by Carly Marino
The closer we got to the front, the more kids I spotted from our school.
“Hey, bae.” Ethan scooped up Wynter, almost spilling her drink. He pulled her into a deep kiss, moving his hands up and down her back. I turned to give them some privacy.
A loud hiss from above brought my gaze to the ceiling. Machines released big clouds of fog into the air. People in the room went crazy, jumping and waving their arms. I smiled and swayed my shoulders to the music.
A sudden poke to my side made me jump. “Ethan.”
Ethan grinned at me. His shaggy hair peeked from beneath a black beanie, and he wore his lucky death metal t-shirt. Red headphones hung around his neck, the cord tucked into the pocket of his dark jeans. The sparkle in his brown eyes made me smile. I’d never seen him this excited before.
He took a step away, distancing us. “I’m glad you came.”
“Of course, I came.” I hugged him, silently thanking him for always standing up for me. I might’ve never had the chance again. Once I lost this control, I’d have to go back to avoiding contact.
He laughed. “What was that for?”
I let go and looked up at my best friend. “No reason, just storing you in my memory.”
He pinched my arm. “You’re a nerd.”
“Back at you,” I said. “How are things with you and Wynter?”
She danced off to the side in her own world.
“Perfect.” Ethan gazed at her. He really liked her. I squeezed his arm. The moment my skin touched his, again, an overwhelming sensation filled my chest. I wavered with dizzy elation and yearned to smile, laugh, cry, and jump for joy. My brain fogged with a sweet, wonderful, indescribable feeling.
I tilted my head. In Nora’s memory, she absorbed that girl’s sadness. Maybe by creating that fantasy, I’d created a new ability. I swallowed. I had felt Wynter’s excitement, and I could feel emotions. The pounding of my heart, the flutters in my stomach… Although I’d never experienced it myself, I knew. Love. Ethan loved Wynter.
I snapped my hand back in fear I’d steal the feelings from him. “So, you ready?”
“Yeah, it’s going to be fire.” He pulled Wynter to him, wrapped his arms around her from behind, and kissed her temple. She spun to face him.
I tapped her on the shoulder before the make out got hot and heavy. “I’m going to get some water.”
She nodded. “Want me to come?”
“No, hang with Ethan. I’ll be right back.” I smiled to reassure her.
“Okay, girl.” She did a silly dance then twirled back to grope Ethan, again.
I made my way to the center of the dance floor. Loud bass vibrated in my chest. I swayed my hips and felt the music. I wanted to explore.
The club had three stories. People peered from the balcony on the third level. I squinted to see their faces through the flashing lights. A few looked familiar, but I didn’t care. My skin tingled, and my body felt weightless.
I worked my way to the next level. Every few bumps, I’d get a rush of emotions. Most were happy, some were lustful. I could only assume alcohol played a part in their feelings. I had no idea what caused this change in my ability, but what I did know for sure—I’d take feeling emotions over experiencing memories any day.
On the top stair, I stumbled, knocking a girl’s drink on the floor.
“Hey.” She wiped the liquid from her arm. “Watch out.”
“I’m so—”
She stepped closer, a devilish smile spreading across her pale face. She tucked a strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear. “Thea Scott. What the hell are you doing here?”
Out of all the people at my school, I had to bump into Tatum. I never understood why she hated me so much. Matt broke up with me, and I hadn’t tried to get him back. Wynter said she was just salty he chose me first.
“Listen, I … uh…” I smiled, nervously, hoping she’d just let me pass. Power surged through me. Tatum’s body swayed, and her face slackened. She stared at me through glazed eyes and a vacant expression. The minutes I’d spent with Nora flashed into my mind. When she smiled at the girl in the coffee shop and me, our emotions had settled. I’d felt at ease. I had no idea why I had these new abilities, but right now, it didn’t matter. I needed to get out of there.
I grinned so big my cheeks hurt and sidled past her, hoping she’d stay motionless a little longer. Once I made it a safe distance, I relaxed my face.
A burst of adrenaline powered through my veins. More confidence radiated off of me. Fearless, strong, and without a care in the world, I leaned over the balcony. If I jumped, I thought I could fly. I looked up at the strobes and laughed. The brightness brought pleasure to my eyes and my body.
A guy nudged me. I stumbled, but he gripped my arm to steady me.
“Sorry,” he said and then walked away.
I grinned. I could still control my memory-reading ability, which meant I no longer had to run from touching. At least, for now.
I tasted freedom. Thoughts of a normal life flooded my mind. I veered through the crowd, scanning every guy. I wanted to kiss someone. No, I needed to. Who knew when I’d lose this control? Right now, there was a kiss with my name on it.
I stopped, recognizing a familiar song that resonated over the speakers. Grinning, I bobbed my head to the sound of the mix Ethan and I had made together. I peered over the balcony to view the DJ booth. Ethan held the headphones to his ear with one hand and tapped on his laptop with the other. Wynter would be pissed if I missed his entire set. Better make this quick.
Soft fingers trailed up my arm, spreading tingles through me. My hair slid over my shoulder, and a warm body pressed closer. The air in my lungs hitched, and a shiver climbed the nape of my neck. I turned. A guy with short, platinum-blond hair and the palest green eyes stared at me.
He smiled, revealing slightly crooked teeth behind beautiful, kissable lips. The tiny imperfection made him even more attractive. I toyed with the ends of my blonde strands. His gaze leered at my body and landed on my lips. I twisted my mouth into a seductive smile, and he motioned to follow him.
He laced his fingers with mine and guided me through the darkness until we reached a door with a large man standing in front. They spoke for a moment, and the man looked at me and nodded. The lights reflected in his eyes and made them appear to have yellow swirling around his pupils. He stepped to the side. Although nervous, I let this mysterious guy lead me through the door.
Dim track lighting made the inside barely visible. No one occupied the black leather booths that lined the walls or the tall cocktail tables in the center with little white candles flickering on top. I smiled at the romantic ambiance. I stood alone in a dark room with a handsome stranger. A few hours ago I never would’ve considered doing something this risky.
He didn’t say a word. His hands gripped my shoulders, backing me until I pressed tight against the wall. He pushed forward and only inches separated us. My heart fluttered, and I forced my eyes not to look away from his lips.
He kissed the corner of my mouth, and I sighed softly, waiting for him to continue, but he didn’t. His breath warmed my skin as he leaned into my hair. “What are you?”
Fear prickled the backs of my legs. Every tiny hair on my arms rose. “W—what?”
His hand raked through my hair. He tugged at the ends, exposed the crook of my neck. I tensed as he inhaled my skin. “Mmm … so powerful. I can’t wait to taste you.”
Gasping, I tried to push him away. He tightened his hands around my wrists, pinning my arms behind my back.
I attempted to wriggle from his grasp. “Let me go.”
He stared at me with a sinister smile.
A smile. Terrified, I forced my lips to rise. His mouth tilted, and his tongue clicked his front teeth. “Not gonna work. You should know better.”
His fingernails dug into my skin, and a strange tugging sensation pulled at my insides. Everything constricted. With each squeeze of his hand, my heart rate slowed. I coughed and whe
ezed. I couldn’t breathe.
I’m suffocating.
The walls spun around us. The muscles in my legs weakened, my eyesight blurred, and sobs left the back of my throat. Heat fired to my fingertips and a faint blue glow lit beneath us before fading.
The blond man searched my face, and I took the opportunity to knee him where it counted. He folded over. I weaseled out from under him, but my ankle twisted and I sprawled onto the rug.
His hand snatched my calf. No. I wouldn’t let him hurt me. I kicked at him, landing a hit to his head. He grunted and released me.
I scampered toward the door. “Help!”
A gust of wind swept my hair over my shoulder. He materialized in front of me. I tripped backward and he caught me. I screamed as an invisible force of sorts yanked from inside my stomach.
“Please, let me go,” I whimpered.
My shoulders slumped, forcing me to lean on him for support. The feel of his skin on mine and his breath on my cheeks disgusted me. I choked out a groan.
He lifted his body off of me and peered into my face. My eyes widened. Yellow light danced around his pupils. The color brightened until the swirls turned to a bright blue.
“I’ve never tasted a charge this strong.” His grip clenched around my forearms.
I yelped. Pain tore through my veins and bile slithered up my throat. I didn’t have much longer.
The candle light disappeared, and darkness stole my sight. The faint music in the room faded to static. Tears trickled down my cheeks, their warmth letting me know I was still alive. I thought of Aunt Karen, Wynter, and Ethan. I would never see them again. They’d never know what happened to me.
Another wave of dizziness wobbled my knees. I collapsed. He lowered my limp body to the carpet. Powerless, I accepted my fate. I would die in this room.
A loud bang startled my assailant. He released his hold on me and turned toward the now open doorway. Squinting, I could only make out a shadow. The strobe lights flashed behind the dark figure. I struggled to lift my body—praying for the strength to run to safety. My arm muscles shook and gave out, dropping me back to the floor. Sleep beckoned me, but I forced my eyes open to get a glimpse of the person arguing with the blond man.
The language they spoke sounded foreign. The stranger threw the first punch, but the figure ducked. Two shadows moved so fast through the room that their bodies blurred with the darkness. Tables fell over as they tossed each other around. I could hear the noise, but I could barely see them.
Blinding streams of yellow and blue light swirled around the room, exploding every so often like fireworks. The colors danced and sparkled.
One of the shadows ran through the flashing open doorway. He burst into yellow and blue starbursts.
I squinted harder to see the figure walking toward me, but my sight twisted, creating mirror images of everything in the room. Curled in a ball, I rested my cheek on my hand and closed my eyes.
My body lifted from the floor. “Thea, it’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe.” The shadow held me closer, his body warm and comforting. “You’re safe.”
I rested my head on my savior’s chest and let him carry me to safety.
Chapter Seven
I woke to early morning rays of light, shining through unfamiliar, sheer, curtains. The down comforter that covered my body did not warm me but sent chills down my arms and legs instead. I scrambled from the blankets, fighting my way through the fabric that draped down the sides of the canopy bed.
Where was I? I swallowed, studying myself to make sure no one had hurt me. I still wore my outfit from last night, minus the shoes. Aside from a slight headache pounding above my left temple, I didn’t find a single scratch, which seemed odd, considering the confrontation with the man from last night. I exhaled and rubbed my wrist, jingling the charm bracelet.
“I’m okay.”
Where’s my cell phone? The two end tables arranged next to the bed were empty, except for two silver lamps placed in the center of each. I dropped down to the paisley-patterned rug that decorated the dark hardwood floors. Lifting the bed skirt, I checked underneath, hoping my phone had fallen. Nothing there.
I stood. Stay calm. I inhaled and exhaled. As much as I wanted to scream for help and bang on every door and window, I had to stay calm. Making noise would alert whoever had brought me here.
I searched the bedroom for clues. The far side of the room had a stone fireplace built between what looked like a walk-in-closet and a conjoining bathroom. I tiptoed across the floor, praying the bathroom led to the hallway or another room. It didn’t.
I sighed as I stepped back into the bedroom. Several of Monet’s and Salvador Dali’s paintings hung on the walls, but not a single family photograph.
Everything in the room seemed expensive. Who did I know with money?
Aunt Karen and I lived within our means, splurging only once a year on a trip to celebrate my birthday. She worked a lot of doubles to save for those trips. Whoever lived here probably had a home in every country and a garage full of lavish vehicles.
I walked to the large picture windows. The sun peeked through the clouds, casting shadows across the large front lawn. Imprints of tire treads covered the grass as if cars had parked there for hours. I recognized the long gravel driveway that led to a black iron gate. Nora and Drake’s house?
I closed my eyes, trying to remember what had happened to me last night. The blond-haired guy, the pain he had caused me, and the shadow … the shadow? I chuckled to myself. Between Nora’s memory and my own, maybe I did belong in the looney bin.
I jumped at the sound of voices echoing from behind the closed bedroom door. I crept closer, turned the knob as quietly as I could, and peeked outside. The hall had a banister that overlooked the entryway. If I stepped out, they might see or hear me. I opened the door a little further and listened.
“What the hell is she doing here?” Nora yelled. “You should’ve taken her home!”
“Nora—”
“No, Drake. Cole put us in danger bringing her here. You need to take her home, now.”
“She deserves to know,” Cole said.
“Ha! Typical guy. You’re off your trolley if you think she doesn’t know. She’s playing coy with you. How else did she hide from us? Doesn’t know—right.”
“She doesn’t, Nora. I read her. She’s one of us,” Cole said.
Read me? One of us? What the—
Nora groaned. “One of us? I don’t have a clue what she is, but she is not one of us.”
“She’s just different.”
“Do you hear yourself? She’s different, but the same. Whatever. I’m sick of arguing. If she doesn’t know, good luck telling her she’s an alien. Humans are really open to the unknown. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.”
What was Nora talking about? An alien? She had to be joking.
“I’ll be there when he tells her. She’s untrained, and I can easily bend her emotions,” Drake said.
“You’re as much of a moron as him then. When this blows up, and the two of you are having the life sucked out of you, don’t look to me to rescue your arses.”
Then I heard what I assumed were Nora’s footsteps clicking on the marble floors.
My heart raced in my chest as I closed the door. Aliens? Bend my emotions? I shook my head. They were obviously delusional, which meant I had to get out of this house.
I ran to the window. No way I could jump two stories. Scaling the drain pipe worked in movies, but actually doing so looked too dangerous. Maybe I could just run down the stairs and out the front door?
“Thea?” Cole said from behind the door. “Can I come in?”
Crap!
I glanced at the fireplace. “Uh—just a second.” I scurried across the room and grabbed the iron poker from the holder. Gripping the handle in my hands, I crept closer to the door. “Come in.”
The door opened, and I swung. Cole grunted but managed to duck. I swung again, and this time he grabbed the iron with
his hand. “Thea, what the hell?”
I widened my eyes. He moved fast. Faster than anyone I’d seen before. Sucking in a breath, I charged past him.
He moved out of the way. “Thea, wait!”
I didn’t stop. I ran down the stairs.
Drake blocked the front door. “It’s okay, luv.” A slow smile rose on his face.
My muscles relaxed. My sight hazed. Drake sidled toward me, but I shook my shoulders, breaking free from whatever trance he tried to put me in. “Get away from me.”
I tore through the house to find the sliding glass doors. The downstairs had so many rooms. In an attempt to block Cole and Drake, I knocked over any piece of furniture I could get my hands on.
Cole came up behind me. “Thea.”
I grabbed a vase off a small table, threw it at him, and the porcelain crashed on the floor. My gaze searched for a way out. The glass door was feet from me. I could make it.
“Locked. Shit. Please, please.” I fumbled with the latch. The door clicked. I flung it open and charged down the stone stairs into the garden.
I stared at the long hallway of green hedges. The rocky path forked and curved, disappearing around corners. I had no idea which way to run. I chose left.
Sharp stones cut the bottoms of my feet, but I didn’t stop. I had to get out of there before they found me.
The path ended. No! No! No! Dead end. I pivoted and went back the way I came, following a different route this time. Another dead end. I clawed at the branches to find a break. The limbs were intertwined, crisscrossing like a wire fence.
“Ouch!” I snapped back my hand. Blood dripped from my palm. I studied the bark of the plant. Bright yellow thorns protruded from the stems. Tiny needles covered the leaves, making them appear soft from a distance.
Fighting my way through the hedges would never work. How had I gotten out of here the last time? I didn’t remember the garden being so complicated.
It didn’t matter. I had to keep going. I continued to swerve around different corners until I found the tree with the gazebo. I bent over, supporting myself on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. If I kept running around like this, I’d get lost. I scaled the ladder. Once inside, I grabbed one of the posts and hoisted myself onto the railing.
