


I gripped his hand more tightly, closed my eyes, and waited for the blinding light that would surely come to return me to my prison in the sky.īut a moment later the earth was still again and normal activity resumed around us. The blissful faraway expression on Xavier's face vanished, replaced by the hard, fighting look I'd seen far too much on him lately. Outside I saw the sky darken like bruised flesh and the treetops tremble as if shaken by an invisible hand.

The tremor lasted only a matter of seconds but the jukebox cut out and the alarmed waitresses teetered as they tried to balance their loaded trays. I clutched the edge of the table and watched my engagement ring tumble onto the checkered floor of Sweethearts Café.
