Killer Read Online Free Page B

features: those amber-flecked eyes, that long brown hair. This was perfect. Just perfect.
    Silence enveloped the room. It seemed to fill every corner, like a poisonous fog—suffocating them. Gaia continued to meet Heather’s steely gaze. Neither of them blinked. Neither looked away. Gaia had to hand it to the girl: For all her bitchiness and self-absorption, Heather Gannis was tough. No wonder boys flocked to her.
    â€œThat’s not your sister,” Heather finally stated.
    Gaia frowned. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She turned on her heels. Enough was enough. Clearly she was raining on a parade she wanted no part of. “You know what?” she muttered. “I think a park bench will be just fine.” She reached for the door.
    â€œWait a second.” Ed blocked her way, tugging at the sleeve of her battered army coat. “You can’t go. You’re bleeding....We’ve got some bandages.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Ed, I’ll be fine—”
    â€œShut up, Gaia,” he snapped.
    Whoa.
She almost flinched. She froze, her eyes narrowing. Ed actually looked pissed. Then again, she supposed he had a
right
to be pissed. She’d barged in on him without warning, bleeding all over his apartment building—and now she was stomping away. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut. Maybe she should just let him take care of her. It was the least she could do. Her gaze flashed to Heather.
    Heather’s eyes turned to ice. She sniffed, shook her head, then stormed into the living room.
    â€œCome on,” Ed mumbled.
    Wordlessly Gaia allowed him to lead her into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet, then began rifling through the cabinets. She couldn’t help but notice how jittery he was, as if he’d just downed a double espresso. He kept running his hands through his hair, opening the same doors over and over again.
    But could she blame him? She’d be jittery, too—if she were in his shoes.
    No, you wouldn’t,
she reminded herself. Of course not. Gaia Moore didn’t
have
jitters. She was a freak. And that wasprobably a good part of the reason Ed’s once-and-future girlfriend, the heinous Heather Gannis, hated her somuch. Well, that and the fact that Gaia had nearly gotten her killed.
    But there wasn’t much point in feeling sorry for herself right now, was there?
    Finally Ed found what he was looking for: rubbing alcohol and gauze.
    â€œSo what happened to you, anyway, Gaia?” Heather’s sour voice drifted down the hall. “Did you get run over on your way to the Salvation Army?”
    Ed’s head whipped around. His eyes were blazing. The dark blue vein at his temple looked like it was about to burst. “Can you two do me a favor?” he asked loudly. “Can you just be quiet—”
    â€œYou don’t have to worry, Ed,” Heather interrupted. “I’m going to see Phoebe, remember? So you two can have a lovely time here by yourselves.” Her voice oozed with venom. “How does that sound?”
    Gaia winced. “He didn’t want to let me in,” she found herself saying. There was something insanely perverse about trying to smooth things over between Ed and Heather, but the sight of Ed’s tortured face tore at her conscience. “He owes me a favor. It’s time to pay up.”
    â€œWhatever,” Heather called back. The front door slammed so hard that the entire apartment seemed to rattle.
    Ed shook his head. His jaw was clenched. His lips twitched. Gaia swallowed. She wanted to apologize....But despite her guilt, she couldn’t help feeling annoyed. She just didn’t get it. First Sam went berserk over Heather and now Ed. What wasit about that hideouscreature that made smart, attractive guyscompletely lose their minds? Did an unhealthy obsession with fashion trigger some override switch in guys’ heads? Was it a mindless devotion to the latest trends that