Page 16 of Fated

“Dude, really? Unless she’s one hell of an actor, she isn’t manifesting at all. I don’t think the girl even has a clue what she is.”

A tense silence followed.

“Damnit, Calyx. One night. We stop one night, only to feed—and we leave in the morning.”

I could almost see the grin spreading across Calyx’s face.

What the hell were they talking about? What did Calyx mean by “what” I was? Both of them sounded utterly insane, and now they were apparently planning to bring me to their leader because—according to them—I possessed some kind of power.

But then there was Ash and the way he made people obey him without question, as if he could exert some sort of mind control. That also was a power, wasn’t it?

Oh, God—what if I do have some terrible power? What if it’s the very reason my mother’s dead?The thought made my skin crawl, my stomach churn, and my chest tighten.

The car rolled to a stop.

I lifted my head, pretending to have just woken up. Ash turned around, his dark eyes meeting mine. “You will do what Calyx says until I get back.”

So, he must be the only one who could do the mind control thing. I added that to the list of things possibly important to remember. The only thing keeping me going at this point was the need to find out the truth—for my mom. I had to stay strong until answers came, and then Ash and Calyx could do whatever they wanted with me.

Ash opened his door and started walking away.

“Ash!” Calyx yelled.

Ash paused and looked back.

“Get her some new clothes; she’s going to draw too much attention like this.”

He paused and lowered his voice, cupping his hand around his mouth as if I couldn’t hear him. “And she stinks.”

He wasn’t wrong. Although I’d changed, my skin was still coated with dried blood and vomit.

Ash nodded. “I’ll get the room sorted, then you take her through the back entrance.”

Then he was gone, and something uneasy stirred inside me in his absence.

“You are going to want to stay very close to me.”

Shit.

I glanced out the window. Dusk had started to set in, meaning I’d slept almost the entire day with no idea where we were now, but the towering buildings surrounding us indicated we were in a city at least. My face pressing up against the window’s chilled glass, I peered up at the front of the building beside which we were parked. It was a hotel, a very lavish one.

An exaggerated yawn escaped from Calyx in the front seat. He seemed to be the friendlier of my kidnappers, and it also seemed that he liked to talk. Could I use that to my advantage?

He and I sat silently for a few minutes before Ash came striding back toward the car.

There was a strange sense of relief in me at his return, and I detested it.

Calyx rolled down the window, and Ash flicked a room key toward him. “Room 901.”

“OK, but hurry up, man. I’m starving,” Calyx said.

Ash only glared at him before walking away, leaving me with the same unsettling sensation as before. I shoved it down and thought about how Calyx had told Ash they needed to feed.

I had never heard anyone describe eating in such a crude way; the thought caused dread to weigh in my stomach but I wouldn’t—couldn’t—allow my mind to wander there.

Calyx opened my door, and I winced upon pulling myself from the car, every muscle screaming in protest.

My bare feet hit the warm pavement, and I struggled to steady myself. Calyx led me through the back door of the hotel, and we rode the elevator all the way to the top floor, to room 901.

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