by Eva Chase
A tight, closed line. But somehow he was still talking.
“Good,” he said. “I get why you’d have the impulse to pretend, but I am really hoping I can help you here.”
My arms dropped to my sides, feeling suddenly weak. My pulse stuttered. A chill washed over me, much deeper than the burn I’d worked into my muscles.
Jason lowered the barbell and raised his head slightly. His deep brown eyes locked with mine. His brow knit. “Why are you—”
Then his lips did move, with the same voice but a more ragged quality. Because he was catching his breath from the lifts. Because I was hearing that voice from his mouth now and not just from his mind.
“You really didn’t know, did you?”
I jerked my eyes away. My arms had started to tremble. I let myself sink back down on the mats as if I wanted to be down there anyway. My thoughts were whirling too fast for any of them to make sense.
Jason heaved the bar upward again. His voice came again—the steady version that seemed to resonate from just behind my eardrums, now that I was comparing. I should have realized you might not. Not everyone does when they get here. The scouts pick up anyone who shows signs of a talent. That’s what the Facility is for, you know? They want to unlock the secrets of our mental powers, those of us “lucky” enough to have them. So basically, we’re lab rats.
Mental powers. My mind leapt back to my interrogation that morning. The comments and questions: Strange things can happen in the world. Did you see something no one else seemed to? Or hear something?
The lab people had already guessed I might be capable of something like this. Could it really be true?
I couldn’t ask that right now. I was obviously hearing things Jason wasn’t saying out loud. But what about all the other times? All the things people had said in my hearing that I’d had trouble believing they’d be comfortable speaking...
Was it possible they hadn’t been speaking that stuff? That they hadn’t been speaking at all, and I’d just picked those comments out of their heads?
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. My abs protested, and I let myself lie still for a moment to rest them. Jason chucked the barbell back into the holder and sat up. I didn’t look directly at him, but I could see his mouth was still closed. He picked up a small towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead, still thinking at me.
I don’t know how much the researchers have already gotten from you, but the first thing you need to know is you’re better off staying as quiet as possible about what you can do. Don’t give away anything you don’t have to. They want to use us however they can, and the more talent they see in you...
He didn’t need to finish that sentence. The dread in his tone conveyed the weight of his concern. I swallowed hard. God. Was this really happening? How could this be happening? I sat up with my legs crossed this time and pressed the heel of my hand to my temple.
Hey. Jason’s inner voice turned gentle. I’ll have your back. You can do this. You’re not alone. We all have our talents. Look at me.
This time I did without hesitating. Jason dropped his towel on the floor. He lowered his hand to pick it up. A second before he did, he snapped his fingers lightly.
A flame flared between his thumb and forefinger. Small but unmistakably bright. The tiny fire danced over his hand. But he wasn’t holding anything, not a lighter or a match.
He’d done that with his mind?
His fingers closed around the flame, snuffing it out. Then he picked up his towel and stood up.
I feel a little strange doing all the talking here. It’s probably safer if they don’t see us really talking much—like, out loud. Can you send thoughts back or only hear?
I didn’t know. I hadn’t known I could do any of this until a few minutes ago. My chest was still clenched with shock. I opened my mouth and caught myself.
“81s,” a guard shouted from the doorway. “Time’s up. Let’s go.”
We can sort that out later, Jason said. To be continued.
He shot me the briefest flicker of a smile before walking past me toward the door. I couldn’t stop myself from watching him go. But not to admire the flex of his ass this time. A weird tearing feeling tugged at my gut. It took me a moment to recognize the feeling.
For the first time in a long time, I was wishing someone didn’t have to leave me alone.
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About the Author
Eva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them. Along with the Dragon Shifter’s Mates series, she is the author of the Demons of Fame Romance series, the Legends Reborn trilogy, and the Alpha Project Psychic Romance series.
Connect with Eva online:
www.evachase.com
[email protected]
