Shine: The Knowing Ones Read Online Free

like it never happened. Do you guys wanna come stay at our house until they catch this freak? The guys won’t mind.”
    Sam glanced at the floor. “We’ll let you know.”
    “I’m happy to stay here with you guys, but there are four of us at my place, ya know, and maybe we can cover you in garlic or make you a voodoo doll or something.”
    Sam broke into laughter as Anna rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
    He lifted Sam’s chin again, muttering curses as he studied the bruising on her neck.
    “I’m excited to see you guys play tomorrow,” Sam said. He ignored her.
    Anna stood, moving to the entertainment center to search for a good movie. “So if we’re at the club by eight thirty is that good?”
    “Not if you want a good table,” he said, still inspecting Sam’s throat.
    “You can’t save us a table?”
    Vig dropped his hand from Sam’s face, glancing over his shoulder at her. “If someone comes in to see us play I’m not gonna tell them they can’t sit down.”
    Sam laughed, pulling her legs up underneath her. “We’ll be there by eight.”
    “You
might be.”
    Anna scowled at Vig as Sam said, “I will make sure she is on time.”
    Vig flashed a wary glance in Anna’s direction. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
    Anna rolled her eyes as Vig opened his arms. “Come here,” he said.
    She shook her head, moved to the chair and sat in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and looked at Sam. “From now on, if your rehearsals go this late, you call me and I will meet you, okay?”
    Sam sighed. “Thanks, Viggie.”
    Vig nodded. “No problem.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out, then glanced from Sam to Anna. “So, who wants me first?”
    Anna rolled her eyes and pushed him back, silencing him with a venomous glare. She turned to Sam. “Let’s set up a movie in your room,” she said. “When you get tired Vig and I will move into my room.”
    Sam nodded, letting out a breath. A vacant look of anxiety clouded her eyes.
    Anna paused. “We can all stay in your room if you want.” She felt the grin spreading across Vig’s face behind her and pounded a fist to his chest. He wheezed as she waited for Sam’s reply.
    Sam bit her bottom lip suppressing a laugh. “Thank you,” she said.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T he scene before her was chaos. Hundreds of people yelling, pushing, all packed in tight. But what should have been crazy loud was silence—all but a steady heartbeat keeping time, thrumming evenly; rhythmically.
    Sam took in the faces, like a ghost in a sea of people, moving through the mayhem as the scene around her carried out in slow motion, an urgent sense of anticipation nagged at her, pulling, beckoning her forward, and she obeyed.
    Colored lights flashed, pulsed, distorting her perception, tripping up her equilibrium as she struggled to identify her location. Bodies pushed in all around her, hot, breathy, moving in unison, crushing her. Something fl ashed in a distant corner, a faint light in her periphery, only for a second, then a yank forward. The elusive pull increased, dragging her forward, insistent...insistent.
    A staircase appeared; black, metal industrial-looking stairs and the pull lurched forward as if initiating the climb to the top of a roller-coaster drawing ever nearer to the source.
    She ascended the stairs, one guided step at a time, chaotic silence persisting. The heartbeat thrummed.
    Reaching the top, the force yanked with impatience.
    Through the mass of people, the propelling trance hit its peak as she reached the corner of the room. The crowd parted, separating out, one person at a time moving out of her way.
    Sam gazed into the newly cleared corner and gasped. Brilliant golden blue light fleshed out the space with an exquisite quality,nearing that of some celestial event, laden with intelligence—alive, and infused with a fierce, protective element. She succumbed to its radiance—divine light begging her near—indescribable euphoria.
    Sam flew forward,