Page 9 of Clouded by Envy

Whirling around to find Luca watching her from the humongous bed, she rushed over to the book beside him. “What are you reading?”

“Peter Pan.” He lifted the book to show her the cover with a boy in green tights, flying through the air with specks of gold dust trailing behind him. She lovedPeter Pan.

“Aren’t you a little old forPeter Pan?” she teased.

“What? Wes loves this book, and he’s the one who’s old.”

“Oh, right. I forgot I am ancient.” She smiled and wondered why it was only Luca and Wes living together in Ruth’s house. “What happened to your parents?” She didn’t know if he would feel uncomfortable about the question, but she had no filter when it came to asking things.

Luca didn’t even pause to think about it or seem bothered about her asking. “When I was four, my parents were visiting Mexico where my dad was from—they died in a car wreck. My grandpa who lived here took care of us after that—he died three years ago, so now it’s just me and Wes.”

Her stomach sank. “I am so sorry.”

“I don’t remember my parents much, and I do miss my grandpa. But, Wes is the one who’s been around the longest—he’s been like a dad to me.”

Bray was not sure what else to say because at least he had a brother who was around—hers was always gone these days doing who knows what.

Her gaze fell to the book now resting in Luca’s lap. “Would you want to read some ofPeter Panto me?”

With a huge smile, Luca snatched the book up and opened it to the beginning. “It’s pretty much like I’m Peter Pan and you’re Tinker Bell, since Tinker was, you know …old,” he taunted.

Stifling a laugh, Bray told him to open the book and just read. He propped his pillow up against the headboard of the bed and scooched back to a more comfortable reading position. Bray flew to his upper body, curling up on his shoulder while listening to his small voice read each enchanting line of the story. Bray and Brenik had always done the same thing with Ruth, except Bray would sit on one side of her shoulder and Brenik on the other while their caretaker read to them.

Yawning, Bray glanced up toward Luca’s face—he had fallen asleep, the book sprawled open on his lap. A small pattern of freckles spread across his nose and upper cheeks, and he appeared to be a lot younger than his ten years. She still wanted to say he looked six.

Bray was too tired to figure out a way to escape his room, and she didn’t want to wake his tired frame, so she folded herself up into a tight ball against his shoulder. Closing her eyes, Bray wished she had a little brother like him, along with Brenik.

“What thehellis that?” a loud voice yelled, disturbing Bray from her slumber. “Luca, stay perfectly still. I think there’s a bat on your shoulder.”

Keeping her face hidden, Bray stayed in statue mode as Luca stirred from his sleep. “What, Wes?” he asked groggily.

“Don’t. Move.Rabies.” Each word was slow and filled with paranoia.

Okay, before this becomes any crazier, Bray thought as she unfolded her stiff wings and adjusted herself into a sitting position on Luca’s shoulder. “I. Do. Not. Have. Rabies.”

“What thefuck?” Wes slammed his back against the wall, causing the bookshelf to wobble. Shaking away his surprised expression, he looked at Luca who was just sitting there on the bed rotating his head side to side between Wes and Bray.

“Luca, I’m going to knock the thing off your shoulder and then you hurry over here.” Wes took a few small steps toward them.

“Wes, she’s not a bat.” Luca held up both his hands. “I mean, she is, but she isn’t a bat like what we have here. Do you understand?”

“No! I don’t understand! It justtalked. It isn’t a bat!”

Bray had heard enough of the conversation and flew off Luca’s shoulder toward Wes, staring into his dark brown eyes. “Yes, Iama bat.” She crossed her arms directly over her chest.

Wes pointed at Bray with his index finger. “You arenota bat. You have a face.” Bringing up his hand, he made a circular motion in front of his own face, attempting to emphasize his point.

It didn’t work.

Narrowing her eyes, Bray drew closer to the ridiculous human. “I. Am. A. Bat.”

His eyebrows furrowed, causing a deep crease to settle between his dark brows. “This is fucked up.” Whipping his eyes over to Luca, he said, “I’m sorry, Luca. I shouldn’t be using this language around you, but what is seriously going on? Am Ihallucinating?”

Wes moved closer to the bed and sat down by Luca.

“Wes, I met her this morning in the garden, swimming around in the new birdbath.”

“What?” Confusion crossed Wes’s face, and he slid a hand down the side of his head, turning his attention in Bray’s direction. “So, you’re a bird, then? Not a bat.”

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