Shadow Demons Read Online Free

desk chair out and sat down in it backwards, leaning his arms against the back of the chair. “Lots of people wear black, Harper.”
    “I know, but there was something about him that gave me the creeps,” I said. “There was something… different about him. What if it’s the Others?”
    “Even if the Others did come back here, they wouldn’t know who you are,” he said. “We killed the only three that knew who you were. Are you sure you aren’t just overreacting?”
    I pressed my lips together. Was he seriously asking me this? I’d almost been killed half a dozen times in the past three months. Was it even possible for me to overreact at this point?
    “You didn’t see the way he was staring at me,” I said. “It was like he knew who I was.”
    Jackson ran a hand through his brown hair. He glanced over at the desk again, then back at me. I narrowed my eyes at him.
    “What were you drawing just now?” I asked.
    He shook his head. “Nothing.”
    “I don’t believe you.” I took a step toward his desk, but he stood, nearly knocking the chair to the ground.
    “Harper,” he said, standing between me and the desk. “It’s not finished yet.”
    “If you’re drawing me, I have a right to see it,” I said.
    He took a step toward me. “You know as well as I do that my drawings aren’t always what they seem,” he said. “It’s a scene taken completely out of context. There’s no way to know exactly what it means.”
    I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to resist the closeness of his warm body. “I want to see it.”
    Jackson stood his ground. “No.”
    My lip trembled. “Is it really that bad?” I asked. “So bad you don’t even want me to look at it?”
    “I just don’t want you to worry about something that can’t be changed.” He traced the side of my face with the back of his knuckles. “You’ve been through so much.”
    I searched his green eyes. What had he seen? Whatever it was, it had him spooked. I glanced toward the notebook. Maybe he was right. Maybe I didn’t need to see it. I knew from experience that Jackson’s visions could be misleading. I also knew that everything he drew eventually came true. There was no way to stop it.
    “Trust me,” he said. “Only seeing pieces of the future is torture. You’re better off not knowing.”
    I closed my eyes and concentrated on the warm touch of his fingers on my cheek. “Don’t you ever draw anything happy?” I asked.
    “Look at me,” he said.
    I opened my eyes and for a moment, the world went still and there was only us. My pulse quickened.
    “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said.
    I turned my head to the side and kissed the back of his hand. I wanted to believe him, but how could he stop the storm that was coming?
    “And if that guy was one of the Others?” I asked. “What happens when they come for us? What if they’ve figured out what happened to Isaac and Mary?”
    “If I look into it, will it make you feel better?” he asked.
    I nodded.
    “Okay, tell me what this guy in black looked like.”
    “Tall, tan, about our age, I think,” I said. “Maybe a little bit older? I’m not sure. He was definitely not from around here.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “He had long braided hair,” I said. “And there were wooden beads braided in.”
    Jackson froze. His face went pale and he reached out to the desk to steady himself.
    “What?” I asked, touching his arm lightly. “Do you know him?”
    “No,” he said. “Don’t worry about it. I can handle it.”
    “Wait,” I said, totally not buying his story. “You reacted when I said something about the beads. What is it?”
    “Nothing,” he said, waving me off. “But I doubt it’s anything to worry about anyway. You’re just letting your imagination run away with you. Besides, I can handle the Others or anyone else who comes after you. Especially now that I’ve got some of my power back.”
    I looked up at him and drew in an unsteady