Ravenous (Book 1 The Ravening Series) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Erica Stevens
yet I found myself strangely lost to the magnificent force of his onyx gaze.
He most certainly did not feel anything for me, a dull, clumsy, shy girl that was as far off his radar as Jupiter. Though he was intimidating, and aloof, girls had still flocked to him. They had been drawn in by his dark good looks and the air of mystery that enshrouded him. However, I had never seen him with any of those girls, and as far as I knew he wasn’t dating anyone. I didn’t even know if he ever had dated anyone, no matter what the rumors said.
But even with his distant attitude, and seeming disinterest in everything and everyone, I had still found him watching me within the halls, or on the street. Sometimes I would look up and he would be staring at me with an intensity that never failed to make me shake and quiver inside. Staring at me in a way that made me feel he knew me better than anyone else, maybe even knew me better than I knew myself.
I knew his attention didn’t mean anything, that I just wanted it to, but whenever I found him watching me it always left me rattled and aching for something more. Something that I couldn’t begin to understand, but knew that I wanted desperately. Those were the few times I actually did feel like a silly child again, because there was no way that Cade Marshall could ever see anything even remotely interesting, or special, in me.
I was feeling that strange connection to him again now, and it was giving me an odd sense of security and warmth. I couldn’t turn into a blathering idiot in front of him. I just couldn’t. No matter how much I didn’t want to stay in this cramped room by myself.
My hand fell back to my side, my lips pinched tight as I managed to give him a brisk nod. He studied me for a moment longer, but I kept my face impassive, tried to keep my fear hidden from him. I wasn’t sure it was working though.
Finally he turned away from me and slipped silently out the door. It wasn’t until I heard the soft lock click into place that I realized I did not know how to escape the small room if he didn’t come back.
CHAPTER 3
I was shaking, damn close to tearing my hair out, and on the verge of screaming hysterically by the time that Cade returned. He had not been gone long, minutes only, but I was sweating so badly that my clothes were soaked and I was horrified by the realization that I was probably starting to smell worse than the dank room surrounding me. Though I tried to hide my distress and terror from him, tried to put on a brave front and prove that I wasn’t a weak idiot, I knew I failed miserably. There was no hiding my fear anymore.
He closed the door silently behind him. “The man?” I managed to choke out.
Cade raised a dark eyebrow, his head cocked slightly to the side as he watched me. My shaking had eased now that he was back, but my throat was still clogged with te rror. I was humiliated by the fact that I was on the verge of tears. When I needed to be at my strongest, I was close to completely falling apart, and all because of four stupid walls and a damn door.
“In the basement. He’s fine, or as fine as he can be, considering.” I managed a nod. My hand fluttered nervously up to push my dampened hair back. “Are you ok?”
“Fine,” I croaked. “Just fine.”
“Are you claustrophobic?”
I started to shake my head to deny it. I had never admitted it to anyone , even if there were times when I couldn’t hide it. Hell I hadn’t even truly admitted it to myself. I was too ashamed by the fact that tight spaces tended to upset and frighten me, too ashamed of the weakness. Though, my family knew about it as I went out of my way to avoid tight enclosures, including cars for extended periods of time. “Maybe a little,” I hedged.
“I can open the door again if that will help, but we won’t be able to
He most certainly did not feel anything for me, a dull, clumsy, shy girl that was as far off his radar as Jupiter. Though he was intimidating, and aloof, girls had still flocked to him. They had been drawn in by his dark good looks and the air of mystery that enshrouded him. However, I had never seen him with any of those girls, and as far as I knew he wasn’t dating anyone. I didn’t even know if he ever had dated anyone, no matter what the rumors said.
But even with his distant attitude, and seeming disinterest in everything and everyone, I had still found him watching me within the halls, or on the street. Sometimes I would look up and he would be staring at me with an intensity that never failed to make me shake and quiver inside. Staring at me in a way that made me feel he knew me better than anyone else, maybe even knew me better than I knew myself.
I knew his attention didn’t mean anything, that I just wanted it to, but whenever I found him watching me it always left me rattled and aching for something more. Something that I couldn’t begin to understand, but knew that I wanted desperately. Those were the few times I actually did feel like a silly child again, because there was no way that Cade Marshall could ever see anything even remotely interesting, or special, in me.
I was feeling that strange connection to him again now, and it was giving me an odd sense of security and warmth. I couldn’t turn into a blathering idiot in front of him. I just couldn’t. No matter how much I didn’t want to stay in this cramped room by myself.
My hand fell back to my side, my lips pinched tight as I managed to give him a brisk nod. He studied me for a moment longer, but I kept my face impassive, tried to keep my fear hidden from him. I wasn’t sure it was working though.
Finally he turned away from me and slipped silently out the door. It wasn’t until I heard the soft lock click into place that I realized I did not know how to escape the small room if he didn’t come back.
CHAPTER 3
I was shaking, damn close to tearing my hair out, and on the verge of screaming hysterically by the time that Cade returned. He had not been gone long, minutes only, but I was sweating so badly that my clothes were soaked and I was horrified by the realization that I was probably starting to smell worse than the dank room surrounding me. Though I tried to hide my distress and terror from him, tried to put on a brave front and prove that I wasn’t a weak idiot, I knew I failed miserably. There was no hiding my fear anymore.
He closed the door silently behind him. “The man?” I managed to choke out.
Cade raised a dark eyebrow, his head cocked slightly to the side as he watched me. My shaking had eased now that he was back, but my throat was still clogged with te rror. I was humiliated by the fact that I was on the verge of tears. When I needed to be at my strongest, I was close to completely falling apart, and all because of four stupid walls and a damn door.
“In the basement. He’s fine, or as fine as he can be, considering.” I managed a nod. My hand fluttered nervously up to push my dampened hair back. “Are you ok?”
“Fine,” I croaked. “Just fine.”
“Are you claustrophobic?”
I started to shake my head to deny it. I had never admitted it to anyone , even if there were times when I couldn’t hide it. Hell I hadn’t even truly admitted it to myself. I was too ashamed by the fact that tight spaces tended to upset and frighten me, too ashamed of the weakness. Though, my family knew about it as I went out of my way to avoid tight enclosures, including cars for extended periods of time. “Maybe a little,” I hedged.
“I can open the door again if that will help, but we won’t be able to
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