Page 38 of Bitten By Desire

“We’ll get her back,” Hazel assured her lover.

“I was about to try when you pulled me back,” I said, recalling the way the power had filled me. What had Pythia said? No one had such power since her lifetime.

“Thank goodness we got you!” Zoe said. “If they’d caught you there, who knows what would’ve happened. How long can a body and mind stay separated anyway?”

A groan from the corner elicited our attention as Tabitha stirred. Hazel moved over to her side and squatted near her. When Tabitha rose, her eyes grew wide, and she scooted backward against the closed French doors.

“You’re safe,” Hazel said. “We won’t harm you.”

“Unless you try to harm us first,” I said, earning a jab from Zoe.

“What the fuck are you?” Tabitha asked, pinning me with a look and shocking me into silence. When I didn’t respond, she continued. “You are no normal psychic. When I reached out for you, you kicked me out with such a jolt that I didn’t know right from left.”

“It was the machine.” My cheeks burned. “It amplifies psychic energy.”

She narrowed her eyes, and her nostrils flared, making the silver ring in her nose stand at an awkward angle. “Don’t tell me the truth, whatever. But you have to know that’s why everyone and their fucking mother is after you. Being a psychic is unusual enough, but there’s more to it than that when it comes to you.”

Her words hit home, and I deflated against the couch. “I wish I knew what was so special about me. And I also wish whatever it was would go away.”

Tabitha leaned back on her hands. “I get that. Do you think I wanted to join MorningStar?”

Our eyes met, and something relaxed slightly between us. She was only doing what she had to do to stay safe. And that hadn’t gone well. But I still couldn’t let my guard down.

“The general said a witness came forward to Silas’s murder and pointed the finger at Julian. I don’t suppose you know anything about that?” I accused.

The spike of bright pink surprise in her aura felt like it stabbed me in the heart.

“It wasn’t me. I barely remember anything about that night. I know I was glamoured by Silas, and that he drank from me to use my power. But the details around what happened after are fuzzy. Seeing the aftermath when he died and I snapped out of it was more than enough for me. I have no desire to remember exactly how his head and heart were removed.” The rise of brilliant blue surrounding her meant she told the truth.

The only other option that left was my own father.

“I’d like to offer you safety,” I said, motioning for her to move into our little circle while I shoved away the information. Now wasn’t the time to try and sort that through. “But I think you know I can’t do that. Not when I can’t keep my own loved ones safe.”

A cup of coffee floated across the room from the kitchenette via Hazel’s magic, and Tabitha snatched it from the air. “Nowhere is safe, but I’ll take coffee and cookies over torture any day. Lay it on me.”

Hazel and Zoe filled her in as I stood to stretch and moved over to the balcony. The cold air grounded me as I slipped outside to gaze at the glittering lights spread out below. It was several minutes before Julian’s warm body pressed against mine from behind. I leaned back, and we swayed slowly side to side.

You want me to turn you so you can escape whatever is happening.

I sighed. That’s part of it, yes. If I’m turned, I won’t have my psychic abilities anymore. We know because of Silas. Then I’d be useless to the lot of them.

Julian spun me to face him, bracing my arms and searching my face. If you hadn’t had your abilities, you could have died in that machine.

I tried to turn away, but he wouldn’t let me. You wouldn’t have defeated Silas.

“He wouldn’t have wanted me in the first place,” I said out loud.

“You couldn’t have saved me from the same machine when the killer put me on it to keep me from exposing her.”

I grunted in frustration, and he released me so I could look toward the city lights. The stone banister reminded me of the general’s skin, and I jerked back into a pace. “We can go back and forth all day, but it’s the future I’m concerned about.”

“I will turn you,” Julian said, stopping me mid stride. “But not until we are safe, and I am certain it is not because of the current circumstances.”

A smile worked its way onto my face. “You mean it?”

“You have my word.”

I jumped into his arms, and he spun me around before setting me back on my feet.

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