ChaPter 2 - Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

8
her gaze slipped away to check the shadows for threats.
“Mallory?”
“Yes?” Her hand went to the pendant she wore under her
blouse. The reasons she shouldn’t see him, the need to see
him, the way she’d had to lie to him—thinking about all of
that made her feel horrible inside.
“I’m glad I found you,” he said.
He moved in so he stood just a shade closer than could be
considered polite, and she wondered what he’d do if she thanked
him for evoking the blushworthy thoughts she was having.
She realized that he was watching her expectantly, but she
wasn’t able to admit that she was happy to see him too. Instead,
she said, “I didn’t expect you.”
“I just got into town,” he said.
She started, “I need to go—”
“Do you want to go somewhere?” he asked at the same
time.
They both stopped. She shifted the bag on her shoulder,
surreptitiously adjusting the hilt of the knife she wore hidden
under her arm. Her jacket concealed it, but sometimes the
top of the hilt poked the underside of her bra. That was one
of the many things she didn’t want to discuss. So, why are
you wearing a knife? She smiled at Kaleb, continuing the
imaginary discussion in her mind. In case I need to protect us
from monsters . . . not that I’ve had to fight them yet, but, you
know, just in case.
“Mallory?” Kaleb stared at her in that too-intense-for-