The Shade Rising by Ivy Bernat (fantasy books to read .txt) 📕

“Ignore her. You’re fine.” Addison said she didn’t care what her voice sounded like anymore, she didn’t care if she cried. Her mind tumbled.

“Here, do it.” He pushed his pistol towards me. At first Addison just looked at it on the bed of the truck. Then she made the mistake of looking at his face. His red eyes seemed to burn within her brain, striking an overpowering fear into her very core. Her entire body froze.

Addison had seen them before; in every shade that she had killed, but they always had the same effect on her. Addison tried to shake off her feeling of dread. She took the warm gun and held it firmly in her hand aiming it at his head. She sucked in a breath and tried to see through a constant river of tears that ran in trails down her round face.

“I can’t do it, we can save you. We are an hour from Damian and a cure. People can make it that long without changing.” Addison said pulling the gun down. Addison didn’t want to look at his face. She couldn’t stand seeing those eyes; they terrified her. Her hands shook so hard that she thought she might drop the gun. Addison’s bottom lip started quivering, she bit it, to keep it still, so hard that she thought she tasted blood.

“Addison, don’t be stupid.” His mouth trembled as if he was struggled to remember how to speak. “I am already showing symptoms, aren’t I?” Addison glanced up from the truck, the skin around his eyes darkened. ‘It isn’t true.’ She told herself.

 “Kill me now, or I will kill you.” He took in a breath of air. “I refuse to lose my humanity.” Addison didn’t want to look at the face she knew so well, with those eyes. She didn’t want to face the signs of her comrade changing.

He grabbed her hand, Addison looked at him and in one quick motion she lifted the pistol and shot. His body lay still as blood flowed from his chest onto the pickup bed.

Casey jumped from the sound of the gun going off, even with the others still firing. She sat on the floor of the truck whimpering. Addison knew she needed to try to control her emotions. She sucked in air trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, but she couldn’t help it, she was angry and bitter.

Editing: Ashley Zimmerman
Publication Date: 03-29-2013

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
A gigantic Thank you to my sister Bethany who never helped me proof read anything. Also a really big Thank You to Ash-Mo for believing that I really am a strong independent women who don't need no man, to write this.