Little Spark

53 - Boiling Point

Lesson of the day: it's impossible to shift with your eyes open.

Mine pop wide as I feel his grip loosen. A look around the dimly lit space reveals bare concrete walls and floor, exposed pipes, and multiple giant water heaters.

A boiler room.

"Where are we?" I spit, yanking away from him.

He stares at me, his expression unreadable. "Somewhere no one would look for us on a Saturday."

I take another look around the room. If he chose to leave me here, no one would know where I am. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Well, you obviously have some things to say to me, but since you have a problem keeping your voice down, the park wasn't the best place for the conversation."

I glower at him. "Whatever. I hear you've known Celia forever, so I'm sure she's already familiar with your Shadowy ways—"

"Celia doesn't know I'm a Shadow, B. As you should know by now, we try to keep that information under wraps."

"Oh, so, that's why you had to talk to me in secret. You don't want her to know you're a freaking monster."

At this, he looks stung. "What's your deal, Bliss?"

"What's my deal? You show up in the park with your new girlfriend, and you're asking what my deal is? God, what is wrong with you?"

He rolls his eyes. "Don't be childish, B. She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh, excuse me then. I didn't realize you were the holding-hands-with-a-girl-who's-not-your-girlfriend type.".

"I held your hand all the time, Bliss. You were never my girlfriend."

Well, that stings. This certainly isn't the way this is supposed to go. "So I guess I'm just one of many then?"

"I'm missing something here. Why are you so mad?"

"Wow. Most Idiotic Question of The Year award goes to...."

His features harden, and he shakes his head. "You know, I don't know why I even bothered bringing you here. You were obviously beyond rationality at the park."

"Excuse me?" I say, taking a step closer to him. "You get me all wrapped up in your little web, feed me a bunch of crap about how different you are, then you pop up with someone else and have the nerve to suggest that me being pissed off is irrational? You almost died, Reign—"

"Right, and since we both know why I almost died, and you sent Apollo to deliver your regards, I figured we had an understanding."

I take a very confused step back. "An understanding? What exactly was I supposed to understand? I tried to come talk to you myself, by the way. The first time, your despicable wretch of a mother went psycho on me, and the second, Cole was there threatening to take you out for good. I figured that for your sake, it was best for me to keep my distance after that."

He furrows his brow, confusion displacing some of the detachment. "My mom said she hadn't seen you. I asked her—"

I snort. "Figures. I'm guessing she also told Celia to keep her mouth shut... She saw me too." At the thought of Rave Patos, I feel like I'm about to erupt. "Your mother is so much more evil than you know, Reign. Would you believe she tried to tell me you were on some Shadow assignment this whole time?"

His eyes widen.

I take another step back and examine his face, my heart clawing its way up into my throat. "Reign?"