My Soul to Steal
Page 20

That was before I spent two weeks nursing you through withdrawal from a substance more dangerous and addictive than anything the human world has ever even seen. I think thats earned me a little latitude, even if you are old enough to vote.
Fine. Nashs jaw clenched in irritation, but hed never disrespect his mother. That much had not changed. Kaylees just here to talk. Lets try not to scare her away.
Harmony gave me a hopeful smile, then handed me a paper plate piled high with blondies and shooed us out of the kitchen.
I followed Nash to his bedroom, where he sat on the bed and leaned back on the headboard, leaving the desk chair for me.
Was Sabine in here? I set the plate on his nightstand, glancing around his room as if Id never seen it.
Nash popped open his can, his posture tense and expectant. He watched me like I was a bomb about to explode. Does it really matter?
Yeah. I set my can on his desk and faced him, fighting through suspicion and fear so I could focus on my anger. Your ex-girlfriend just told me she has no problem going through me to get to you. So yes, Nash. It matters where you were when you talked to her until after two in the morning. Because thats as far as Id narrowed it down so far. She was here until after two. When I was sound asleep, and probably already dreaming about them making out in front of my locker.
Nash closed his eyes, then opened them and took a long drink from his soda. Then he met my gaze. Yeah. We were in here.
My chest ached. I dont know why finding out where theyd been made it worseI knew theyd only talked. But knowing theyd been in his room made it more personal. Made it sting more.
On the bed? I asked, when Id recovered my voice, hating how paranoid I sounded.
Damn it, Kaylee, nothing happened!
Right. I heard. But did this nothing happen on the bed? I couldnt breathe, waiting for his answer. Was she on your bed, Nash?
For the last time, shes just a friend, he said, his voice low, the wet can slipping lower in his grip. Shes the only friend I have right now who knows more about me than my football stats from last season.
I knew more about him than that. I knew a lot more. But I hadnt come to see him even once while he was working his way through withdrawal, because I couldnt deal with it. The wounds were still too fresh. Too raw. When I thought about Nash, I thought about Avari, and the things theyd each let the other do to me, when I wasnt in control of my own body.
In the painful silence, I popped open my Coke, just to have something to do with my hands. Sowhat is she?
Nash looked up, obviouslyconfused. I thought Tod told you
He just said shes my worst nightmare. Whatever that means. But frankly, any girl openly trying to steal Nash from me would qualify as my nightmare. Sowhat is she? I repeated, hoping I wouldnt have to say it again. Siren? Harpy? I raised both brows at him in sudden comprehension. Shes a harpy, isnt she? She acts like a harpy. Not that Id ever met one.
Nash laughed out loud. Shed probably get a kick out of that. But I had my doubts. Shes a Nightmare, like Tod said. Only thats kind of an antiquated term. Now, theyre called maras.
Theres a politically correct term for Nightmares? Would that make me a death portent? I joked to cover my own confusion and ignorance, and Nash laughed again to oblige me.
Sure. We could start a movement. Rename the bean sidhe. You make picket signs, Ill call the governor. Its gonna be huge.
Funny. Only it wasnt. So what exactly is a mara?
Nash leaned forward and met my gaze with a somber one of his own. Okay, Ill tell you everything, but you have to promise not to freak out. Remember, it was weird finding out you were a bean sidhe at first, too, right?
Weird didnt begin to describe it. Nash, I just found out she was on your bed at two oclock this morning. With you. How much worse could this be?
He gave me an apprehensive look, but didnt deny that theyd been on his bed together, and another little part of my heart shriveled up and died. Maras are a rare kind of parasite, and unique in that they arent native to the Netherworld. At least, according to my mom.
Did she and your mom get along?
Yeah. Nash shrugged. Sabine didnt know what she was when I met her, and Id figured out she wasnt human, but thats as far as Id gotten. But my mom narrowed it down pretty fast. She wanted to help her.
Of course she had. Harmonys heart was too big for her own good. She wanted to help me, too, and I was definitely starting to see a pattern. Nash and his mother shared their hero complexI should have seen that coming, considering that she was a nurseand so far, only Tod seemed immune to the family calling to help people.
He killed them instead.
So shes a parasite? That soundsgross. If I get in her way, is she going to attach herself to my back and suck me dry like a tick? Or a vampire?
Nash rolled his eyes. There are no vampires. And no. Maras dont feed physically. They feed psychically. Off of human energy.