Whirlwind Read Online Free Page A

He fumbled with the ignition key and turned off the engine.

    “Is there danger?” he said, just loud enough for Xander to hear. “Where’s Taksidian?”

    “I don’t know,” Xander said, looking toward the door. “I think he left, but he could be waiting to ambush us. He—” Xander hitched in a breath, surprised by the realization he was on the brink of tears. He didn’t know if he wanted to cry because he had been so scared, so certain he was going to die, or because he hadn’t died. Maybe it was seeing Dad like that. Then he decided it was all of the above.

    Dad tried the door: no go. He unsnapped his seat belt and thumped his shoulder against the door: it didn’t budge.

    “The other side’s the same,” Xander said.

    Dad smeared blood out of his right eye socket, then his left. He leaned back, pulled his legs up from the footwell, and kicked at the windshield. It rattled, bulged, but held firm. He kicked again. Little rectangles of glass tink ed against sheet metal, then the windshield levered out, flopping onto the hood like the discarded hide of a crystal alligator.

    Dad pulled his upper body out through the opening, turned, and sat on the hood. He said, “Taksidian’s gone?”

    “I think so,” Xander said. “He wanted to kill me. He was so casual about it, like it was no big deal.”

    Dad tugged his shirt up, wiped his eyes, and dabbed at his forehead. When his face was exposed again, Xander saw that the gash traveled from one temple to the other. It arced across his forehead, matching the arc of the steering wheel perfectly.

    “Are you all right?” Xander asked again.

    “Yeah.” Dad’s head swiveled to take in the room. “Where’s David?”

    “I don’t know. We have to find him,” Xander said.

    “Find him? Where—?” He hopped to the floor.

    “We got separated when Taksidian came home,” Xander said. “I think he went through the window and ran away. I—”

    He turned toward the room’s open door and yelled, “David!”

    They were quiet for a few seconds. Xander held his breath, wanting so badly to hear his brother’s voice. Not hearing it felt like being underwater, needing to breathe, and knowing the surface was way, way above him. He looked to his father, hoping for reassurance, but he saw only worry.

    Xander said, “Maybe he’s in the forest.”

    Dad frowned and yelled, “David!” He headed for the door, then stopped and returned to Xander. He put his hand on Xander’s cheek. “You okay?” Without waiting for an answer, he pulled him in and hugged him. When he let go, he said, “Let’s find him.” His gaze bore into Xander’s eyes. “Quickly, in case he didn’t get away.”

    Outside, a car started up.

    “Taksidian,” Dad said. He moved toward the partially disintegrated outer wall. His foot came down on something that moved under it. He flew back, arms flailing, and Xander caught him. The Mercedes reversed off the pad in front of the garage, braked, and whipped forward down the dirt-road drive.

    “He might have Dae!” Dad said. He pushed off Xander and squeezed between the Bug and the broken wall. He ran across the yard and stopped. The Mercedes was already at the first bend, a good hundred yards away. It turned and was gone. Dad tossed up his hands. He turned, his eyes dancing over the house, the woods around it. He made a megaphone out of his hands and yelled, “David!” He waited, listening, then called again.

    As Dad strode back to the shattered wall and squeezed through, Xander called for David in the house.

    “He’d answer if he was inside,” Xander said, keeping his eyes on the open bedroom door. “I don’t think Taksidian got him. He didn’t have time.”

    When his father didn’t respond, Xander turned.

    Dad was staring at the thing he’d stepped on: a severed leg, white and oozing. His gaze darted from it to an arm . . . another leg . . . He covered his mouth with his hand. “What—?” he said, the word coming out