The Time Seekers (The Soul Seekers Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

pulsating like glitter. Brushing off a pile of leaves, fresh rejects from a large oak, I took one of the decrepit backyard loungers we’d bought at a garage sale and lit up. My thoughts turned to Jesse again. This time I was mad. Why should I suffer so much guilt over the whole thing? I didn’t ask him to sacrifice himself. I was the one who was supposed to be sacrificed. If Jesse had only told me about his plans, I would have ripped them apart right there on the spot, and he’d still be alive, and I’d be—
    I took another drag.
    The rhythmic sound of typing passed through a window above, and I paused to glance in its direction. I loved Will. I was married to Will. I had to keep reminding myself. No matter how many times I rewound and replayed, the ending would be the same. Will was the one I wanted, and I was lucky to be alive and smoking a cigarette. Jesse had done me a favor. The stupid idiot.
    He’d hate my smoking, too. He’d tell me I was being stupid and childish, but he wouldn’t condemn it, only tease me about it. Can’t wait to see you with leather skin, Emma. That’ll be a great look.
    Taking one last drag, I crushed the cigarette into a planter and hid it in the soil. Then I dropped a pile of mints into my mouth and chewed like crazy. Next in the ritual was to flip my hair over a million times until it smelled like crisp autumn air, not ashes. There. I’d done something rebellious and could be Superman’s perfect wife again. Actually, sometimes William was more like Clark Kent. Nope. Strike that. He was more like Ward Cleaver. A very sexy, yet annoying, Ward Cleaver.
    I pushed off the lounger to go inside. Maybe I stood up too fast. Or maybe it was a lack of oxygen from one little cigarette. Whatever it was, the second I rose to my feet, a million black spots filled my vision, collecting, gelling into a dark mass. I remained perfectly still.
    The spots grew. They met and gathered into a form. A human form. My heart raced. The stance, the height, the body shape. But it couldn’t be. There was no face, no eyes, only empty black.
    Next thing I knew, I was coming to on the grass with a galaxy of stars shining down above me, scattering all the darkness.
    From inside the house came the sounds of William. He was headed for the back door. He’d find me all laid out, because apparently I’d fainted, and it would only cause worry and concern. He’d ask what happened, and I couldn’t tell him what I’d seen. The form of Jesse’s body had appeared right before my eyes, a faceless vision, black as a raven. I scrambled to my knees and shoved the pack of cigarettes into the pocket of my jacket before he passed by the doorway.
    “Everything okay?” Will asked, stopping to peek out for a moment. “What are you doing out here? I thought you’d be in bed.”
    “Nothing. Everything’s fine.” A sudden anger filled me. Why did he always have to show up asking questions? Couldn’t I have any privacy? If he wasn’t trying to read my thoughts, he was asking me to tell him my every move. And it always seemed like I was doing something wrong. “Except, could you please not sneak up on me like that anymore?” I still wanted to be in the moment. Maybe the spots would have formed into something real. Something permanent. “I was trying to relax. It’s been a tough week.”
    Will appeared taken aback. “I’m sorry. I just happened to see that you were out here.”
    “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
    “Won’t happen again.”
    Getting to my feet, I said, “You don’t always have to agree with me. Just stop being so careless, that’s all.”
    “Okay.”
    I huffed out loud. “Why do you always agree with everything I say?”
    “Because you’re right.”
    “No, I’m not.”
    Will stared at me for a long time. I saw him sniff at the air. “Have you been smoking, Emma? Is that why you’re acting so defensive?”
    “ No. ” Geez. Liar.
    Will leaned in the doorway, and I saw a moth fly past his