.
It was like being hit by a pair of pistons. The sun had weakened me to the point I was no match for her. Her hands hit me square on the shoulders and I went down like she’d decked me on the chin. She leapt over me, just barely clearing my reaching hand, and headed for the back door.
“Jeremy! Stop her!”
He spun from where he’d just finished closing the curtain over the back door, but didn’t get a chance to grab for her. Ethan had reached the bottom of the stairs and tried to envelop her in his arms. He looked frightened, but determined, and I thought that maybe it would be enough.
She went through him like he wasn’t even there. He gave a loud “Oomph!” as she thudded against him, knocking him back onto the stairs.
I’m not sure if it was his startled expression or not, but she hesitated there, her entire body trembling. Jeremy stood in front of the back door, ready to make a move if she came any closer. I was back on my feet, blocking off her road to the front. All she had was the kitchen door, but that would take her past Jeremy and put her in the locked garage.
“Sienna . . .” I said, wanting to move toward her, but afraid to leave my post. “It’ll be okay.”
“I have to go,” she said. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t stay here.”
“We’ll keep you safe.”
She shook her head. “It hurts,” she whispered. “It hurts so bad, I can’t take it. It feels like my brain is on fire.”
“I know,” I said. “But it’ll stop. We’ll find a way to make it stop.”
Sienna stood there, torn between believing me and simply wanting to do whatever it took to get rid of the agony she was experiencing. Her eyes were red, tears dampened her cheeks. She looked far older than she ever had before.
“We’ll do this,” I said, hoping I was getting through to her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
She nodded, slowly, as if unsure. She took two hesitant steps my way. Ethan
It didn’t register at first. There was a faint uncomfortable feeling that spread across my body the moment I’d started down the stairs. Light poured in through the back door and the kitchen window. The curtains had been left open, as they usually were during the day. I never bothered coming downstairs when it was light out, so no one had ever bothered closing them.
I cried out and recoiled back, slamming into Jeremy who fell backward onto the steps. The sun wouldn’t kill me right away, but if I stood under it long enough, I’d be crispy fried.
Sienna groaned as she thumped up against the door. I hoped the pain had taken enough out of her that she would simply collapse there and the chase would be done, but instead, she started scrabbling at the doorknob, as if she was blind and couldn’t see it.
I couldn’t let her escape. I pushed myself to my feet, and ignoring the growing pain, I went after her.
“Close the curtain,” I shouted at Jeremy as I took off after Sienna. If she got out that door, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from chasing after her. I’d rather die out under the sun than let her fall into Levi’s clutches again.
If the door hadn’t been locked, I don’t think I would have caught up to her. The doors at Levi’s place never were, meaning anyone could come and go as they pleased, though no one ever made a move without Levi’s permission. Sienna was so used to that, she didn’t even think to check the lock before trying to rip the door open. I think the pain only added to her confusion.
She wailed as she tugged at the door, her entire body jerking as she pulled. It took her a good couple of seconds to think to check the lock. By then, I was on top of her.
“Sienna, stop!” I shouted as I grabbed her by the arm. I spun her around, thinking to grab her around the waist and hug her to me until she calmed down, but she was too wild. Her eyes were wide as she tore from my grip. She snarled something, sounding like a feral animal, and then she used both hands to push me.
It was like being hit by a pair of pistons. The sun had weakened me to the point I was no match for her. Her hands hit me square on the shoulders and I went down like she’d decked me on the chin. She leapt over me, just barely clearing my reaching hand, and headed for the back door.
“Jeremy! Stop her!”
He spun from where he’d just finished closing the curtain over the back door, but didn’t get a chance to grab for her. Ethan had reached the bottom of the stairs and tried to envelop her in his arms. He looked frightened, but determined, and I thought that maybe it would be enough.
She went through him like he wasn’t even there. He gave a loud “Oomph!” as she thudded against him, knocking him back onto the stairs.
I’m not sure if it was his startled expression or not, but she hesitated there, her entire body trembling. Jeremy stood in front of the back door, ready to make a move if she came any closer. I was back on my feet, blocking off her road to the front. All she had was the kitchen door, but that would take her past Jeremy and put her in the locked garage.
“Sienna . . .” I said, wanting to move toward her, but afraid to leave my post. “It’ll be okay.”
“I have to go,” she said. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t stay here.”
“We’ll keep you safe.”
She shook her head. “It hurts,” she whispered. “It hurts so bad, I can’t take it. It feels like my brain is on fire.”
“I know,” I said. “But it’ll stop. We’ll find a way to make it stop.”
Sienna stood there, torn between believing me and simply wanting to do whatever it took to get rid of the agony she was experiencing. Her eyes were red, tears dampened her cheeks. She looked far older than she ever had before.
“We’ll do this,” I said, hoping I was getting through to her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
She nodded, slowly, as if unsure. She took two hesitant steps my way. Ethan
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