Page 54 of Lust

I turn to Seth, who grips his necklace as he sports a cocky grin. “Just trying to help,” he says.

“Not so impossible now, is it?” Brad asks, quirking a brow.

“I—wait, you guys can levitate shit with your minds?”

Brad’s forehead creases. “We can do little tricks. Mainly because of the energy already in these amulets. On a good day,we can get a pen to roll off a desk, but we can’t like, throw bricks across a room or anything like that.”

Still, even just what he showed me is beyond what should be possible.

But… “Even if I can do this, if you can’t do something bigger, I don’t get what this helps.”

“You have to use your powers,” Seth says. “It’s the only way you become more attuned to them. A lot of this is based on feelings and instincts, and you have to get in touch with those.”

Finally, he says something useful!

“So let’s go again,” Brad says.

I feel like such a fucking moron, on my knees in front of Brad, focusing on a necklace, trying to get it to spin. But after what I saw in my mind and then the missing and certainly dead guy, I know I must take this seriously.

I study the cross.

“Just imagine it moving in a circle,” Brad says. “Spinning and spinning.”

I follow his instructions. It reminds me of being a kid and trying to use the Force like I saw inStar Wars, but like when I was a kid, nothing happens.

“It can take a while,” Cody says. “Don’t be hard on yourself.”

“I mean, it’s not that hard,” Seth adds.

“Keep that up, and I’ll tell him how long it took you,” Brad says, which shuts Seth up.

“Why don’t you let him wear your amulet?” Cody says. “That’s how we got Seth to move his.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Brad removes his necklace and places it around my neck. There’s a warmth to it as it rests against my chest.Hiswarmth.

I close my eyes, enjoying a swirling sensation, as though he placed his finger where the cross rests. A soft gasp escapes my lips as I open my eyes, and Brad’s gaze shifts to my mouth. Hesmirks, like it pleases him to see my reaction, and when I glance at his crotch, I notice just how much he enjoyed it.

“Focus,” Brad says in a stern voice, but he’s still smirking. “You can touch it if you want.”

I reach for his crotch, and he glares at me. “Not what I meant.”

“Gross,” Seth groans. “You guys have plenty of time to do this outside of training.”

But Brad’s still chuckling, and blushing a little, so fuck what Seth thinks.

I grip Brad’s necklace, imitating the way I’ve seen him hold it. Then I stare at my necklace, dangling from his finger, imagining it spinning the way Seth had it going.

I wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

“Don’t get so tense,” Brad says, and only then I realize my face is all tensed up. “It works better if you’re at ease. You’re not forcing it with your body. That’s what I meant before when I said you have to build up confidence. You’re not accessing anything physical. It’s something deep within you.”

I try again, but still, nothing happens.

“I told you,” Seth spits out, and Brad’s nostrils flare.

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