The Mind Thieves (The Mind Readers)
Author: Brighton, Lori
Date: 2012-04-25T05:00:00+00:00

The Mind Thieves

Book 2

Copyright 2012 Published by Lori Brighton

www.LoriBrighton.com

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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The Mind Readers Series:

The Mind Readers, book 1

The Mind Thieves, book 2

The Mind Thieves

Book 2

by

Lori Brighton

Chapter 1

The woman sitting at the table across from me was thinking about having an affair with her scuba instructor.

She was imagining his dark skin glistening under the warm sun, his muscles flexing as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his mouth to hers. Or maybe, she thought, she’d have an affair with the guy who cleaned her pool. Her husband was heading back to the U.S. for business and would never know.

I wanted to tell her it would never work, that in those desperate housewife shows, they always suspected the pool guy. Instead, I hid my grin by lowering my head and swiping down the counter where I’d been serving fruity drinks, hotdogs and meat pies since eleven this morning.

I wished she’d keep her R-rated thoughts to herself. I really didn’t want to imagine her, her Scuba instructor, or the pool guy naked. But I guess she couldn’t help it. The thoughts seeped from her mind like the warm breeze currently drifting in from the Caribbean Sea.

Their hopes, their dreams, their nightmares…

What they thought about, I thought about.

Sometimes it really sucked to be able to read minds.

With a sigh I focused on the ocean not twenty feet from me. The soft roar of the waves was always calming. Sure, our little café wasn’t exactly five-star, but you couldn’t beat the view. Pink and orange rays from the setting sun pierced the late-afternoon clouds, trailing pastel fingers across the waves. The telltale fins of dolphins crested the water’s surface, always thrilling me like a kid on Christmas morning. And you couldn’t beat the uniform: shorts and a tank top.

It was hard to believe that almost seven months ago I was freezing in Maine, forced to wake up every morning at six and trudge to a school where I had to pretend to be normal. No more hiding. No more pretending. This…this was freedom. And I wasn’t going to waste another moment.

“Closing time.”

I pressed stop on the CD player, putting an end to Bob Marley, for today at least. The evening was cool and promising. I hopped over the counter, my bare feet sinking into the sand. Why wear shoes when you lived on the beach?

“Anyone need a drink for the ride home?”

The natives eating meat pies shook their heads, their thoughts on sleep. With a wave, they stood from their wooden benches, taking their pies with them, and made their way toward their bikes. They were regulars who often stopped on their way home from work.

But Mrs. Miller, the woman who was thinking of seducing the hired help, still sat at her small table, looking lost and forlorn, almost like some cartoon orphan child. She was lonely. She didn’t want to go home to an empty house, even if her house was a mansion. I felt bad for her, but not bad enough to stick around and listen to her sob story.

Besides, today was my birthday. Today I turned eighteen. No way in heck I was working any longer then I had to. Funny how a year could make such a difference in a person’s life. Gazing out at the water, I pulled my dark hair from the ponytail I’d secured this morning, massaging my scalp. Only a short time ago my need to please would have had me walking over to Mrs. Miller and asking her if she was okay. Not now. Nope, when you faced death, things changed big time.

“It’s so quiet here,” the woman drawled in her southern accent.

I nodded noncommittally, not daring to look her in the eyes. I wasn’t going to be sucked in by her puppy-dog gaze. Instead, I welcomed the breeze ruffling my hair, focusing on the swaying palm trees. Of course it was quiet. It was paradise. A paradise I’d craved after being in a hospital for over a month. And don’t bother asking what was wrong with me, they never did figure it out. The doctor said some nonsense about how sometimes people slipped into comas for no reason.

Whatever. It didn’t matter because I wasn’t going to waste any more time hiding or trying to please others. That month of illness had been a blessing. Grandma had apparently been thinking the same thing. The moment I’d regained consciousness, she had packed our bags, sold the house in Maine and we’d ended up here. I sure as heck wasn’t going to complain.

I paused, listening to the sad cry of a gull. Still…there were times when I felt like I’d missed something…something important. The doctors claimed a coma would do that to a person, make them feel lost. But there were also times when I’d catch my grandma watching me with this odd combination of sadness and worry in her hazel gaze, as if she knew something I didn’t.

“Guess I should head home,” Mrs. Miller said in that sugary drawl.

She stood, slapped a huge straw hat on her bleached blonde hair and sauntered toward her small, red convertible. She wasn’t our typical customer, but she’d stopped by once and liked the place because we seemed to know exactly what she wanted even before she said a word. Yep, to her, we were the perfect little servants.

I gave her a wave as she drove away, then swiped down the small benches and tables that seated our customers. Our restaurant, if you could call it that, boasted three tables and a small bar, all outside seating. Still, it was ours, Grandma’s and mine, and we had plans to expand eventually…when we weren’t busy sunbathing, snorkeling and collecting shells.

“All done?” Grandma asked, strolling out of the small abode where she’d been cooking. She hung her white apron on the hook outside the door. It was hot work, but we could always take a break and dip into the ocean for a quick swim. Really, my job couldn’t get any better. I was even second-guessing college. Why leave paradise?

“Yep.” I picked up the few pieces of trash that littered the white sand, stuffing them into the trash bag Grandma had grabbed.

I’d been living with her since I was five and my mind-reading ability had surfaced. Mom pretty much thought I was a freak and shoved me into Grandma’s capable arms, the one person who understood. Another freak. Yep, Grandma, too, could read minds, which made it hard for me to sneak out after curfew. Even though we had that ability in common, it didn’t mean we got along. Until my illness, we’d rarely had a civil conversation.

“I’m heading home now,” she said.

Home was a two-bedroom cottage across the street that hung heavy with white Jasmine, a fragrant flower I could smell through my bedroom window at night.

“Okay, I’m almost done.”

She paused at the road, her short dark hair wavering on the cool breeze. “Whose pink moped?”

I shrugged and made my way toward her. It was a cute Vespa, a soft pink in color with a white helmet dangling from the handlebar. I’d been admiring it earlier and even now couldn’t resist running my fingers over the white seat.

“Not sure. It’s been here awhile though. Was here when I got in this morning.” I frowned, glancing at the beach where palm trees swayed on the breeze. The ocean might look peaceful, but underneath the surface was a world of danger to unsuspecting victims. “Should we be concerned?”

It had been known to happen that tourists would go snorkeling and be taken out by the current, never to be seen again.

Grandma grinned, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. She wasn’t like most grandmas and looked younger than she was. We spent many mornings hiking the island, exploring waterfalls and bays. “Nah, I think I know the owner.”

Confused, I watched her warily. I couldn’t read her thoughts, I’d never been able to no matter how hard I tried. Whereas thoughts from others flowed freely into the universe, Grandma’s remained firmly encased in her brain.

Until a few months ago, Grandma had been able to read mine, much to my ever-growing annoyance. But since my illness Grandma had taught me things I’d always wanted to know, like how to block my thoughts from being read by others like us. Not that I knew anyone else who could read minds. Still, it was a handy trick to have and made me feel as if freedom was within my grasp, instead of some far-off dream.

“Who’s the owner?” I asked.

She tossed something toward me. Instinctively I caught the small, shiny object. A key, cool against the palm of my hand. I glanced up at her, shocked. She couldn’t mean…

She grinned. “Happy birthday. The moped is all yours.”

My mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? But we can’t afford it!”

She waved her hand through the air, dismissing my comment. “Don’t you worry about that.”

I threw my arms around her neck. Before my illness, we’d barely touched. I hugged her often now and much to my delight, she hugged me back. We’d both changed since moving here, and both for the better.

After a few seconds, she pulled away, looking like her gruff self once more, but she couldn’t fool me. “Finish cleaning, then go for a ride, I know you want to. But don’t be out too late.” She strolled across the road to our small cottage, her gait easy and carefree.

I tossed the trash in the brown dumpster that sat alongside the dirt road, eager to test out my Vespa. On the island a scooter was pretty much like having a car. I’d be able to see the entire place on my own. Meet up with friends, go on dates. And I wanted to date so badly it hurt. I was eighteen years old, for God’s sake. It was time to fall in love…to truly be kissed. My gaze strayed to two tourists who strolled the beach hand-in-hand. Sure, I’d had boyfriends, but no one had made my hormones flare to life. No one had made me want to sneak out of the house and make out on sandy beaches. Slowly, I started back toward the bar.

My heart gave a painful squeeze. For one brief moment I forgot my Vespa, forgot my illness as I stood suspended in some odd reality where something important lay just out of reach and if only I could touch it, I’d know….

The couple shifted and there, further down the beach, I noticed a man walking my way. An odd tingle of awareness pulled me back to earth. Alone, but he didn’t seem lonely. No, he was too tall, too gorgeous, and his stroll too confident to be lonely. I tilted my head, leaning against the bar, feeling confused.

There was something about the way he walked…the way his dark hair glimmered under the light of the setting sun. Even though I couldn’t see his eyes through his sunglasses, I could have sworn he was staring at me.

Perhaps I was dreaming. Or maybe this island truly was magical and had sent me the boyfriend I wanted. I grinned at the thought.

There was nothing unusual in the cargo shorts and T-shirt he wore. Not even in the way his body moved fluidly, all muscle. He was gorgeous, simply put. And I’d seen a lot of hot guys on the island, natives and tourists. But something about this man gave me pause; something that made my smile fall and my heart beat a little faster. Something I couldn’t explain. He didn’t follow the coastline, but headed right toward me. So close I could see the scruff along his chin and cheeks. I shifted, placing the counter between us.

“Sorry,” I said, as he started toward the café. “We’re closed. I can get you a drink to go if you want.” Much to my horror, my voice came out a little breathless and telling. Lord, I desperately needed a date.

This close, I realized he was taller than I’d expected. He settled on a bar stool near me, the lightest hint of spicy cologne permeating the air. He had a black backpack slung over one shoulder and I wondered what was in that bag. His presence was overwhelming and I had to resist the urge to take a step back. The breeze ruffled his dark hair, but it did little to soften his look. Who the heck was this guy?

“Hello, Cameron.”

I drew back, startled. For a moment, I merely looked at him, too shocked to respond. He knew my name, but I didn’t know him. At least, I didn’t think I knew him. Yet, I couldn’t deny that there was something familiar in the way he smiled at me.

Warning bells clamored in my head. A hundred memories of Grandma warning me to keep quiet about my abilities came rushing back. Had I slipped and told someone something I shouldn’t have? Is that why he was here? I rested my hand on my thigh, feeling the weight of my Swiss army knife in my pocket. It might be a pathetic weapon, but it made me feel better all the same.

“How do you know my name?” I demanded.

He held out his hand, a strong, tanned hand with long fingers. “We’ve met before, sweetheart. Although you won’t remember.”

I didn’t dare touch him, afraid if I did, something would change, although what, I wasn’t sure. A shiver of awareness caressed my skin, a warning that something wasn’t quite right. I glanced around the beach, taking comfort in the fact that the couple was still nearby, cuddling close enough that if I screamed they’d hear me.

“Sorry, but we’ve never met. And I’m headed home.” I stepped away from the bar, backing up a couple feet.

“I have something to tell you.”

My heart hammered madly as indecision gripped me. Instinct told me to run, to dart across the road to safety. Except something held me back. Something inexplicable. Something that said I needed to know- must know- what he was going to tell me.

“What?” I asked, in no mood for guessing games.

He lifted his hand to his face and slowly removed his sunglasses. Piercing gray eyes met mine. A gaze so relentless, I felt it all the way to my soul. “My name is Maddox. Your father sent me.”

I laughed, a harsh sound of disbelief. “That’s impossible, because if you really knew me, Maddox, you’d know that my father is dead.”

“He’s not.” Maddox stood, towering over me. “Your father is alive and well, and he’s sent me here to protect you.” He slipped his sunglasses back into place, hiding those steel eyes behind mirrored lenses. “Whether you believe me or not, sweetheart, I’m pretty much the only thing standing between you and death.”

Chapter 2

What would you do if someone told you that your past and everything you believed was a lie?

I swung my arm forward, my fist connecting with Maddox’s chin. No time to think or discuss, only time for action. His head snapped back as pain shot up my arm. Even over the adrenaline and fear, I felt the pain. I’d never punched anyone before, and it hurt much more than I’d expected. But the pain centered me, gave me that moment I needed to clear away the cobwebs clouding my rational brain.

Run, my mind said.

“Damn it,” Maddox growled as I bolted around the counter and toward the beach.

The tourists were gone. No witnesses.

“Shoot.” I rubbed my aching knuckles as I paused, breathless, near the water’s edge. A car sped down the dirt road, gone as quickly as it had arrived, leaving behind only a cloud of dust. No boats near shore. Nobody taking a stroll. I was utterly alone. Frantically, I glanced toward the cottage. The living room light glowed softly from the windows. But if I went home, wouldn’t I be putting Grandma in danger?

Every nerve in my body tingled, urging me to run, to do something, yet I stood frozen in indecision. Too late. I felt his presence a split second before he hit me. It was like being tackled by a bull. I landed on my stomach with a thud that knocked the breath from my lungs. Sand burst around me, flying through the air like crystalline confetti. As I gasped for breath, he flipped me over. Determination etched across his very face. He placed his knees on either side of my thighs, straddling me.

Above, stars twinkled in the darkening sky. It was surreal… as if I dreamt. Or maybe I was having a nightmare. This could not be happening. The feel of his gaze brought me back to reality and I realized it was no dream. If I didn’t act fast, I might not have another chance. Focusing, I used all the energy I could muster and I swung my fist forward, but he easily caught my wrists, his massive hands pinning my arms above my head.

“Let go!” I screamed, digging my heels into the sand and arching against him.

“Not until you listen.” His sunglasses were gone, as well as his smirk. He looked annoyed, thoroughly.

At least I could take some comfort in the fact that I’d wiped that grin from his face. But as his grip on my wrists tightened, my gloating fled. Frantically, I focused on his steel-colored eyes, reached out with my mind, attempting to read his thoughts, but heard nothing. His brain was blank. Startled, I actually stopped fighting him for a moment. What was he?

“Your father sent me,” he stated between gritted teeth.

I jerked against his grip, seething, but my arms were pinned too tightly to the sand. “You’re lying. My father died years ago.”

The ocean breeze felt chilly against my clammy skin. Was he another mind reader? Could it be possible? I knew we weren’t the only ones, and, in fact, Grandma had finally admitted my father had been a mind reader as well. But I sure as heck had never expected to be tackled by one.

Another car zoomed by, oblivious to my struggle. Anxiety twisted, curling through my gut. I lurched against him once more, but only managed to get sand deep into my hair, in my shorts and shirt.

“We don’t have time for this,” he hissed. “You’re going to shut up and you’re going to come with me, got it?”

He was nervous a witness would come along, and he should be. There were many who walked the beach in the evening. But I wasn’t about to drag some innocent bystander into this mess. Time to take drastic measures. I lifted my knee and hit him directly in the groin. Maddox sucked in a sharp gasp, his eyes going wide with surprise.

He released my right arm as he stumbled to the side. It was all I needed. I pulled free and shoved the palms of my hands into his hard chest, throwing him off balance. Jumping to my feet, I didn’t dare look back, but raced up the beach toward our cottage. I had no choice but to go to Grandma.

Although I couldn’t hear the thump of his footsteps, I knew he followed. My heart hammered madly in my chest, almost painful in its frantic beat, urging me to run… run. I darted across the street, barely looking for cars. The aqua-colored cottage was a beacon of safety. So close…

The door opened even before I reached the stoop. Grandma burst outside, her face pale and harsh under the front porch light. I’d never been so happy to see her.

“What is it?” she demanded.

I stumbled up the steps. “Hurry, get inside.” I’d let my guard down and she’d read my thoughts, but for the first time I didn’t care if she pried. “He said he knows my dad.”

Which was a lie. An insane lie. Yet, as her gaze lifted and she focused on the garden beyond, was it my imagination, or did recognition flash in her hazel eyes? She latched onto my arm and jerked me behind her with more strength than I’d thought possible. I fell against the doorframe, confused. Why weren’t we running?

Maddox strolled through the dirt patch that claimed to be our front yard like he owned the place. He wasn’t afraid of us, and Grandma wasn’t afraid of him. No, she was more annoyed. He walked slowly, unconcerned, his gaze flickering back and forth from me to Grandma. He’d recovered quickly from my assault. Too quickly. Was he some machine?

“Mrs. Winters.” He nodded his greeting like he knew Grandma.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Grandma shifted, blocking the stairs as if she could protect me from this man who was twice her size. “You said we’d never see you again.”

Wait…what? I nudged my way around her. “What’s going on?” I glanced at Maddox. He merely glared back at me, apparently still annoyed with my little escape stunt. I ignored him, focusing on Grandma. “Who is he?”

“You don’t remember me after all we’ve been through?” He pressed his hand to his heart in mock dismay. “That stings.”

My thoughts were a confusing whirlwind. Nothing he said made sense. I glanced between Grandma and Maddox, wondering if I should be annoyed, scared or perhaps both. My head began to thrum, an aching pulse that beat in time with my heart. The sort of headache I’d had right after coming out of my coma. It was like a thousand murmured voices were whispering through my mind, trying to tell me something all at once.

“Who is he?” I demanded again, my tone sharp.

“Get inside, Cameron.” Grandma pushed me toward the door.

I stood firmly, refusing to budge. “No, not until you tell me everything.”

“She needs to know.” Maddox rested his foot on the first step, almost eye level with us. “For her own safety.”

Safe from what?

Grandma paused for one long moment. Finally, she managed to glance at me. “He works for a group called S.P.I.”

“Okay,” I muttered. Why did the name sound vaguely familiar? Something that tugged at me like a child trying to get her parent’s attention.

“Society for Paranormal Investigation,” he added, bowing slightly in acknowledgment.

“You said she would be safe!” Grandma snapped.

“Wait a minute,” I said, my patience wearing thin. “I don’t understand.”

Grandma’s gaze jumped to me. “You don’t need to.”

I stiffened, irate. This was the old Grandma. The woman who had kept me in the dark most of my childhood, the woman who had always treated me like an idiot. But I was eighteen. Legally, she had no hold over me.

“Tell me what’s going on!” I demanded, my voice echoing across the yard.

They grew oddly still; the entire world seemed to pause as I waited. They glanced uneasily between each other, an unspoken past between them. I had to resist the urge to shake them both.

“You’re going to have to tell her,” Maddox said, as if I wasn’t even there, as if I was too stupid to understand.

Grandma remained stubbornly silent. Only the soft roar of the ocean could be heard in the distance. I didn’t dare say a word, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t seem to speak. No, because if I spoke, I worried my world, as it was, just might end.

Grandma finally turned and brushed passed me. Without a word, without even a look of acknowledgement, she moved into the house, leaving me on the small stoop with this Maddox. The man’s attention slid to me. Piercing. Intense. Too intense. I wanted to step back. But I didn’t, daring to keep his gaze. The corners of his mouth lifted as if he found my bravado amusing.

He knew how uncomfortable he was making me. The jerk. “Who are you?”

He winked. Actually winked at me. “All will be explained in due time.”

In due time? How old was he? I scanned his face, looking for signs of age. No gray hairs, no wrinkles on his tanned features. Although he seemed older, I guessed him to be in his early twenties. Still, how could this twenty-something-year-old guy hold such influence over my grandmother?

Maddox swept his arm wide. “After you.”

I had no choice. If I wanted answers, apparently I’d have to be patient and listen to whatever it was they had to say. Gritting my teeth, I turned and swept into the cottage, feigning a confidence I sure as heck didn’t feel. I knew he followed. I could feel him.

Grandma stood by the windows, her back to us. Only a lamp glowed from the far corner of the small living room, throwing shadows across the area. I’d always thought this cottage cozy. This evening it felt cold, creepy.

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited in the middle of the room. Waited for Grandma to explain, for Maddox to explain. Anyone. Anger fought with some inexplicable fear I didn’t quite understand. I knew my life was about to change, yet again, and I didn’t want it to.

“I thought we’d be safe here. I thought we could have a normal life. Stupid.” Grandma’s voice was harsh, bitter, angry. A voice I knew but hadn’t heard since I’d awoken from my coma. I didn’t know who this Maddox was, but I did know one thing, he’d brought the past with him. A past I’d hoped to keep buried and forgotten.

“Normal?” he said, settling on our only lounge chair and making himself comfortable. “Please, you’ve always known this time would come. Why else would you move to Maine? Knowing Aaron lived nearby?”

Aaron? Who the hell was Aaron?

She spun around to face him, her cheeks flushed with anger. “I had no idea he was there! I haven’t been in contact with anyone for years.”

“I don’t buy it.” There was a hardness to his features that said neither of us would get any sympathy from this man. He was a warrior, his emotions dead. “I think you knew. I think you knew at some point you’d need someone to help, and for a brief moment you trusted him over us.”

“Maybe I still do,” she hissed.

He smirked, completely unfazed by her comment. “Too late now, you picked sides long ago. There’s no going back. I’m here for the girl. It’s time she went home. You can’t protect her anymore.”

The girl? I had a sick feeling he meant me. “Someone tell me something now.” The room grew silent. The only sound was the soft hum of the refrigerator. Neither one looked at me but continued to stare at each other as if in some silent battle of wills.

“How much time do we have?” Grandma finally asked.

He shrugged his broad shoulders and stacked his hands behind his head, his biceps flexing. “We can’t be sure. Two days. Three.”

“Shit.” She covered her eyes with her hands and sank onto our small sofa. “I’ll need time to gather our things and make arrangements.”

“Tomorrow morning, it’s all I can give you,” Maddox agreed. “Early. The sooner we leave, the better.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I demanded.

Neither seemed startled by my outburst. I was itching to pick up the lamp and throw it at the wall when Grandma finally looked at me. “Don’t.”

I stiffened. My thoughts had slipped and she’d read my mind. I reinforced my mental wall and glared at her.

“There’s so much to tell you,” she said. “I don’t know where to start.”

The look in her gaze made me ill. I sank back against the wall, my legs suddenly too weak to hold me. I knew, just knew, there was something major I’d missed during my coma. It explained everything. The reason why Grandma had completely changed the moment I’d woken up. The reason she’d been so eager to move to the islands. I’d known all along something was wrong, off. Everything was just too perfect. But I’d ignored my feelings because I hadn’t wanted to deal with the truth. Apparently the truth was about to deal with me.

“Something happened, while I was unconscious, didn’t it?”

“Not exactly,” Grandma said softly.

“Cameron.” My gaze shifted to Maddox. He leaned forward, those steel eyes burned through me, so serious that I wished he were mocking me again. “Do you remember me at all?”

I shook my head, yet deep down something felt wrong, as if I’d answered too quickly. “No…I don’t …I don’t know.”

He smiled, a smile that shouldn’t be familiar, but it was. “You do. Maybe not details, but its there, isn’t it?” He leaned back, that smirk in place once more. “We’ve met, Cameron. But you don’t remember.”

“How? Why?” I wasn’t asking Maddox, but my Grandma. The only family member I had. Yet, she was the only person who continued to betray me. Why had I ever believed I could trust her? Why had I ever thought she would change? Why? Why? Why?

“Cameron,” Grandma said softly. “There are things you don’t know. Things we need to tell you.”

No kidding. My hands fisted, my anger palpable. “Then tell me.”

When she remained silent, frustrated, I moved to the windows. I could see the ocean across the street, the water dark now, mysterious and inky. As dark and deep and mysterious as that month I’d been in that coma. But I’d known all along something was off. I closed my eyes. I needed one moment, just one to savor the quietness and normalcy that had been my life for months now. I knew without a doubt that in seconds my world was going to crash down around me.

“Tell me,” I said, my back to them.

Maddox started toward me. Although his footsteps were quiet, I could see his tall reflection in the windows. “Your grandma’s right. I work for an organization called S.P.I.”

Something niggled at the back of my mind, like a worm working its way through the dirt. A memory I couldn’t quiet grasp. Although my head ached, I remained still.

“Eight months ago you met a man named Aaron. A man who takes in people like you and trains them.”

People like me. I assumed he didn’t mean attractive eighteen-year-old girls. If only. No. He meant a person who could read minds. “Does he work for S.P.I. too?”

“No, in fact, the opposite.”

The opposite? I turned and looked to Grandma for answers. She seemed completely unconcerned with the fact that we were discussing mind reading like it was an everyday occurrence. As if she hadn’t told me for the thirteen years I’d lived with her to never, ever, under any circumstance tell anyone what I could do. Anger fought with embarrassment. She had promised never to lie to me, never to leave me in the dark again. Why had I trusted her?

“I don’t remember any Aaron.”

Maddox paused close to me, his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts. “You wouldn’t because he erased your mind.”

My body went cold, my mind crying out a denial. “That’s … that’s insane.”

“It’s the truth, Cameron,” Grandma said softly.

Panic fought with anger. “No! You would have told me…”

But she wouldn’t have. Grandma was known for keeping secrets. And as I studied her pale face I knew…knew it was all true. I shook my head. How? How could I forget my life? No, I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t.

She stood, her stoic face finally showing some signs of emotion. “I didn’t see any reason why I should tell you. It would only drive you crazy, attempting to remember the details. I worried it would make your memory worse. Do you harm. I was trying to protect you.”

The words she’d used my entire childhood. Nothing at all had changed between us. She was the same woman who’d frustrated me months ago. I hated her in that moment. “The coma happened because of what he did to me?”

“You were never in a coma,” Maddox admitted.

The words shocked me. All…a lie. The room began to spin. If I hadn’t been in a coma, where had I been? Grandma started toward me, but I stepped back. It was too much… all too much.

I trembled with pent-up emotion, barely able to catch my breath. My lungs seemed to collapse, the room spinning.

“Cameron, I hoped we could live here unnoticed.” I could barely understand her words over the roar of blood to my ears. “Just live and be happy like you’d always wanted. A normal life. I thought we could start over.”

But I’d only ever wanted the truth. Nothing more.

“No,” I shook my head and turned toward the door.

I couldn’t stand to be near her, not when she’d been lying all this time. Blindly, I rushed toward the door. How could they lie to me about my father? About my life? I shoved the door wide and stumbled down the steps, clutching at the railing. I wasn’t sure where I was going; all I knew was that I needed to get away. My heart felt as if it was breaking, crumbling into the pit of my stomach, piece by piece.

My father was alive.

Strong fingers bit into my upper arms, jerking me to a stop. Maddox’s spicy scent surrounded me.

“Let go!” I yelled, twisting in an attempt to break free.

Maddox spun me around, jerking me up against his hard chest. His face was shadowed by the night, but still fierce enough to give me pause. “Listen, sweetheart, save your teenage tantrum for another time. Right now you need to stay inside where it’s safe.”

Stay here where it’s safe. Why did this entire situation feel eerily similar? As if I’d experienced it before. Everyone… always trying to keep me safe. I pushed aside the confusing feelings and glared up at him. “Go to hell.”

He grinned, white teeth flashing. “You’ve grown feisty.”

I pulled away from him. “I’m getting my Vespa.”

“Tomorrow we’re leaving. I’m going to take you to a safe haven where you’ll be protected. Where no one can hurt you.”

I’d heard that before, but I trusted him about as much as I trusted Grandma. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He lowered his head so close to mine, I could feel his warm breath on my lips. “You are. Want to know why?”

I swallowed hard but didn’t dare answer.

“Because I’m stronger than you, and I can protect you. Because deep down, you trust me. But mostly, because I know you, and I know you want to see your dad.”

I pressed my lips tightly together, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response because I despised his arrogant ways. Because I didn’t know what else to do. But mostly because he was completely and utterly right.

Without a word or nod of acknowledgement, I turned and headed toward the ocean and our little café.

Chapter 3

I felt numb as I stood near my bedroom window, listening to the soft tick of the clock from the living room…tick, tock, tick, tock. Before, the noise had been oddly comforting. Now it felt as if the seconds of my practically perfect life were ticking away.

Grandma had gone to bed hours ago after insisting I pack only one bag of my most valuable things. But how could I decide what was important to me? Dad’s Yale sweatshirt? The olive shell we’d found only yesterday, a shell very rare to this area? The one photo I had of my mother?

We’d moved around a lot. I didn’t often get attached to objects, and I was an expert at packing quickly and efficiently. But here…I’d relaxed and settled in, thinking this small Caribbean island would finally be the home I’d never had but always wanted. I’d painted the walls a light blue. I’d framed pictures of sunsets. You couldn’t take a bad photo here. Yep, I’d settled in.

Stupid me.

It was hard to believe this was my last night on the island. Hard to believe this life was over. Hard to believe the anxiety of not knowing what would happen next was rearing its ugly head once more.

No one else seemed upset. Grandma slept peacefully in her room, while our new best friend Maddox was on the couch. I wondered how they could rest at all on a night like this...a prequel to devastation. That ticking clock in the living was like a time bomb getting ready to explode.

And me? I stood near the windows in my small bedroom, staring at our little food stand across the road. Staring at the fathomless ocean, dark, for it was a new moon, no light to fill the sky. This was the picture I’d awoken to for months. The view I thought would be mine forever.

Anger fought with frustration until I wanted to scream. I suppose deep down I’d always known this wouldn’t last…always known it was too good to be true. Part of me blamed Grandma for making me believe we could actually have a happily ever after. Part of me blamed Maddox for bringing this new danger with him. But most of me blamed my father for not only abandoning me but lying.

My dad was alive. My dad was alive.

My hands curled against the glass window. No matter how many times I repeated the words, I just couldn’t comprehend them. They refused to sink into my muddled mind.

“Why?” I’d demanded the moment I reentered the cottage. I wasn’t even sure what I was asking, but it didn’t matter. Grandma’s answer was always the same.

“We were trying to protect you.”

Her gallant statement meant nothing. She’d known all along my father lived. She’d watched me mourn, she’d lied repeatedly. And now Maddox was here… another person sent to protect me. I was tired of being treated like a fragile child.

I sank back onto my small twin bed.

My dad was alive.

I closed my eyes, but my brain would not rest. Instead of thinking about my dad, as I should have, the moment my lashes lowered, blue eyes flashed to mind. The same blue-eyed gaze I’d imagined for months now. The same gaze that haunted my dreams every night.

Blue eyes, worried eyes. People screaming, voices high with panic, voices that echoed in a room…a study of some sort.

I clawed at the memory, attempting to discern truth from imagination, but remained annoyingly clueless.

It was a dream I’d had often. Perhaps not a dream, but a memory. But if a memory, what did it mean? My hands fisted against the mattress and I glared angrily at the dark ceiling. Elusive dreams that had kept me up at night. Memories that my grandmother had dismissed so easily.

A blue-eyed boy staring down at me in concern.

My head ached with the need to remember. Who was he? What had he meant to me? Certainly he was important. Or maybe he was a figment of my imagination, something I clung to in order to give meaning to those wasted months of my life.

I pressed my fingers to my temples and squeezed my eyes shut.

“Please, Cameron, please talk to me.” His voice echoed through my mind. So many nights now, I’d heard that voice.

What had happened? The coppery taste of blood came to memory. I stiffened, startled. It had been my own blood. I’d been injured. Echoes of the past. But the more I tried to concentrate, the worse my head hurt, demanding I retreat. It did no good. The memories only came to me when they wished, when I hovered between sleep and awareness. And there was no way I could sleep now.

I opened my eyes, frustrated and annoyed. Only one person could tell me what I needed to know. Grandma couldn’t be trusted to give me the truth, but Maddox might. I’d been too angry to listen to much of anything earlier, but now I needed answers.

I sat upright and pulled a sweatshirt over the tank top and shorts I wore, attempting some sort of modesty. Quietly, I made my way down the short hall and into the living room, only to pause in the doorway. The lamp glowed from the far corner of the room, caressing his face and making him look softer. He slept on the couch, his large body half dangling off the end. He looked ridiculous, and damn it all, he looked gorgeous.

My anger faded. A reluctant smile lifted the corners of my mouth. That black hair was tousled about his head, his face relaxed, almost boyish in sleep. With a sigh, I pushed away from the wall and started toward him. He was a man, just a man. No machine.

Sleeping soundly, he sure as heck didn’t look like some secret agent. He wore only his shorts, no shirt, and his body was as fit as I’d expected. I reached for the sheet he’d kicked to the floor.

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep making me weak, but in that moment I softened toward the agent. As gently as I could, I pulled the sheet over his body. It was silly of me, and I realized my mistake a split second too late. Strong fingers snapped around my right wrist. Before I could even blink, I found myself pinned to the couch cushions, a hard body holding me immobile.

I gasped, resisting the urge to scream for Grandma.

Maddox blinked down at me, his gaze full of sleepy confusion. “Cameron?”

I squirmed underneath him, feeling highly uncomfortable. This was so not the plan. “Yes, you idiot! Get up!”

“What the hell are you doing?”

Please, as if this was my fault. I shoved my palms into his chest, remembered he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and pulled back. Trying to move him was like trying to move a boulder. A really gorgeous boulder. “Why the hell did you attack me?”

I could feel everything, every muscle, every limb, even his heart beating against mine. It was humiliating and…okay, he was hot, and I couldn’t deny I felt a surge of attraction as I lay underneath him. But any heterosexual woman would, right? Still, Grandma could walk out at any moment and how the heck would I explain our little cuddle session?

“Get off me!”

He frowned, looking nothing but peeved. Obviously he didn’t feel the attraction I felt. “I will, when you tell me what you’re doing here.”

“Nothing,” I hissed, stealing a glance at Grandma’s door, praying she didn’t suddenly appear. “Besides, it’s my house. At least until tomorrow.”

When he continued to stare at me, I sighed and stopped struggling. Moving underneath him was only making me more aware that we were pressed intimately together. “I couldn’t sleep.”

His dark brows drew together. “You’re worried?”

“What do you think?” I shoved my hands into his chest once more. “Of course I’m worried!” When he didn’t move, my frustration mounted. “Why can’t I read your mind?”

He shifted, bracing himself on his elbows and relieving some of his weight, but not enough. He was still too close. “I have an implant that keeps my thoughts blocked.”

An implant? How science fiction. How creepy. Maybe he was a machine after all. “You’re not a mind reader?”

“No, thank God,” he muttered. “Just a normal human.”

I frowned. As if I wasn’t a human? “Then why?” I asked, trying to make sense of him. “Why is all of this so important to you? You can’t read minds, so why are you so invested in me… in us?”

He pushed himself up and jumped from the couch, but not before I noticed the look of annoyance that crossed his eyes. With his weight gone, I could finally breathe once more. “Let’s just say I have a personal interest.”

“No,” I snapped, standing. Surely he could hear the anger in my tone, but he ignored me and moved toward the windows. I was tired of being ignored, tired of being treated like a child.

“No more secrets. I want to know why.” I reached out, tightly grasping his arm. “I want to know where my father is—”

Perhaps I’d gone too far. Too late to back down now. He turned toward me, latching onto my upper arms and shoved me up against the wall. He stood only inches from me, his breath hot on my face. Apparently he was not a morning person.

“I told you last night, you’ll find out when we’re on the road.”

“Then tell me what you can. Tell me why you’re here!”

“This has nothing to do with you, sweetheart. I suggest you mind your own business.”

“Fine,” I hissed. “Then tell me what is my business? You’ve come here, ruined any chance I have of a normal—”

“I came here to save your ungrateful ass.”

“Ungrateful?” I slammed my fists against his chest. “You’ve lied to me! Turned my life upside down. Excuse me for not being grateful!”

He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching in a way that fascinated me. For one long moment we just stared at each other. As strong as I pretended to be, after only seconds of our staring contest, I was sweating. I was pretty sure I’d lose this battle of wills, but he surprised me when he finally closed his eyes and sighed. Surrender?

“You know me, Cameron. You saved my life.”

Shocked, I stiffened. “I did?”

“Yes.”

I had saved a life? How? When? It was like finding out you were a secret superhero. I wouldn’t have been more surprised if he’d told me I’d saved a bus full of children.

He opened his eyes, and in his gaze was something I couldn’t quite identify. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted to identify. There, in his gaze, for the briefest of moments, I swear I saw him. The real Maddox. A person I knew. It left me feeling shaken and confused.

“Yeah, you did. I’d been taken captive. When you realized Aaron wasn’t the hero you’d been told he was, we escaped.”

Then he did the oddest thing of all…he cupped the sides of my face. His gaze actually softened with some unidentifiable emotion. Almost as if…as if…he cared.

And the surprises kept coming.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to his bold, yet oddly familiar touch.

“We understood each other at one time. We worked together so that we could both be free.”

He almost seemed sad that I didn’t remember him. Of course I wondered if we’d been more than just friends. My gaze dropped to his lips. I racked my brain, but came up blank. Did I want him to be more than a friend? I frowned. Yeah, he was gorgeous, and yeah, I was attracted to him, but … No, I didn’t think about gray eyes every night. I dreamt about blue.

Feeling slightly ill, as if I’d been caught cheating, I pushed his hands away. “Blue eyes.”

He stiffened, frowning. “What?”

I darted around him and headed toward the middle of the room. I couldn’t think when he was that close. “I keep dreaming about a guy who has blue eyes. He’s… my age, maybe a little older.”

The confusion in his gaze faded. Before I could read his features, he turned toward the windows. “Of course.”

He said the words as if it was totally normal for me to dream about a guy with blue eyes.

“Maddox?” He glanced back at me. I stared into his gaze, as if I might be able to read his memories and finally understand the truth. “Do you know him?”

Maddox nodded, reaching for his T-shirt and pulling it over his head. His movements were unhurried, controlled. Always in charge.

“Who is he?” I demanded.

He rested his shoulder against the wall, staring out the windows. He was silent for a moment, and I figured he wasn’t going to answer my question. Perhaps he didn’t know the answer.

“Lewis. His name is Lewis. He’s your boyfriend.”

The room spun, the words impossible. Surely I’d heard him wrong. “My what?”

He turned to face me, his features once again unreadable, yet I knew he wasn’t joking, as I’d expected. As I’d hoped. “Boyfriend.”

My mouth dropped open. Even learning that I was missing a chunk of my life hadn’t been this shocking. I had a boyfriend? But that made no sense! Who was he? Where was he? I sank onto the arm of the sofa. I’d never had a serious boyfriend. I sure as heck had never been in love. Hell, maybe I wasn’t even a virgin anymore. The thought was too much to bear. It couldn’t be. I would have remembered.

Yet… I had a boyfriend. Why did it make sense? Like finding a warm, comfortable blanket from childhood.

“Maddox, tell me everything.”

He raked his hands through his hair, leaving it mussed. He was obviously flustered by the conversation, but why? Was he jealous? Angry? In the background the clocked ticked the seconds by and I waited. I wasn’t going to budge an inch until he told me the truth.

“He was Aaron’s ward. He was the guy who showed up at your town in Maine and took you to Aaron’s. He’s the one who started this all. The guy who betrayed you.”

It should have been shocking, but the word betrayed didn’t feel right.

Lewis. I rolled the name around on my tongue, attempting to find its familiarity. It sounded right. Despite Maddox’s words, Lewis’ name sounded good. I crossed my arms over my chest, as if I could keep that warmth inside of me.

But Lewis had betrayed me, according to Maddox. “So, this Lewis… he was a mind reader too?”

Maddox’s face remained oddly veiled as he watched me, as if he was trying to read my mind. “Yes.”

The word sank into my gut like hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day. Instead of fear or shock, I was mostly thrilled. There were others like me. I wasn’t alone. “How many are there?”

He slammed his fist against the wall, not hard enough to dent the plaster, but hard enough to shake the house. “Damn it, Cameron. This isn’t something to smile over.”

I smoothed my face into unreadable lines. I hadn’t even realized I’d been smiling.

“These people,” he sneered, “are anything but friendly. Lewis betray—” He froze. His shoulders tensed, his head lifting slightly, like a hunting dog sensing a meal.

“What is it?” I asked.

He held up his hand, silencing me. “Quiet.” Slowly, he turned toward the windows.

I didn’t dare move, my heart slammed wildly in my chest as I waited. “What…”

He reached into the side pocket of his cargo shorts and pulled out a small pistol. My heart jumped into my throat. I’d never seen a gun, and the realization that he carried a weapon that could so easily kill left me chilled. Was he trying to frighten me, or was there really something wrong? Something terribly, horribly wrong? “Maddox, what’s going on?”

He brushed aside the curtain, not bothering to look my way. “They’ve arrived earlier than I thought they would.”

Chapter 4

“They who? What do you mean?” I demanded.

“Get down!”

I dove to the floor, trusting a man I barely knew, and gritted my teeth to prevent the curse from slipping out. The sound of shattering glass caught me off guard. Startled, I dared to look up. Maddox was crouched low, the curtains fluttering on a breeze. There was a hole in the window that I’m pretty darn sure hadn’t been there before.

I dropped my gaze to the wooden floor where glass pieces lay shattered upon the ground not five feet from me. “Holy—”

The back room light came on. “Cameron?” Grandma came rushing out of her bedroom.

“Get down!” Maddox shouted, ever helpful.

Get down? That was his advice? I had to curl my fingers into the floorboards to keep from moving, from doing something, anything. A vase on the shelf behind me cracked, the pieces falling like shards from heaven. I gasped and tucked my head, covering my neck. Grandma dove beside me, hitting the ground so hard the floor vibrated.

“Are you okay?”

I lifted my head enough to nod.

“My bag,” Maddox demanded.

I looked around the room. There was his backpack on the floor about ten feet from me. No time to think, only time for action. Grandma started to stand.

I clasped onto her arm. No offense to Grandma, but she was getting old and wasn’t exactly quick on her feet. As angry as I was with her, I didn’t want to see her shot. No! I’ll get it, I said, reaching out to her with my mind.

I pressed my toes into the floorboards and inched my way across the room. The gunfire had died down; no other objects had been ruthlessly destroyed, but it didn’t keep the sweat from beading between my shoulder blades.

“Hurry!” Maddox hissed.

I threw the jerk a glare. As far as I was concerned, he’d brought this insane war to us. “Hey,” I grunted, closing in on the black bag. “I have an idea, why don’t you leave and maybe they’ll leave with you?”

He smirked at me. “They’re not here for me, sweetheart, they’re here for you.”

I averted my gaze, refusing to see the smug satisfaction on his face. Reaching the bag, I gripped the handle as best I could and pushed it to him. It swooshed across the floor, stopping near the windows.

“Excellent.” With quick, professional movements, Maddox unzipped the bag and pulled out some binoculars with green lenses. Binoculars weren’t the only thing his bag of mysteries held. I saw two pistols and some other weapons before Grandma tugged on my ankle, urging me back toward the couch and relative safety.

Maddox flattened himself to the wall, still crouched low as he peered through the binoculars and onto the front lawn. “Three in front. I’m guessing at least two in the back.”

“Five?” I whispered, lying on the floor next to Grandma.

There were only three of us, and let’s face it, unless Grandma had some secret ninja past, neither of us were going to be much help.

Maddox dropped the binoculars and grabbed a pistol from his bag. My stomach twisted. For a moment, I merely stared at the gun, too shocked to move. I’d woken up searching for answers and suddenly found myself in the middle of a war.

But I wasn’t about to just lie on the ground doing nothing. I crawled forward and grabbed the binoculars as Maddox checked his pistol. Plastered to the wall, I inched my way up toward the window.

“Cameron!” Grandma called out. “Be careful!”

I ignored her concern and pressed the binoculars to my eyes, peering through the window. It took a moment for my gaze to adjust to the green-tinted scenery the night-vision goggles produced. Besides the odd hue, everything looked normal. The large magnolia tree in the front yard. The road and ocean beyond. The woods to the left… I started to lower the binoculars when something shifted by our jasmine bush. I froze.

A man. My heart slammed wildly against my chest. A man was crawling across the front lawn with what looked suspiciously like a rifle in hand. A branch on the magnolia tree wavered, and another human form moved into the clearing. And another by the road. They crawled from the shadows, emerging from the night and inching toward our cottage.

I dropped the binoculars and slumped to the ground, my breath coming out in harsh pants. “They’re coming.”

Maddox grabbed the binoculars, jumped to his feet and sprinted through the living room and kitchen, disappearing into Grandma’s bedroom at the back of the house.

With Maddox gone, I focused on Grandma. “What are we supposed to do?” I asked, feeling the panicked need to move, do something.

“You’ll do nothing!” Grandma crawled toward me. Her face was oddly furious, as if she, for some reason, blamed me for our predicament. “You understand? This is what I’ve been trying to protect you from your entire life! This is why I never wanted you to draw attention to yourself!”

“Are you kidding? You’re blaming me for this?”

“You didn’t have to use your abilities! You could have been a normal kid. I wanted you to be normal.”

I wasn’t sure which was more upsetting, that people were shooting at me, or the realization that Grandma hadn’t changed at all. The entire past six months had been a lie. “News flash, I’m not normal!”

A sudden crash sounded from Grandma’s room. We froze. A grunt followed a thud, the noises sounding suspiciously like fighting. I surged to my feet and raced toward the room.

“Cameron, no!” Grandma called out, but I ignored her.

It was obvious she didn’t have a clue what was best for me. Time to make my own decisions. I paused at the door. Maddox was wrestling some large man dressed in black. They fell to the bed, then rolled off, tumbling to the floor with a thump that shook the small house. Frantic, I glanced around the room, looking for a weapon, something to help.

“Cameron, get out!” Maddox snapped. Although he hadn’t once looked my way, somehow he knew I was there.

The intruder brought up his knee, hitting Maddox in the gut. Maddox fell with a groan. The man spun around, his dark eyes burning through the mask he wore. His gaze met mine, and realization dawned in those dark orbs. I took a step back, feeling the coldness of that gaze all the way to my toes. He was here for me.

Oh God, Maddox hadn’t been lying. They wanted me. But why?

He surged forward. Maddox swept his leg out, catching the man’s ankle. The man crashed to the floor only inches from me. I stumbled back, too shocked to do much other than stand there with my mouth gaping open like an idiot.

“Cameron, my bag. Get a gun, now!”

I spun around and raced into the living room. Grandma was at the window, the binoculars in hand, keeping watch like she actually knew what she was doing. I, on the other hand, felt like Alice in freaking Gangland.

“Just another typical family gathering,” I said.

I dove for Maddox’s bag with the unsettling realization that perhaps Grandma had been right all along. How many times had she warned me that it wasn’t safe to let my secret slip? Was this all my fault? How I wished I could remember that lost time during my fake coma.

Inside the backpack were two pistols and something that looked like a sawed-off shotgun. “So many to choose from,” I muttered.

“Cameron!” Maddox called.

With a groan, I grabbed the bag and darted toward the room. I didn’t have a clue what he wanted, and I’d be damned if they’d find my fingerprints on anything. Maddox had the intruder crushed to the floor, his knee in the man’s gut, his hands at his throat.

“The bindings, get them, quick,” he said.

“Bindings?” I stared at him blankly.

“Hurry!”

I dropped the bag and shuffled through the contents. My trembling hands made the task ten times more difficult. “Bindings…bindings…”

Thin plastic strips caught my attention and I realized they had to be what he was looking for. “These?”

He nodded, and I tossed them to him.

He caught the bindings with one hand and with deft, practiced movements, managed to flip the intruder onto his stomach and tie him like a rancher tying cattle. I had the sudden urge to give him a Best in Show ribbon.

Maddox gripped the man’s hair and jerked his head up at an awkward angle. “How many are out there?”

The man didn’t speak.

Maddox pulled the black mask from the man’s head and slammed his face into the floorboards.

I cringed, looking away.

“How many?”

Silence.

“Cam, hand me that stun gun.”

Oh God, this couldn’t be good. If Maddox went to prison, I’d seen enough police dramas to know I was going down with him. Still, what choice did I have? Not like I could just say no thanks and walk away.

I tossed him the weapon. Maddox didn’t hesitate, didn’t even give the man a chance to answer, but pressed the wire probes sticking out one end into the man’s neck. A blue charge jumped and crackled against the man’s sensitive skin. He cried out, arching his back.

Maddox pulled his arm back. “How many?”

“F…five,” the man stuttered.

Maddox grinned, looking way too thrilled for having just tortured a man. Who the hell were these people? “Five, just as I thought.”

“What are we going to do?”

He jumped to his feet and grabbed his backpack. “Get the hell out of here.”

Just then my Grandma’s cell phone rang, the overly mellow reggae ringtone I’d installed not exactly right for the moment. I jumped toward the bedside table and answered before I thought better of it.

“Hello?”

“Cameron, it’s Emily.”

For a moment, I drew a blank. Emily? My former best friend from Maine, Emily?

“I’ve decided to forgive you,” she declared.

That arrogant tone came rushing back on a surge of memories. Dear God, when we’d left Maine, I thought I’d finally left that life. A life of pretending to be someone I wasn’t. But somehow, not only had my former life found me, but Emily had as well. “Emily? How the hell did you get our number?”

“Daddy got it through your Grandma’s medical records.”

Well, that seemed totally illegal, but I had more important things to worry about, like the five men trying to kill me. It didn’t make sense. If it was so easy for Emily to find me, who else knew my whereabouts?

“Let’s go,” Maddox demanded.

I crouched low and followed him into the living room. “Great to hear from you,” I whispered, “but now’s not a good time.”

She sighed long and loud, obviously annoyed that I wasn’t eating up her every word as I used to. She hadn’t changed at all. Surprise, surprise.

“Get down!” Maddox grabbed my arm and pulled me to the floor just as we entered the living room. The glass in the second window cracked and a bullet sped through the room. It hit the wall with a thud that sent a fine powder of plaster to the ground.

“Cameron?” Emily screeched. “Cameron? Are you brushing off my offer of friendship because there’s a guy there?”

“Seriously,” I hissed. “This isn’t a good time.”

“Cameron, if you hang up, our friendship is totally over.”

I grunted as I crawled on my hands and knees, attempting to hold the phone with my shoulder. “Emily, there’s something I’ve always wanted to say to you but never had the chance.”

“What?” she asked in a huff.

I paused in the middle of the living room. “Go screw yourself.” I turned off the phone and slid it across the floorboards to Grandma. “You might want to block that number.” I turned toward Maddox. “What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing. We’re leaving.”

As much as I’d come to love our cottage, I was completely fine with the idea of escaping. At the moment it felt more like a prison.

Maddox sat against the back of the couch, shuffling through his backpack. “But first we need a diversion.”

“I’ll be the diversion.” Grandma set the binoculars down and looked our way, her gaze stoic and hard. There was something there, in her eyes, that I didn’t quite understand, but apparently Maddox did.

He was quiet for one long moment then finally nodded.

“I don’t understand. We’re just going to leave her?” No offense to anyone, but Grandma was old, and we were leaving her to fight off trained military creeps while Maddox and I snuck off like some cowards?

“The car.” Grandma grabbed the jacket I’d left on the coat rack and shoved her arms through the sleeves. “I’ll head south.” She pulled the hood over her head.

“At least two will follow you.” Maddox pulled on his shoes. “We’ll wait, then disappear through the woods.”

“Her moped.” Grandma glanced briefly at me. “You can take that.”

My moped. My beautiful Vespa. I hadn’t had much time to enjoy my birthday present. The furthest I had driven it was from the food stand to the garage a few hours ago.

Thoughts of the moped reminded me of my birthday. I crawled to the wall and grabbed my tennies. It was my birthday. I glanced at the clock.

3:00 a.m.

Was.

My birthday had come and gone. No cake this time. It was on the counter, still in the box…forgotten. At seventeen I hadn’t realized how normal my life had been. Now at eighteen and a day, my life had been turned upside down.

Grandma looked at me. “Cameron, I’m so sorry. I thought…” Her voice caught and actual tears swam in her hazel eyes. My anger faded, wavering with her emotions. Mesmerized, I could merely stare at her. Had I ever seen her cry? Not that I could remember.

“I thought we could be normal. I thought we could have an actual life.”

“But we can’t, can we?” I whispered.

I wanted to tell her that normal was totally overrated. I wanted to see her smile once more, but couldn’t.

She didn’t respond, merely gripped my shoulders and drew me to my feet, pulling me close for a quick hug. “You go with Maddox. He’ll protect you.”

“But who will protect you?”

“Ladies, we have to go now,” Maddox interrupted, tossing the backpack over his shoulders.

Grandma stepped back, her face growing hard…the Grandma I knew. For some reason it made me feel better. “I’ll be fine.”

She snatched her keys from the kitchen counter and raced to the back door that led into our small garage. Wrapping her hand around the door handle, she paused and glanced back at me for one long moment. I parted my lips to say something, anything, but before I could get the words out, she was gone. I heard the car chug to life, the lights flashing across the house as she tore out of the garage.

“Where will she go?”

Maddox moved to the windows, using his binoculars to search outside. The roar of the car faded, the night growing silent once more. “Just like I said, two went after her. The one in the bedroom is still tied up, which means...”

“Two to go.”

Maddox shoved the binoculars into his backpack. “We have to leave, now.” He latched onto my arm and dragged me toward the door where Grandma had just disappeared. No time to gather my belongings. I glanced back toward the living room, then to my bedroom door…

“Maddox, what will happen to my Grandma?”

“She’s the bait.” He tore open the door.

“And if they catch her?”

Maddox reached into his bag as we stepped into the garage. The door was still open and my Vespa sat shiny and new against the far wall.

“She knows what she’s doing.” He pulled something out of his backpack, drew his arm back and tossed it toward the front yard. “Now!” He pulled me toward the Vespa.

“Maddox, please, slow—”

Boom!

The front yard exploded. For a brief moment the yard lit up like it was New Year’s Eve. The explosion was so loud my ears rang. My instinct was to flinch, but he forced me to stay upright, dragging me toward the gleaming moped.

Heart hammering, my feet tripped as we raced toward our mini vehicle. I could barely breathe, unsure if I should be terrified, or thrilled that we were finally making our great escape.

Maddox jumped onto the moped and shoved the backpack into my hands. Afraid he’d leave me, I clutched the backpack to my chest and jumped on behind him. “You blew up our front yard!”

“Not like you’ll be coming back.”

His words struck me hard. But I didn’t have time to wallow. Shouts rang out, footsteps thundering toward us. Maddox turned the key and the Vespa jerked forward. We sped down the drive, directly toward two shadowed forms. We were moving fast, but we couldn’t outrun bullets. When they lifted their arms, guns trained on us, my heart actually stopped beating for a brief moment. I prayed to God that Maddox knew what he was doing.

“Hold on.” He lifted his right arm and pointed his pistol at the men coming toward us. One man dove into the underbrush. Maddox did a quick left turn, the Vespa tilting so far I had to tighten my hold on his waist for fear of falling off.

The other man swung around, his aim on us.

“Maddox!” I cried.

It was too late for Maddox to react. But not for me. I gripped the backpack handle with one hand and swung it forward as we drove close to the intruder. The bag hit the man in the face, propelling him backward.

Maddox laughed, apparently delighted with my bravery. “I knew you’d come back.” He turned onto the road and we sped down the street, the wind cold against my legs.

“At least this is over,” he said.

How I wished. I slid my arms through the backpack and pressed my face to him. Taking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes and prayed.

I knew for a fact this was far, far from over.

Chapter 5

As the moped finally began to slow, I allowed my eyes to open and my hold to loosen around Maddox’s waist. My heart, though, remained firmly in my throat. It wasn’t the attack that had my adrenaline pumping, but Maddox’s driving skills. I felt like I’d just been in my own version of Grand Theft Auto.

He cut across traffic, gaining us a few curses and honked horns. My stomach tightened and for a moment I thought I might puke. I never had been good with roller coasters. Why did I have a feeling that before this day was over, I’d be lying in a ditch with road rash? So much for feeling the wind through my hair. At this speed, all I noticed were bugs smacking me in the face.

Maddox turned into a parking lot and slowed.

“You’re kidding, right?” I said as he stopped directly in front of a one-story motel.

He cut the engine and glanced back at me. “What?”

“The Coconut Motel isn’t exactly known for being five stars.” I released my grip on his T-shirt, flexing my stiff fingers. “In fact, when it’s on the news it’s usually because there’s been a drug bust.”

“Sorry, Princess.” He patted my thigh, urging me to stand. “Don’t worry. We’re not staying here. Just dropping off the Vespa.”

I kicked my leg over the seat and prayed my trembling muscles wouldn’t leave me collapsed in a pathetic heap on the cracked asphalt. The weight of the backpack didn’t help. My entire body hummed with nerves and exhaustion, but one thing stood out loud and clear… dropping off the Vespa?

“Wait, you’re leaving my moped here? Are you insane?” I stepped closer so the few people milling around outside wouldn’t overhear. “You realize it’ll be stolen?”

He stood, towering over me. “We can hope.” With a cheeky grin he turned away from me, facing two young guys who were sitting on lawn chairs near the office door. “Want a new Vespa?”

“You can’t be serious!” I hissed.

Maddox didn’t even bother to glance my way.

They looked at him warily and I was forced to keep my mouth shut, figuring he must have some great plan he was about to set in motion. They looked about as confused and suspicious as I felt. For the longest moment, the only sound was the neon pink hotel sign buzzing in the quiet morning.

Total setup, the taller man thought, then asked, “You a cop?”

As if he’d admit it, the shorter guy thought.

“Nope.” Maddox tossed them the keys. “Just make sure it can’t be traced.”

He latched onto my arm and pulled me away, maybe sensing I wasn’t going to go without some minor pushing. I watched my beautiful moped as the two men zoomed off into the gray dawn, nearly being hit by a truck. Gone. It was gone. Silence settled as we turned a corner and I was forced to let go of my birthday present and focus on the new day.

But my mind felt fuzzy with a lack of sleep, and I was finding it hard to care about anything at the moment, but rest and food. “Where are we going?”

“To find supplies.”

I pressed my fingers to my throbbing temples, attempting to make sense of his words. “Did you have to get rid of the moped?”

He slid me a glance, a look that said he thought I was being utterly ridiculous and immature. “Yes.”

I sighed. Around me the world was slowly coming to life. The horizon had turned a brilliant pink as the sun prepared to make its grand entrance. Soon the town would be buzzing. Would we be in danger out in the open? “So, after supplies, are we meeting up with my grandma?”

Maddox paused for one telling moment, looking down at me with a combination of sympathy and amazement. I felt utterly stupid under his gaze.

“Cam, they’ve most likely caught your grandma.”

I stumbled back a step. “What?”

He shrugged and darted across a side street, not bothering to wait for me. “She knew what she was doing.”

I raced after him. “I don’t think she did! You didn’t tell me I might never see her again!”

I made it to the curb and he latched onto my arm, pulling me closer. “Shhh, quiet. There are too many witnesses. We’ll discuss this later.”

I glanced around, wondering who would possibly overhear our conversation. Not even the hookers were out. He started through the parking lot of a gas station.

I jerked away from him. “No, we’ll discuss this…”

Suddenly the world went dark. A whirlwind of pictures and memories flashed before me so quickly I couldn’t catch hold of one. Faces of people I knew, yet faces I didn’t remember.

Then it stopped just as quickly as it had started.

I was in a dark tunnel lying on my stomach, my breath harsh in the cold.

“Almost there, Caroline,” I said, but I knew I was forcing my voice to sound jovial. I pushed my elbows under my body and inched forward, slower than a snail. The ridges along the pipe hurt, digging into my muscles. “Almost…”

“Cameron!” a child screamed.

A firm grip grasped each of my ankles.

“Cameron, can you hear me?” Maddox’s voice was muffled, as if coming from far away.

Then it shifted and I was outside, the soft grass beneath my feet. I turned, studying my surroundings. A large brick house loomed before me. A familiar brick house. Where had I seen it before?

“Cameron!” someone called my name. A voice I didn’t recognize, yet it sounded oddly familiar.

Just as I turned toward the voice, a hard body tackled me to the ground, much like Maddox had done only yesterday at the beach. Crushed to the soft grass, I dared to open my eyes, but Maddox wasn’t staring down at me. No…I looked up into the blue gaze that had haunted my dreams for months.

“Where are we?” I demanded.

He didn’t respond, only stared down at me blankly, a look that for some reason broke my heart.

“Cameron!” Strong hands gripped my shoulders. The blue-eyed boy disappeared. The brick house gone. Gasping, I opened my eyes. Maddox hovered next to me, his steel gaze narrowed in concern.

“What happened?” he demanded.

“I…I think I just had a vision…a memory.” I pressed my hand to my chest, my heart thumping so loudly I thought it might burst. Lewis. I’d seen my Lewis. He was slightly shorter than Maddox, his body more sinewy than muscular. His face more boyish than hard. But he had still been beautiful…stunning, and seeing him fully had produced such a deep ache within my soul that I knew it must be true. Lewis had been my boyfriend. Lewis had betrayed me.

Maddox was silent for one long moment, merely watching me as cars zoomed by on the main road, stirring dust and garbage into the humid air. “What did you see?”

For some reason I didn’t want to talk about my blue-eyed boy. At least not with Maddox. I rubbed my forehead, hoping to dull the ache that thumped there. “Nothing.” I looked away from him. “A brick house. I…I think I tried to escape or something.”

He didn’t respond and I wondered if he knew I lied, that there was more to my story.

“There was a child there with me,” I added.

“There were quite a few children, actually. Aaron would kidnap kids with your abilities. He thought he was doing them a favor.”

The words horrified me. Kidnap them from their families?

Caroline, a blonde girl, flashed to mind. Seven? Eight? Oh God, she’d been kidnapped.

“Promise you’ll come back for me?” The words whispered through my mind and I knew, in that moment, that I’d promised I’d save her. The realization left me shaken and confused. How? How could I possibly save her?

Maddox reached around and took the backpack from my shoulders. “I’m sure more memories will come back to you. Here.” He opened the front pocket of the bag. “Your name is now Anne James.”

Numb, I took the new passport. “Anne?”

He nodded.

I pushed aside thoughts of Caroline, thoughts of Grandma. Instead, I focused on survival. The only thing I could do at the moment was save myself. “So I take that to mean we’re headed to another country?”

“Back to the good ol’ U.S. of A.”

“And my Grandma?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He sighed. “If they caught her, they won’t hurt her.”

“How do you know?” I slid the passport into my sweatshirt pocket and followed him across the main road toward an outdoor market where a variety of colorful tents fluttered on the morning breeze.

“I know.”

I had mixed feelings about returning to the United States. It was home, after all. But in a way, being on this island had been a dream. A place where nothing went wrong, a paradise, and I felt like I was suddenly waking up when I wasn’t quite ready. I raked my fingers through my hair, combing it as best I could as we weaved our way around tents and booths.

“You couldn’t have picked me up a toothbrush?”

“Nope.” He paused at a small table, handed a man a dollar and snatched a can of Cherry Coke from the cooler where he was selling his drinks. “Swish around with this.”

“Breakfast?”

He shrugged. “For now.” He never once looked at me, but his gaze flickered back and forth around the grounds, as if searching for, or expecting an attack.

“I hope you don’t have any kids,” I muttered.

“Why?” He glanced at me. “You wouldn’t date someone with a kid?”

Startled, I almost dropped the can of pop. “Since when are we dating?”

“Well, not dating, actually. Married.”

A sinking feeling entered my stomach.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his hard body. “Just until we’re in the states. Now smile, we’re on our honeymoon.”

“Great, wonderful.” I dropped the can in a trash bin. Caffeine would only make me sick this early in the morning. Already the market was crowded, shoppers looking for a bargain, tourists looking for that perfect object to remind them, in dreary future years ahead, of their trip abroad.

“So, we just fly out of the airport, no big deal.”

He winked, leading me down a narrow aisle, sellers calling out their wares. “No big deal.”

I shrugged off his arm, uncomfortable under his touch. Discussing our upcoming plans was better than worrying about Grandma. “Right. So no one will be looking for us?”

“I didn’t say that. But first things first, we’re going shopping.”

Why didn’t those words thrill me like they normally would have? Although the sun was just beginning to rise, piercing thick gray clouds, already people were strolling the market. I’d been here before and worried I’d see someone I knew.

A low rumble of thunder shook the skies. Dark clouds hung low, threatening rain. The shouts and Caribbean accents sounded harsh instead of calming, as they normally did. Every little disruption ate at my nerves. Even the gravel crunching underfoot sounded too loud.

“Relax,” Maddox whispered, taking my hand in his.

His warm fingers wrapped around mine, holding me captive. I had to resist the urge to pull away.

“Don’t make a scene, honey.” He grinned. “Happy couple.” He lifted a wooden statue from a nearby stall and made a pretense of showing it to me. I tried to smile at the female figurine, but I think it came out as more of a grimace.

“Why can’t we be brother and sister?”

“Because we look nothing alike. Besides, this is where people come to honeymoon.” We moved onto another aisle, weaving our way through vendor stalls, some with brightly colored tents, others were merely open tables.

“So, what are we looking for exactly?”

He pulled out his cell phone. My interest piqued and I did my best to see what was written on the screen. But before I could make out the words, the phone was back in his pocket. The realization that it could have been my dad texting left me feeling oddly emotional. He might not want to talk about my father now, but once we were trapped on the plane, he’d have nowhere to go, and I was getting answers.

“Any word about my Grandma?”

“Nope, and I don’t expect there to be. I’m not exactly keeping tabs.” He cupped my elbow and steered me toward a stall selling pottery. “I’m more concerned with getting us the hell out of here.”

Grandma was gone. Disappeared. Who knew if I’d ever see her again. I was completely alone, I had no money, no car, nothing but the word of a man I was supposed to know but didn’t remember.

“What, exactly, are we looking for?” I asked, needing to think about something, anything.

Maddox let go of my elbow and for a moment I was relieved, until he slid his arm around my waist. I stiffened. I couldn’t be this close to him. It felt…weird, like I was cheating on Lewis, which I knew was ridiculous considering I barely remembered him. And oh yeah, he had betrayed me.

“You all right?” He smiled down at me, as if he knew exactly how uncomfortable I felt and found joy in the prospect of unnerving me.

I frowned up at him. “Just tell me what we’re doing here so we can leave as soon as possible.”

He turned me toward a booth selling clay jars. “Shopping, like I said.”

A low rumble of thunder shook the sky. Maddox glanced up and smiled. “Excellent.”

“You’re excited it’s going to rain?”

“Yep. Rain means people go inside. Those left outside avert their gazes, trying to keep the rain from their eyes. In other words, sweetheart, we have less of a chance of being recognized.”

“Rain means we get soaked, Harriet the Spy, and we don’t have any other clothes,” I said bitterly.

“Something I’m going to remedy right now.”

He steered me toward a booth selling carved objects in a dark wood. Typical island junk sold to tourists.

“How can I help you?” the man behind the stall rubbed his hands eagerly while smiling at us under his bushy black mustache. His beady eyes darted back and forth between the two of us, obviously trying to decide who controlled the wallet in our happy little family.

This will be an easy sale, he thought.

Maddox picked up the statue of a pig. “We’re on our honeymoon.”

“Ahhh!” The seller clapped his pudgy hands together. “Wonderful! True love!”

I gagged.

Maddox threw me a threatening glare as he replaced the statue. “We want to find something special to remember our honeymoon. Don’t we, my dear?”

I was saved from answering by the overly helpful salesman. “Of course, of course!” He scurried toward a table holding wooden bowls. “How is this?”

So many people remained, even though the day was dark and dreary. Did they have any idea what was truly out there in this crazy world? I had to believe Grandma was well, and if she was out there amongst the sea of people, I’d find her.

“No, something else. Something…with a lid.”

What the heck was he doing? We were supposed to be running for our lives and he was buying a gift for someone? I glanced around, growing anxious. We couldn’t seriously be shopping, so what was Maddox up to?

Thunder rumbled menacingly again, making the very earth tremble. Shoppers were fleeing to the few cafés on the corners.

I started to turn toward Maddox and urge him to hurry when someone at the red tent next to us shifted. I couldn’t say why the woman caught my attention, but she had. About my age, maybe a couple years older, her blonde hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail that whispered across her tanned back as she sashayed away. The sundress she wore tied around her neck and hung low around her backside, showing lots of skin. I knew before she turned that she was beautiful. Envy surged through me. As if sensing my attention, she paused.

I took a hesitant step closer, curious about her in some way I didn’t understand. Slowly, she turned. She wore sunglasses that covered her eyes, but it didn’t matter. There was something about her… about her face, her body, her very being that seemed oddly familiar. Her lips lifted into a smile that was more of a smirk, almost as if she understood my confusion.

Who was she?

“Here’s your new wardrobe.” Maddox stepped close to me, drawing my attention to him. He lifted the lid off the jar he held. A wad of bills was tucked neatly inside. It had to be thousands of dollars.

I gasped, shocked when really at this point nothing should have surprised me. “How?”

He winked. “I have my resources.” He closed the lid and glanced around. “You ready?”

Rain fell from the skies, pattering against the tents, soaking my sweatshirt. “I guess.” I glanced down the aisle, looking for the blonde girl. She was gone.

“What is it?” Maddox rested his hand on my lower back.

The base of my skull began to throb. “I thought…nothing.” I rubbed my neck and turned toward him.  “Let’s go.”

Chapter 6

I’m pretty good at lying. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some sociopath who likes to bend the truth just for the fun of it. But I lie…a lot. Little white lies that help me slip out of sticky situations. But also lies to protect myself and those close to me.

When Emily was in a low self-esteem mood and needed to hear she looked hot, even if she didn’t, I would tell her. When the police would show up because of my weird behavior, I’d act the way they wanted me to, say the things they hoped I’d say.

But as I stood in line at the airport with a ridiculous smile plastered to my face while pretending to be happily married to Maddox and clutching a passport with a name on it that wasn’t mine… my lying abilities seemed to sink to that of an amateur. And all I kept thinking about was that I was leaving home, the first home I’d truly had. I was leaving Grandma and the life we’d established.

“Stop shifting,” Maddox mumbled, his own smile more easy-going and less brittle. He obviously had this lying to the government thing down to a fine art. “You’re making me nervous.”

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Again?”

“Yes!” I shoved my fake passport into his hands.

“Christ, when we get to the states you’re getting some antibiotics for a urinary tract infection.”

I blushed at his comment. I didn’t want to talk about my urine or tract or any of my body parts with him. Instead, I jumped from my spot in line and scurried toward the bathroom.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough and heard Maddox say to the couple behind us, “She gets a nervous bladder on planes.”

I rolled my eyes. No, I got nervous when lying to governmental officials. So I didn’t actually have to go to the restroom, but I needed a moment, even a few seconds, to myself.

I didn’t need the warning from Maddox. I knew if we were caught, there would be no getting out of this situation. I didn’t miss the ridiculousness of trusting a man I barely knew. I could be headed directly into a trap. But what choice did I have but to trust him?

With my lack of training and a spotty memory, I’d be easy prey on my own. Besides, Grandma trusted him. I pushed open the bathroom door, dodging the long line of travelers waiting for an open stall and headed straight for the sinks. If Grandma trusted him, I’d try to.

The mere thought of Grandma sent unwanted tears to my eyes. I leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on my face. I should have been angry, if anything. Wasn’t this her fault for once again keeping me in the dark? She’d left me completely unprepared. I glanced up, searching my own hazel gaze in the mirror. The same-colored eyes as Grandma. The same-colored eyes as my dad.

But here, now, none of my Grandmother’s lies mattered, and all I wanted was to be back in that small cottage by the sea. I slipped my hands underneath the cool water, watching it fill my palms and cascade into the sink. The conversation and thoughts from others faded. I had to believe Grandma was well. Just the thought that she had been captured sent me into a near panic.

“Here.” Some Good Samaritan shoved a towel in front of my face.

I took the scratchy paper. “Thanks.” With my head bent, I studied her feet. She wore black converse high tops and dark skinny jeans. Young, by her outfit and the sound of her voice.

“Planes scare you?” she asked, propping her hip against the sink as if she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. What was her deal? Did I seriously look like I wanted to make conversation?

I dabbed at my face, then dropped the towel into the trash basket. “Yeah, I guess.”

I forced myself to smile as I lifted my head and met the woman’s gaze in the mirror. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. It was the woman from the market. Stunned, I sucked in a sharp breath. The entire bathroom faded, and all I could hear was the frantic beat of my heart.

But it wasn’t just the market. Somewhere else… I knew her from somewhere else….

Pictures flashed through my mind. Memories I couldn’t hold back.

A basement. A small room. A man sitting on a chair, his arms tied behind him, his head lowered as if in defeat. I knelt on the cold stone floor, attempting to get a better look.

Maddox, his eyes closed. Maddox, with blood trailing from his mouth.

A warm hand touched my shoulder and I was back in the airport. The fluorescent lights seemed overly harsh, the crowded bathroom too loud.

“You okay?” The blonde was still beside me, her gaze full of concern, yet… something lurked there in the back of her blue eyes. Interest…suspicion. Was it a coincidence that she was here now, when I’d seen her at the market only this morning? My gut told me no, it wasn’t coincidence. Yet, rationally I knew lots of travelers went to the market and used this airport, the only airport on the island. But how could I explain the flashback of Maddox? It made no sense.

I shivered with unease and took a step back from her.

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

She nodded and started around me. Nothing suspicious then, for she was leaving. Yet, I couldn’t let go of the nagging sensation that I knew her from somewhere else. Somewhere besides the market. I reached out, grasping onto her wrist before she got away.

She stiffened, her attention snapping in my direction. For a brief moment I thought I saw a flash of anger, hardness. Surprised and confused, I released my hold and took a step back.

Okay, so she didn’t like to be touched. “Sorry, but… do we know each other?”

She didn’t respond, and leery, I reached out with my mind, testing her thoughts.

Gotta go, going to be late for my plane.

Innocent thoughts, but she smiled a brittle smile that didn’t seem to reach her eyes. “We’ve never met.”

Before I could respond, she broke through the bathroom line and started toward the door.

“And don’t worry,” she said over her shoulder. “I have a feeling this plane ride will go a lot quicker than expected.”

What the heck did that mean?

“Excuse me.” Someone nudged me aside to get to the sinks, reminding me of where I stood.

“Sorry.” I made my way across the bathroom, my shoes tapping against the tiled floor, and pushed open the door. The hall was bustling, full of travelers eager to get wherever it was they were going, but the blonde was gone, disappeared into the crush. It was only then, as I stood in the middle of the corridor, that I realized she hadn’t really answered my question.

“Sorry, but…do we know each other?”

“We’ve never met.”

“Are you ready?” Maddox’s sudden appearance startled me. “They’re boarding.”

For a few seconds I didn’t answer him, couldn’t answer him…lost in that moment with Blondie. Was I just being overly paranoid?

“You all right?” he asked, watching me curiously.

I glanced down the hall once more. No familiar blonde.

“What?” he asked again as he led me toward the line.

“I don’t know… I thought…there was a woman in the bathroom just now. I saw her at the market earlier this morning.”

“Yeah, so?” He might have seemed nonchalant, but I didn’t miss the way his gaze flickered around the airport. Did he find Blondie’s appearance just as weird as I did?

“So…I don’t know. I got a bad feeling.” I flushed, realizing I sounded ridiculous. A bad feeling?

He cupped my elbow and led me toward the line. “Did she try anything?”

“No.”

He was still glancing around the area. “Say anything threatening?”

“No.”

He sighed and I knew how ridiculous I sounded. “What’d she look like?”

I shrugged. “Blonde, about twenty, maybe. Thin. Pretty.”

“Sounds like a million other girls out there. Don’t worry about it.” He handed our tickets to the flight attendant.

Don’t worry about it? Easier said than done. I’d just learned that I was America’s most wanted, kind of hard not to worry.

And apparently I wasn’t the only one worried. As we started toward the airplane, I couldn’t help but notice that Maddox was walking much faster than normal.

****

“Please turn off all cell phones and computers.” The overly cheerful flight attendant smiled prettily at us, but I didn’t miss the pointed glance at Maddox’s phone.

The thought of anyone telling Maddox what to do made me laugh. Doing his best to glare me into silence, Maddox slid his cell into his pocket.

“You could be a bit kinder to the man who saved your life.”

I resisted the urge to give an unladylike snort. “You’re right. Where are my manners? I’m supposed to respect my elders.”

“I’m three years older than you, hardly your elder,” he muttered.

Three years? He seemed so much older. So much more secure and hardened by life. I felt like a naïve innocent next to him. “How’d you get into this line of business?”

“My father.”

Maddox had a dad. I could imagine what they did for fun, cage matches to the death. Leaning back in his seat, he stretched his long legs and rested his hands on his flat belly, getting comfortable. I only wished I could relax that easily. We were flying business class, which was like heaven compared to coach. So much room, I felt like I could do cartwheels.

Yet, as much space as I had to relax, I couldn’t sleep. I glanced out the window, the ocean a deep blue below, spots of islands like pinpoints that interrupted the sea. We’d soon be in Atlanta, on another road to some odd journey I didn’t really understand. If my grandmother had escaped, would she be able to find me?

“Rest,” Maddox whispered, turning his head toward me.

He was close—too close—and his breath was warm and tempting across my lips. I had to remind myself that this man wasn’t my boyfriend. I barely even liked him. Even though there were over one hundred people on the plane, it felt like we were the only two. It felt… weird. I wasn’t sure how it felt. All I knew was it was so easy to slip into banter with him, so easy to share what I was feeling. As if I’d known him before…and I guess I had.

“We’ll be landing in Atlanta in a couple hours; you should rest.”

Because we had no idea what would be there upon arrival. He was right, I should rest. I needed to rest. My body had been running on adrenaline for a day now. But he smelled so darn good. Not the overwhelming cologne that most boys my age wore, but a subtle male scent that warmed my insides. With no makeup, not even a hair brush for the rat’s nest atop my head, he put me to shame. Nothing worse than a guy prettier than you.

“I’m trying to rest,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze. I couldn’t think when he looked at me like that, as if reading my soul, as if he knew more about me than I did. Which, perhaps, he did.

“What’s on your mind?”

I released a wry laugh. “What isn’t? I’m worried about my Grandma. I don’t know where we’re going—”

“Atlanta.”

Obviously. They’d mentioned it on the plane a few times, the secret was out. “Yes, but where do we go after that?”

“You’re on a need-to-know basis.”

I had to resist the urge to hit him. He spoke to me like I was a soldier preparing for battle. Perhaps I was preparing for war, but I wasn’t about to head into battle knowing nothing. “I need to know now.”

He stared at me for one long moment, those hard eyes unreadable. I wondered what he was thinking. I wished I had some inkling. Wished he didn’t have that chip to block his thoughts. Damn it all, I needed to know this man.

He smiled a mysterious smile, as if he knew something I should too. “You really don’t remember anything, do you?”

I should have been annoyed with his grin. Instead, I hesitated, looking away. I had remembered certain things, I just wasn’t sure I wanted him to know. Even though I was on a plane with Maddox, headed to only God knew where, I wasn’t completely sure I could trust him.

Firm fingers wrapped around my forearm, the touch surprising. “You have remembered some things, haven’t you?”

I flushed guiltily, staring at his tanned fingers wrapped around my arm. The contact of his skin on mine burned. No way I could deny it now, not with him watching me so intently. “I get flashes sometimes.”

He didn’t react, outwardly anyway. Didn’t even flinch. But I saw it there, in his gaze, a myriad of emotions I hadn’t expected. Interest. Annoyance. Worry.

He released his hold, and I drew my arm to my chest. I felt like he had branded me.

“What,” he asked softly, his voice completely controlled. “Have you seen?”

I shrugged and looked out the window. Patches of land were visible through a break in the clouds. We were headed into Florida. “You. I saw you while I was in the bathroom.”

“You saw a flash of me while sitting on the toilet? Great.”

I blushed and slid him an annoyed glance. Why couldn’t he ever be serious? “I was at the sink, and a memory of you came to mind.”

He was silent for a moment. “That’s all you’re going to give me? Now who’s being vague?”

I looked away. I wasn’t used to sharing my thoughts. I’d been taught to keep my secrets close; it was deeply ingrained. Yet, I needed to know the truth as much as he, and if he could explain some of my memories, it would be worth opening up. “I think you were being held prisoner in a small room. Like a basement or something. You were tied to a chair, bleeding.” I swallowed hard, the flash still disturbing. “Please tell me it was a memory and not some flash of the future?”

He grinned. “You’re worried about me?”

“Just answer.”

He looked away, resting his head against his seat and closing his eyes, dismissing me. “Rest easy, sweetheart. It was a memory.”

I felt better, but only for a moment. Dear God, he’d been beaten? “What happened?”

He sighed and turned toward me once more. “I have a chip in my head that blocks my thoughts so mind readers can’t hear them. You broke through it.”

It was like he was telling me some crazy storyline from a movie, something I couldn’t possibly believe. This couldn’t be my life. I wouldn’t do such things, would I? But even as I thought the words, deep down I knew them to be true. “Why would I do that?”

“Because they told you to.”

A cold weight settled on my chest, a feeling of dread that threatened to overwhelm me. I felt like I was headed into murky waters, drowning in my own horrible memories. How badly I’d wanted to know my past. Now, I wasn’t so sure. “Who are they?”

“The people who used to have you.”

“Who?” I persisted.

He paused for one telling moment. “Your boyfriend.”

Lewis. The guy with the blue eyes. I pressed my palm to my chest, as if that could keep my heart from exploding. So much I didn’t understand, didn’t know. Yet one thing stood out clear… I’d been talked into hurting someone, hurting Maddox.

I didn’t want to know anymore of who I was, or had been. I felt violated, misused, and I wasn’t even sure who to blame. My stomach roiled. I fumbled with my seatbelt.

“Where you going?”

“Bathroom.” I surged to my feet and stumbled over him.

Fortunately, Maddox didn’t say a word as I fled down the aisle. This early in the morning, most people were napping. The few who were awake glanced my way, wondering over my pale face and stumbling footsteps. They thought I was going to puke. Some worried I had a contagious disease. My emotions were in turmoil, and my mental wall collapsed, allowing a flood of thoughts to burst into my head. I sucked in a sharp breath, pressing my fingers to my temples.

God, I hate flying.

Wonder if Jim will meet me at the airport.

Have to get that report done by…

So many thoughts, so many useless, pathetic thoughts from those around me. I wanted to scream for them all to shut the hell up. I wanted to tell them that their problems were nothing compared to mine. I needed to think, needed to understand…

I slammed into a thin body smelling of flowers. Mentally cursing, I stumbled back a step. “Sorry,” I muttered, intending to go around the woman.

“No worries.”

The familiar voice gave me pause. I tilted my head upright and met the blue gaze of the blonde from the bathroom…from the market…from somewhere.

“Hey.” She stepped closer, narrowing her eyes to half-moons. “I know you.”

I glanced back, for some reason needing to see Maddox. I could just make out the back of his head at the front of the plane. “Yeah, we met at the airport.”

Her face lit up. “Oh, wow! You’re with that really cute guy.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

She giggled, actually giggled. “Can you do me a huge favor?”

No, no, I couldn’t. “Umm, okay.” She hadn’t seemed this bubbly when we’d first met. Who the heck was she? She obviously hadn’t visited the island for her honeymoon. Some moron on spring vacation?

She lifted her hand and held out a folded note. “Can you give this to the guy you’re sitting with? He’s so hot.”

Dear God, she wasn’t serious, was she?

She lifted a perfectly plucked brow, darker than her hair. Was she a bleached blonde? For some reason that made me feel better. She wasn’t perfect after all. “You’re not, like, dating, are you?”

I flushed, annoyed and angered, although why I wasn’t sure. “No.” But my suspicions wouldn’t leave. Something was off; my very instincts screamed at me to run, which would be hard to do on a plane. Ever so slightly, I reached out with my mind, focusing only on her.

I hope she gives him the note. He’s so cute.

That’s what she was thinking? My instincts sucked. She was about as dangerous as Cinderella. Disgusted, I snatched the note from her fingers and started back, ignoring the woman’s words of thanks. It wasn’t until I was halfway down the aisle that I realized I had totally screwed up; Maddox and I were supposed to be married.

“Here.” I tossed the note at Maddox as I climbed over him to get to my seat.

He caught the paper, looking quizzically at me. “What is it?”

“It’s from your girlfriend,” I sneered.

“Okay.” He unfolded the note.

As I slumped into my seat, I admit I glanced at the love letter, too curious not to know what Cinderella had to say. Probably something along the lines of, Do you like me? Check yes or no.

Maddox curled his fingers, demolishing the note in his fist, but not before I had gotten a look at the message.

Thinking of you, the note said.

Nothing too dramatic, so why did Maddox look ready to kill the next person who walked down the aisle? He held up the wad of paper, his hard gaze on me. “Where the hell did you get this?”

Startled by his harsh tone, I answered immediately. “A girl. Twenty. Twenty-one. I saw her just now. She asked me to give it to you.”

He was oddly still, the only sign of his anger was a pulse ticking on the side of his jaw. “What’d she look like?”

I shrugged. “She’s pretty. Really pretty. Blonde, thin. The girl from the market and airport.”

“Enough.” He jerked his head forward, the paper falling to the ground. He clutched the armrests so tightly I thought he might break them free from the seat. Apparently, Maddox didn’t like pretty girls flirting with him.

What the heck was going on?

The intercom crackled overhead, interrupting my musings. “This is the captain speaking. We will be making an emergency landing in St. Petersburg, Florida. We ask that all passengers return to their seats and secure their seatbelts.”

Maddox rested his head back against the seat and sighed. “Surprise, surprise.”

Chapter 7

“Hurry.” Maddox grabbed my hand and darted forward the moment we got off the plane.

With only our backpack, empty of weapons, I raced beside him. “What about the luggage?” We’d used the money to buy some clothes and necessities that I wasn’t ready to leave behind.

“Screw the luggage.”

So much for necessities. We couldn’t seriously be running from a skinny blonde. Yet, we were definitely running from someone. The crowds were coming at us, surrounding us, consuming us like angry ants, but somehow Maddox managed to evade the travelers. We merely looked like two people trying to catch a flight. Still, we garnered more than a few stares and I was sure security was going to demand we stop at any moment.

“Maddox,” I gasped, unable to catch my breath. “What the hell is going on?”

I was so tired of being led around like a brainless doll. So tired of running from place to place with no real idea of who we were running from or why. I wanted answers and I wanted them now. I pulled my hand away from him.

Maddox snapped his head toward me and narrowed his gaze. “Kind of running out of time here, sweetheart.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the truth,” I hissed.

Yes, there in the middle of the airport I stood my ground as travelers swept passed me, knocking me off balance, tossing me muttered curses for being in the way.

Not that I didn’t want to leave. Believe me, I felt the need to run, but run where? And who to trust? Grandma may have trusted Maddox, but I wasn’t so sure anymore. Call it instinct, but since the moment I’d met him, I felt like there was something important he was leaving out.

“Can this little tantrum wait?” he asked. “We’re running for our lives.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before. It’s starting to lose its meaning.” I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to budge. Besides, no one was going to attack us in the middle of the airport. At least I hoped not. “I want answers.”

His gaze focused on some distant point behind me. “Well, it’s going to have to wait.”

Curious, I turned. The blonde was headed our way, a smirk on her lips. “Seriously?” I whispered. What was she? Some robot, like The Terminator, sent to annihilate us?

Maddox grabbed the backpack from me, slung it over his shoulders, took my hand and jerked me forward before I could protest.

I still couldn’t quite believe we were running from Cinderella. I mean, what would she do to us? Stab us with her press-ons? Poke us in the eye with her fake lashes? Or better yet, bore us to death with her inane chatter about how gorgeous Maddox was?

A man darted past us. My foot hit his suitcase, sending me off balance.

“Damn,” Maddox snapped, leaping over the luggage. As I started to fall, he pulled me upright, like I was a sack of potatoes.

“Maddox, where the hell are we going?”

“I don’t know, all right?”

He’d finally admitted the truth, but it sure as heck didn’t make me feel any better. Had he truly said he didn’t know? Really? Because I had mistakenly assumed he was the one in charge, and might actually know what we were doing. The doors opened automatically and the humid Florida air hit us full force.

A line of taxi cabs followed the sidewalk, whizzing in and out of traffic. In the distance I could hear the roar of airplanes taking off and landing. How I wished I was on one, headed away … headed anywhere but here.

“There,” Maddox said. “The bus.”

I’d had only a moment to catch my breath before he grabbed my hand and we were darting across the street. A taxi pressed on its breaks, coming inches from hitting us. Maddox slammed his fist atop the hood. “Watch out!”

“Sorry!” I shouted toward the stunned driver.

But I didn’t have time to worry. Just as we reached the blue and white bus, the doors snapped shut although it was obvious the driver hadn’t touched the handle. I could hear the murmured curses of the older woman as she pulled at the bar, attempting to open the doors with no such luck.

What the hell? she thought. Why isn’t it working? She looked helplessly out the windows.

“Come on,” Maddox muttered, pounding on the doors.

I didn’t see Blondie, but apparently he was worried she was nearby. I didn’t understand why bulky, built Maddox was afraid of a petite blonde woman.  I didn’t understand why the bus doors had closed on their own. I didn’t understand any of this.

“Open it!” he snapped, looking directly at me.

“Open what?”

“The doors!”

Was he seriously expecting me to magically open the doors? Or do some karate chop to the glass? “Yeah, I was absent the day we had Breaking and Entering 101 in school, so why don’t you tell me how I’m supposed to break the door down?”

“Your mind!” he hissed.

My mouth dropped open. “I can do that?”

“Jesus, just forget it.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me around the front of the bus, toward another waiting vehicle. But the doors were closed and the driver was obviously preparing to leave. Maddox pounded on the door. The driver jumped, her surprised look quickly giving way to annoyance.

“Please,” Maddox said, giving the woman his best smile as we jogged alongside the vehicle. “Can we get on?” I wasn’t even sure if she could hear us through the glass doors and over the rumble of the engine, but charmed by Maddox’s pleading eyes and sexy smile, she slowed.

“Perfect,” Maddox whispered.

I had a feeling the man was used to getting what he wanted.

The driver pulled on the lever, opening the door.

“Hurry up,” she sighed.

I stumbled up the steps, finding an empty seat. Maddox settled next to me. The door closed and the bus lurched forward. We fell awkwardly silent. The three other people on board watched us with obvious interest. I was sweating, my hair falling into a lopsided ponytail. I knew I looked a frantic mess. Some classical elevator music played on the speakers and there we sat, pretending like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. The situation was so ridiculous, I almost started laughing.

“Okay,” I whispered, trying to regain control of my frantic breathing. “Want to tell me what’s going on now, because no way we could be running from a skinny blonde chick.”

“Not here,” he said through a clenched smile.

I slid our traveling companions a glance. The woman across from me thought we were on drugs. Her little girl thought I was a princess and was being chased by pirates. She had no idea how close she was to the truth. Well, except for the princess part. I wish.

And the guy at the end of the bus clutching his duffle bag to his scrawny chest and looking way too excited… well, he was too busy checking out Maddox’s biceps to care about me.

The bus stopped next to a parking garage. Maddox leapt from his seat, taking my hand and jerking me toward the door.

“Thanks sweetheart.” He winked at the driver, who probably hadn’t been flirted with in decades. The woman flushed, looking entirely too pleased.

I stumbled down the steps after him. “Seriously? You’re flirting now?”

“No, I’m making it look like we’re late for something and not running from someone.”

So he had a point. I was definitely giving off an “I’m running for my life” sort of vibe. I tried to calm my racing heart, pasted a smile to my lips and attempted a serene look, which was hard to do when you were being dragged into a parking garage by someone you barely knew.

We darted down a ramp, weaving around cars, sticking to the shadows.

“She’s with them.” He stated the words so casually, as he peeked into the windows of the cars we moved passed, that it took a moment for the words to register.

“What?” I demanded.

He reached out, sliding his fingers under the door handle of a gray Toyota and lifting. The door didn’t open. “She’s with them and she has the same abilities as you.”

I shook my head as we moved on. “No…no, I read her mind, she’s not.”

He reached for the handle of a white Ford truck. It didn’t open. “She can hide her thoughts, make you think she’s thinking something she isn’t. She knew exactly who you were. She knows exactly who I am.”

Even as I wanted to deny it, I knew, deep down, Maddox was right. It all made sense now. My shock gave way to anger. At the market, in the airport bathroom… she’d been toying with me. “Fine. I believe you, she works for them, but who is them?”

“Not like they have some secret code name.” He moved to the next car and tried the door.

“Yeah,” I mocked, “Because something like, say, S.P.I. would be silly.”

He held up his hand to silence me. For one long moment, he didn’t move, merely scanned the garage with his intense gaze, searching for something or someone. The area was quiet, in the distance the rumble of cars leaving and entering could be heard, but not much else.

“Get down!” Maddox dropped the backpack, grabbed my arm and jerked me to the oil-stained ground.

The tap of shoes on pavement echoed through the garage, barely audible over the roar of blood to my ears.

“Come out, come out,” a feminine voice sing-songed.

I knew that voice well. A shiver of unease raced over my body. Maddox’s jaw clenched and unclenched, a pulse ticking erratically at his temple. His anger was almost tangible. I didn’t need to ask him, I knew it was the woman from the plane. Cinderella had found us.

“Stay down,” he said softly.

He hunched low and moved toward the bumper. With his back pressed to the car, he reached behind him, taking a pistol from a holster underneath his t-shirt.

“How’d you get on the plane with that?” I whispered.

“Shhh!”

Was he seriously going to shoot the blonde? Wouldn’t that only exacerbate the situation? Like, make us wanted for murder? I could see our mug shots now, “Wanted, for killing Cinderella.” We’d put the evil stepsisters to shame.

I looked heavenward, to the cement ceiling, rumbling overhead from cars. My heart pounded madly. It hadn’t slowed since yesterday. At this rate I was totally going to have a heart attack by the time I reached nineteen.

“Oh Maddox,” Cinderella called out. “I know you’re here. I can practically hear your mind spinning.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Her footsteps came closer…closer. Maddox shifted ever so slightly, his thigh muscles bunching under his cargo shorts. I wanted to ask him what he was planning, but instead I bit my lower lip to keep from giving us away. Closer, those shoes tapped, so close she was almost on us. Suddenly, Maddox surged upward, pistol extended.

I braced myself against the cool metal of the car and started to stand. Before I could straighten, an arm wrapped around my neck. I was tugged to my feet, my back crushed to a set of perky boobs.

“You should know better.” Blondie’s melodic voice rang into my ear, but I knew she wasn’t talking to me.

“Shit,” Maddox grumbled. He lowered his arm and slowly turned to face us. He looked more annoyed than nervous. Why was he just standing there? Why wasn’t he doing the crazy ninja moves he’d used on the intruders in our cottage?

“Surprised to see you,” he said quite casually. His gaze moved up and down her body, only to rest at her head. He quirked a brow. “Blonde? Interesting.”

“Well, they do have more fun.”

Seriously? Were they actually flirting? Blondie might be skinny, but she had a heck of hold on my neck. If he wasn’t going to help, I would. I started to lift my elbow, intending to jab her flat gut when I felt the distinct press of a metal pistol to my temple. My blood went cold.

“Darling, Maddox, really, you know me better than that.”

And I realized, in that moment, that they must have known each other even better than I’d first realized. Maddox lowered the gun to his side, looking irritated, yet slightly amused. Wonderful, so glad he was taking this seriously.

I took in a deep breath, attempting to focus. Maddox had said they wanted me. I assumed that meant they wanted me alive. But I wasn’t about to stand passively by while Maddox twiddled his thumbs. I reached out with my mind, attempting to read Cinderella’s thoughts.

Her arm tightened around my neck. “Now, now, sweet pea, none of that. It’s no use anyway as you’ll find that I’m well protected. How about you?” I felt the slightest tingle in my head, as if someone was pushing on my brain. Immediately, I reinforced that steel wall Grandma had taught me to build, a mental barrier that would keep others from reading my thoughts.

“Well done indeed. So, the old bat trained you after all.”

I stiffened at the realization. She knew my grandma? Old bat? My anger mounted. No one called Grandma an old bat but me.

“Let her go,” Maddox demanded.

“Uh, okay, sure.” Blondie laughed, her warm breath stirring the loose hair around my face. “I’ll let her go if you leave and swear you’ll never be in contact with her again. How about it boo, we both move on?”

I tried to understand their conversation, but was too confused to catch hold of anything.

“You know I can’t do that. She needs protection.”

“Yes, but the question is, who is better at protecting her?”

“I’m not a damn toddler,” I snapped, my hands fisting at my sides. They were talking about me like I was their three year old child and they were fighting for custody.

Blondie chuckled. “Feisty, I see why you like her.”

Feisty, the same word Maddox had used only yesterday.

“Stuff it, Sweetheart, and tell me why you’re really here,” Maddox demanded, his mood souring. Was he annoyed because Cinderella thought he had feelings for me? Or had he finally had enough of her?

“I came for the chick, of course.”

“I can’t let you take her.”

My fear was slowly easing into annoyance. This whole talking about me like I wasn’t there was growing old. I almost hoped they would shoot me. Death was preferable to listening to their banter. The rumble of an approaching vehicle shook the floor underfoot. I didn’t think, but acted. Perhaps it was stupid, but I knew this might be my only opportunity. I shoved my elbow into Cinderella’s gut. Her hold loosened just enough. I spun around, out of her grasp. They wanted me alive, not dead, I had to remind myself.

I heard her grunt, but was too busy escaping to savor the satisfaction. Her leg shot out, her foot catching my ankle. I stumbled, hitting the cement floor with my knees. My entire body vibrated as I fell to the ground.

Off balance, I tumbled sideways. My head whacked against the floor. For a moment, I merely lay there. The garage spun, stars and darkness taunting the edges of my vision. As the spinning faded, I forced myself to my elbows.

Maddox jabbed his right first toward Blondie. She ducked, coming up with an upper hook that told me she was no novice. Her fist connected with his chin. Maddox grunted, stumbling off balance. Was Cinderella seriously going to beat Maddox, a man twice her size?

“You still know how to fight.” He grinned and rubbed his jaw, as if proud of her.

I thought she was the enemy, but Maddox acted like she was an old sparring partner. Grasping onto the car bumper, I managed to get to my feet. Something wet and warm trickled down the side of my face. I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temple. Red covered my hand. Blood. My blood. But no one else seemed to notice my injured state.

“Oh God, that can’t be good,” I whispered.

“Bring it on,” Maddox said, ignoring me.

“I learned from the best,” Cinderella replied, doing a roundhouse kick toward his face.

Maddox caught her ankle and jerked her forward. She slammed into his body and paused there for a moment, in his embrace. I wasn’t sure if they were fighting or making out and I suddenly felt ridiculously annoyed. Seriously, weren’t we supposed to be running for our lives here?

Ugh. This so wasn’t going well and Maddox seemed more interested in kissing our supposed arch-nemesis than saving me. What an ass. Cinderella spun around, her back to me as she pointed the gun at Maddox’s chest.

“You wouldn’t,” he said, smirking at her.

“Try me.”

I narrowed my eyes and kicked forward. The heel of my foot hit Blondie directly behind the right knee. She folded like a tent in a hurricane. Her pistol fell from her hand, skidding underneath the car.

I looked at Maddox. “Can we go now?”

The surprise upon Maddox’s face was almost worth my head injury. “You realize she could have shot me.”

I shrugged. The shocked look upon his face cleared and a grin spread across his lips. “Yeah, let’s get the hell out of here.”

He grabbed the backpack and only then did he spot the injury. It must have looked as bad as I felt, for he actually paused for a brief moment, his smile fading.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“You know I’ll find you,” Blondie yelled.

“Looking forward to it,” Maddox replied. Without looking back, he lifted his middle finger into the air. So mature.

I didn’t care what he did as long as we could leave, although I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on a bus looking like I’d had a run-in with a baseball bat. My head throbbed with the slightest movement and there was the oddest ring in my ears.

A sudden flash of lights alerted us to an oncoming car. Maddox released my hand and like an idiot, jumped in front of the vehicle. The man slammed on the breaks, the sound of screeching tires echoing through the garage.

“What the hell?” he yelled out his open window. Maddox raced around the side and tore open the driver’s door.

“Sorry, but we need your car.” Maddox grabbed the man by his button-down shirt and pulled him from the seat.

The poor victim stumbled into a parked car. “Here, take my wallet.”

“Just the car, thanks.” He glanced at me. “Get in.”

Wonderful, we were adding grand larceny to the long list of illegal hobbies we’d adopted. I stumbled around the front of the vehicle and pulled open the passenger door.

“Oh God, don’t get blood on the leather!” the man cried out.

“Hurry,” Maddox demanded.

I practically dove into the front seat and before I’d even fully closed my door, Maddox slammed on the gas. I fumbled with my seatbelt, my heart thundering madly in my chest. Only once I was safely locked in, did I turn and look out the back window. Cinderella was gone.

I faced forward and slumped into my seat, my body finally relaxing. “We lost her. That was easy.”

Maddox tore out of the garage, the sunlight welcome and warm. “Sweetheart, nothing is ever that easy.”

Chapter 8

My head throbbed and I was barely aware when an hour later Maddox pulled into the parking lot of a motel. Barely aware until two women started fighting out front, their screams vibrating through my head like a jackhammer. The blonde slapped the brunette and all hell broke loose.

“Seriously?” I muttered. “Considering fugitives always hide in seedy motels, isn’t this the first place the cops will look? I mean there’s not a Hampton nearby?”

“It’s not seedy,” he grumbled, putting the car in park.

“You bitch!” the brunette screamed.

I gave him a pointed glance.

He shrugged. “It’s perfect. Everyone’s watching them. We can slip inside unnoticed.” His gaze traveled to the wound on the side of my head. I’d managed to clean off the blood at a roadside bathroom, but apparently it was still pretty hideous, even with my makeshift toilet paper bandage. He was feigning indifference, but I could see the worried look in his tight features.

“Come on.” He pushed open the door and stepped outside.

I followed more slowly. The afternoon sun was bright, too bright. The world around me spun. I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and draw me close to a warm body.

Maddox. Just being near him made me feel better, even though I didn’t want to rely on someone I didn’t trust.

On one arm he carried the backpack, the other he held me upright. “You should have left the fighting to me.” He propped me against a pink stucco wall.

“Are you serious?” My annoyance flared. “While you two were dancing around the garage, I was trying to escape.”

“We weren’t dancing.” He pulled a key card from his back pocket. “I had everything under control.”

I gave an unlady like snort, but fighting wasn’t going to get us anywhere. “Where are we anyway?”

He pushed open the door. “We have safe homes throughout the country.”

I lifted a brow. “You call this safe?”

He wrapped his fingers around my upper arm and led me into the room. It smelled dank, like someone had left behind damp clothing. Lovely. There were two beds, at least. A small television sat on a table against the wall. I couldn’t help but wonder if we were on the local news for stealing the man’s car, among other things.

“Lay down.”

“On that bed?” My skin crawled at the thought. “I’ll probably get an STD.”

“I’m tested and I’m clean.”

My face heated. I slapped my hand against his flat stomach. “Not from you. As if that would ever happen.” I pointed toward the mattress. “I mean from that!”

“Impossible.” He shrugged. “Maybe crabs, but you can get rid of those.”

“Oh really, you know that from personal experience?”

He sighed and dropped the backpack on the floor between the two beds. “Will you just lie down? Meditate, or whatever it is you people do.” He paced across the small room. His usual unruffled manner gone. He seemed flustered. At the windows he paused. “You shouldn’t have done what you did.”

I went to the bed and collapsed onto the blue duvet. “Done what? Saved myself? Or lay on what is most likely a bedbug infested mattress?”

He didn’t respond, just went into the small bathroom and turned on the water. I found this concerned Maddox unsettling.

“I had a plan. You were perfectly fine.”

I rolled my eyes. Was he kidding? “Yeah, perfectly fine… with a gun pointed at my head.”

The water turned off and he reappeared, a washcloth in hand. Was that guilt that fluttered across his gorgeous face? I shifted, uneasily, and sat up. I didn’t do well with emotions, thanks to Grandma and her heart of steel.

He sat beside me, the mattress dipping. “Those aspirin kicking in yet?”

I nodded, even though they weren’t. My forehead was throbbing, and the pain seemed to be migrating toward the back of my skull and down my neck.

Carefully, more gently than I’d thought possible, he removed the bandage. The white tissue paper covered with brilliant red blood made my stomach churn. He pulled the backpack up next to him. “I don’t think it needs stitches.”

“I don’t need them, or you don’t want to blow our cover by taking me to a hospital?”

He held my chin with one hand and with the other, used the washcloth to swipe at my injury. The contact stung, although I did my best not to flinch. “You don’t need them. If you did, I’d just do them here.”

The thought made me ill. I hoped he was joking.

I should have felt like a child under his administration. I didn’t. His touch was oddly gentle for a man who beat up people for a living. I sure as heck didn’t feel like a child. In fact, I felt the opposite. An unwelcome heat swirled low in my gut. I stared at his chin, took in the dark stubble along his cheeks and wondered if it would feel rough against my face if we kissed.

Kissed?

What was I thinking! My startled gaze jumped to his eyes. Those gray eyes surrounded by thick spiky black lashes. So gorgeous. I wondered if one of his parents had come from Spain for he had an almost exotic look to his tanned body.

His strokes slowed, but my skin still tingled. I barely noticed the pain. My body thrummed as if completely and totally aware of his nearness. When was the last time I’d kissed someone? So long ago that I couldn’t remember. I was eighteen for God’s sake, I shouldn’t be embarrassed to have a guy this close.

He cleared his throat and lowered his hand. “There. Done.”

Was it my imagination or did his fingers tremble as he pulled a first aid kit from the backpack? Dear God, did he actually care about me? I wasn’t sure how to feel about the realization. This man I didn’t remember, this man I didn’t know… cared about me. I felt like I should be flattered in some way. But in reality, all I felt was confused.

“You need to be more careful,” he grumbled.

“Why?”

He brushed aside my hair and pressed a band aid to my forehead. “So you don’t get hurt.” He took a penlight from the bag and shone it in my eyes. “Doesn’t look like you have a concussion.”

“No, why am I here?” I slapped his hand away, the light annoying. “I need to know, Maddox. Everything.”

He replaced the bandages and mini flashlight and watched me warily. “Like what?”

“Well, for one, who is Blondie?”

“Blondie?” He chuckled over the name and looked away. “The truth? She used to be with us… until they got to her.”

“They who?”

“Aaron. She works with Aaron.”

I frowned, trying to remember, scratching at the surface of my brain, attempting to recall  Blondie, or Aaron…anyone. “The man who took me?”

The man who worked with Lewis. My supposed boyfriend.

He nodded. “The man who betrayed your father.” He stood and strolled toward the windows. Lifting the blinds, he peeked out. “And now they want you, but I’m not going to let that happen.”

I rubbed my throbbing temples. “I don’t remember her.”

“That’s because you never met her.”

“Oh.” That made sense, yet it didn’t sit well. I knew her from somewhere, I was sure of it. “I need more, Maddox.”

“Like what?”

“Anything on my dad? You can’t tell me where he is?”

He turned toward me. “It’s for your protection, and his.”

In case this didn’t work out and I was caught, I couldn’t spill their secrets. It made sense, but I didn’t like it. “Fine, but why can’t I at least talk to him?” To be honest, I wanted proof my dad really was alive. For all I knew, Maddox could have made up the entire story.

He shrugged and started toward the bed. “That, sweetheart, is up to your dad.”

In other words, Dad didn’t want to talk to me. The realization stung. “But you’re speaking with him, right?”

He sighed and settled on his mattress. For one long moment he merely stared at me, as if attempting to decipher if I could be trusted with the truth. “North Carolina. All right?”

I shook my head, confused.

“You wanted something, I’m giving you something.” He reached for the bedside lamp. “We’re headed to North Carolina. I promise you’ll see him there in a day, two at the most.”

North Carolina? We’d lived in North Carolina near the mountains when I was nine. Oh God, had my father really been that close by? The thought made me ill.

I bit my lower lip, unsure if I could trust him. Things just didn’t make sense. Why would my father leave me with Grandma all these years? Why send Maddox? Why wouldn’t he have come for me? How did Maddox and Blondie know each other? Where was my grandma? So many questions, yet all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and fade away.

“No more questions. You’re exhausted.” Maddox turned off the light, but the sun still shone through the threadbare curtains. Outside an air conditioning unit rumbled to life. “Now, get some sleep. Tomorrow we drive. No more airplanes.” He set his pistol on the bedside table and fell back onto his mattress.

I lay down, cushioning my head on the soft pillow and closed my eyes. But my mind spun with odd thoughts and possibilities. I’d never be able to fall asleep this early.

“I came for the chick, of course.” Blondie’s words whispered through my memory.

She wasn’t going to kill me. She could have… easily. She’d come to take me somewhere. She’d claimed she could protect me better than Maddox.

“Darling, Maddox, really, you know me better than that.”

Maddox said he had a chip in his head, which was why I couldn’t read his thoughts. But Blondie had been able to use her magical mind powers on him. She’d made us think we’d heard her in a different spot while in that garage.

“Maddox.”

“Yeah?”

“Why could she influence your mind, but I can’t?”

He rolled on his side, his back to me. “Who?”

“Blondie.”

He was silent for a long moment. I held my breath, waiting for his response. “Cameron?”

I stiffened. “Yeah?”

“Go to sleep.”

With a disgruntled sigh, I rolled over and closed my eyes. There were many things he wasn’t telling me. But we had a long drive in the car to get to North Carolina and he would have no way to avoid my persistent questions.

****

I didn’t think I would ever sleep, but at some point deep within the night, the aspirin started working its magic and my throbbing head eased, allowing my mind to drift toward slumber. But it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. As with most nights for the past six months, dreams flashed through my mind like I was on a roller coaster, odd pictures that left me disorientated.

The boy with the blue eyes.

Lewis, his name whispered through my mind.

Always there, never far away.

All these months I’d thought he was some dream, now I knew he was real.

The picture of the guy shifted.

I was standing near the shore at Lakeside, a café teens frequented when we lived in Maine. Students surrounded me, pushing, shoving. Slowly, I turned. My blue-eyed boy stood near the parking lot…watching me, the wind tousling his hair. There were screams in the background and vaguely I wondered why everyone was crying. But I couldn’t take my gaze from him. I worried if I looked away, he might disappear.

Had it been real? Had this Lewis really been at Lakeside? The memory shifted.

A tall man with brown hair was in front of me. I didn’t know him, but I recognized the living room. We were at a party at Emily’s house. The man was walking toward me. So many people dancing, laughing… but I couldn’t look away from him. Something was off… I was scared… nervous and the man was headed my way. I wanted to run, but I was frozen, nerves getting the better of me.

And then there was Lewis, stepping close to me and my fear fled. “Keep calm,” he whispered near my ear. And for some reason I did.

The dreams changed once more.

We were in a car. “You don’t have to feel this way.” He leaned closer and cupped the side of my face with a warm, comforting hand. “I know you’re scared. I know you’re tired but you can trust me.”

I felt tears sting my eyes. “How can I? I don’t even know you.”

“I know you, Cam. You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

The pictures swirled together, mixing, combining. Everything was so damn confusing.

The blue-eyed boy was gone and Maddox was there. Maddox with his hair messed up, bruises on his face. Maddox with hard, determined eyes that made me nervous.

“Maddox?” I said.

Maddox’s arm shot out, wrapping around my waist. Suddenly I was slammed against his chest. My Swiss Army Knife was clutched in his fist. He flipped open the blade and pressed it to my skin, the metal cold and sharp. I didn’t dare move, barely breathed.

“Come any closer and she’s dead,” Maddox said.

I came awake with a start. Darkness surrounded me. It was night and the only light was a gray square patch coming through the curtains. Cold sweat covered my body, my chest rising and falling with each harsh intake of breath. I didn’t dare move, confusion and fear holding me frozen on the hard bed. The room was silent. The only sound was Maddox’s soft breathing.

Slowly, I turned my head. He lay upon the bed next to mine, his right arm thrown across his pillow. He looked so peaceful and innocent in sleep, but I knew only too well what he was capable of. Who the hell was he? The helpful man he claimed to be, or the man from my dreams… the man who had held a knife to my throat. I turned my head and spotted the dark silhouette of Maddox’s backpack. He wouldn’t dare have anything telling in that bag…would he?

Slowly, I inched my way down the mattress. My feet hit the carpet and I sank to the floor. Hidden by my bed, I pulled the backpack closer. My heart hammered wildly, my head pounded. If he heard me, I could always say I was looking for more aspirin. I stuffed my hand into the bag and found the penlight.

Pistols and knives were gone, replaced by a folder. Holding the mini flashlight in one hand, I pulled out the thin binder and opened it. Me. Pictures of me walking the beach with Grandma. Pictures of me working at our food stand from months ago. Pictures of me at the cottage in Maine. My stomach churned. Maddox, or someone, had been watching me for months…years.

I shoved the folder back into the bag. My heart slammed wildly in my chest. Demanding answers would do no good. I’d found that out the moment I’d met him. What to do?

Then I saw his wallet… there, nestled at the bottom of the bag. With a trembling hand I pulled out the leather billfold and flipped it open. A driver’s license. Two hundred dollars. Nothing else. I started to close the billfold when I noticed the tiniest bit of white standing out from behind the license.

I waited a breathless moment, then pulled it free. A picture of two people standing, arms around each other, wide smiles upon their faces. A couple.

I shifted the penlight, flashing the beam over their grinning faces.

Maddox and…

Blondie.

She had dark hair, but there was no mistaking her features. My heart jumped into my throat. Maddox and Blondie hugging. Obviously more than friends. My mind shifted to that airport garage. Their fighting had been almost playful. Their banter almost flirty. She’d had the chance to shoot him, but hadn’t.

Dear God, what was happening?

“Cameron?” Maddox said, his voice gruff with sleep.

I froze.

“You all right?”

I dropped the light, grabbed the money and shoved it into my pocket. I knew what I had to do. Slowly, I stood. I’d bested Blondie, surely I could best him. “Yeah. Just… looking for aspirin.”

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, a large, intimidating form. “It’s in the front pocket.”

I nodded.

He reached out, turning on the lamp that sat on the bedside table. The pistol lay there within reach. For one long moment, we didn’t speak. He was watching me…suspicion in his gaze. I was watching him…fear in my gut. Something shifted between us and I realized he knew.

I dove across the bed, my fingers wrapping around the pistol, reaching the weapon before him. Without pause, I stumbled back, putting the bed between us.

“What the hell?” he demanded, surging to his feet.

I pointed the pistol at his chest, my breath coming out in sharp pants. “Tell me the truth.” I edged around the bed, starting toward the door. “I want to know everything, now!”

“Well, this is a rude way to wake someone up.” His gaze flickered from my face to the gun, back and forth. “I told you, your dad’s in North Carolina.”

“No! I saw it, Maddox, I saw you holding a knife to my throat.”

He shook his head, his brows drawn together. “What? When?”

“I don’t know!” My back hit the door. “Because I don’t remember anything!”

He held up his hands, his gaze on me. “Cameron, I can explain. Calm down.” He started toward me with determined steps. My body started shaking. I could barely hold onto the gun. “You don’t want anything to happen that you’ll regret.”

“Don’t trust anyone,” Lewis flashed to mind, his voice hard, demanding.

“No!” I was so confused, so damn confused. “I saw the picture of you and Blondie in your wallet.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes flashing. “Going through my things?”

I ignored his anger, wouldn’t let it affect me. “How do you know her?”

He paused at the end of the bed. “We dated, once.”

They’d dated. Oh God, were they in this together? Some devious plan to kidnap me? My head thumped, the pain almost blinding in its intensity. I flinched, but didn’t dare lower the pistol. Didn’t dare take my eyes from him.

“You’re making a mistake, Cameron. Just calm down.”

“I need time to think.”

“You don’t have time!” He surged toward me.

I pushed out with my mind, using my mental energy to knock him down. Better than using the gun.

Maddox stumbled, crying out. I wasn’t sure if I’d injured him or not, but I didn’t wait to find out. I tore open the door and dove into the night, having no idea where I was going or what the hell I was doing. I did know one thing, Lewis had been right…I could trust no one.

Chapter 9

I remembered the fort vaguely…a distant memory that grew foggier with every year that swept by. The last memory I had of my father.

I had been four and Dad had taken me to the beach. I remembered playing in the ocean, laughing as my father threw me high, only to catch me safely within his arms. A time when life had been perfect. The day had been warm, the beach crowded with summer vacationers.

But this morning the sand underneath me was cold and the beach almost empty. A different day. A different life.

My father had left later that week and I’d never seen him again. I’d never expected to see him again…until now.

A man I thought was dead. A man who was supposed to be dead.

A man who apparently wasn’t dead.

Maybe. If I believed Maddox.

I rested my head in my hands, Maddox’s pistol lying upon the sand in front of me. What if my father’s sudden rebirth was a lie? A horrible, terrible lie?

Could I trust Maddox? I stared at the pistol. I’d never shot anyone and I didn’t want to. But would Maddox have shot me if he had gotten to the pistol first? How I wished I could talk to Grandma.

I was so tired of not knowing the truth, or who to trust. I drew my knees to my chest and gazed out at the ocean. The sun was just peeking above the horizon. If I’d left with Maddox, if I’d trusted him, I’d be on my way to North Carolina right now… away from the beach. Away from everything I loved. But maybe I’d be with my father.

Gulls cried above, their high-pitched screams comforting. Familiar.

I knew all I’d have to do is let down the wall inside my head that was keeping my thoughts locked away. If I let down the wall, someone would find me. Blondie, maybe even my dad. But I wasn’t ready to be found.

A few men had wandered onto the long pier that led out into the sea, preparing to fish the morning away. How relaxing and calm their lives must be. None looked my way; they were too caught up in watching the beautiful sunrise. That fiery ball just peeking over the horizon, forcing the night away with its brilliant rays of orange and pink. Gulls were racing up and down the sand, crying to each other in their search for an easy meal. And there, upon the shore, purple sea urchins that had been washed up. Helpless sea urchins with nowhere to run, with no chance of survival.

“Get!” I surged to my feet, shooing the birds away from the easy prey.

They scattered, but didn’t dare go too far. Carefully, I scooped up a prickly urchin, then gently tossed it into the water. One down, a thousand to go.

The birds merely watched me warily, keeping their distance from the crazy human. They looked hungry. They needed to eat as well. Who was I to choose who lived and who died?

I pushed aside the depressing thought and sank onto the sand, giving up my desperate attempt to save the sea life. With a cry, the white and gray birds rushed toward the feast once more.

Perhaps I should have heard Maddox out. Maybe I should have tried calling Grandma. Maybe… maybe…

I rested my face in my hands, confused and frustrated. Alone. Always alone.

“You’re making a mistake, Cameron. Just calm down.”

“I need time to think.”

“You don’t have time!”

Maddox had surged toward me, only to stumble when I pushed out with my mind. What had I done to him? What if I’d injured him… or worse?

“Need a tissue?”

I jerked my head upright, my hands flattening into the gritty sand. Blondie sat beside me. So close that if I reached out, I could touch her.

“You certainly cry a lot.”

For one crazed moment, I thought I might be hallucinating. But no… she was all too real. I could smell the sweet, flowery scent. I didn’t dare move, afraid that if I startled her, she’d do something desperate. And I was completely aware of what she was capable.

My heart jumped into my throat. Panic, a bitter taste on my tongue. Without turning my head, I scanned the area around me, wondering where she’d come from, if she had backup.

She tsked, shaking her head. “With Maddox only two days and already injured.”

God, I hated her. “The injury is from you, moron.” My fingers curled, digging into the sand as I resisted the urge to grab that gun at my feet. Could I reach it in time?

She frowned. “There’s no need for name calling.”

“What do you want?”

She shrugged, looking out at the ocean, her hair wavering on the breeze. She’d changed into jeans and a zip-up hoodie, but she still looked perfect. Every guys dream, my nightmare. “I want you to listen.”

I tried to hear over the sound of the waves and the roar of blood pumping to my ears, but my frantic mind made it impossible to understand. Was she alone? Could I outrun her? I was used to running in sand…

“There are things you need to know,” she started.

The fishermen were too far away to hear me yell for help and the wind would just carry the sound away. “How’d you find me?”

She laughed. “I’ve been following you since you got in that taxi and came here.”

I grew cold at the realization. She’d known about our hotel room. I’d been sitting here a good half hour and the entire time she’d been watching me. I was majorly screwed. “Fine, I’m listening.”

Like I had any other choice. I’d keep her occupied and grab that gun when she wasn’t looking. But could I actually shoot her? Hopefully I wouldn’t have to. I prayed she’d be smart enough to let me go.

She picked up a broken scallop, turning the white shell over and rubbing her thumb along the smooth inside. “You’re not safe with Maddox, and you sure as hell aren’t safe on your own. You need to come with me.”

Sure, no problem. She was obviously insane. “You work for Aaron.”

She slid me a look filled with pure annoyance. “With Aaron.” She tossed the shell toward the shore. “I work for no one.”

I rolled my eyes. She was so damn full of herself. “Well, I’ve worked with Aaron and it ended in me losing my memory. So I think I’ll pass, thank you very much.”

She was quiet for a moment as she studied my face. What was she looking for? I grew warm under her scrutiny. “You think you know the truth?”

I didn’t respond because I didn’t know the truth. We all knew that my knowledge of the situation was sparse. Still, her intense gaze left me feeling uncomfortable and I shifted, unsure of how far I could push her.

“So, then tell me the truth,” I finally said, tired of her mind games.

She shrugged, gazing out at the sea once more. Hot and cold. I couldn’t read the woman. One minute she was holding a gun to my head, the next she acted as if she had my best interest at heart.

“Aaron might seem…overwhelming, but he’s loyal and thinks what he’s doing is right.”

I snorted. “Right? I might not remember everything, but I remember the pain I felt when he erased my memory.”

She slid me a curious glance. “Your memory’s coming back?”

Although it was a nonchalant glance she gave me, I could see the surprise deep within her gaze. I gritted my teeth, cursing myself. Why had I said anything? I’d talked way too much and it was obvious she didn’t really have my best interest at heart. Time for the gun. I shifted, moving my hand from my knee to the sand.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Startled, I lifted my gaze to her.

“You’re good, but so am I.” She grinned and suddenly the pistol flew across the sand, stopping directly at her feet. I sucked in a sharp breath, resisting the urge to dive after the weapon. She didn’t pick up the pistol as it lay beside her, much to my relief.

“I prefer to work alone,” I said.

“Then you’re as good as dead.” She sighed. “Besides, you don’t even know what the hell you’re running from. You think you know me? You think you know Aaron so well? Well, how well do you know your dad?”

I bit my lower lip, uneasy. “I don’t trust Aaron because he’s proven to be untrustworthy.” But here was Blondie implying I couldn’t trust my own father either. Who could I trust?

She leaned back, resting on the palms of her hands. Just a typical girl enjoying the beach. “Listen, enough chit chat. You have to decide now. You’re a sitting duck, Cameron…out here alone.”

Her words triggered something in my memory.

Suddenly I was inside the café by our cottage in Maine. Lewis and I were sitting at a small table near the windows. Bent close together, it was almost as if… we were dating.

“Not being able to use your powers to your fullest ability, you’re just a sitting duck, waiting for them to find you,” he said.

“We’ve been okay so far.”

“Have you really?” When I didn’t respond he sighed and raked his hand through his hair, the strands shifting and shimmering under the light of the cafe. I could almost remember the feel of those silky strands…

“Why do you think your Grandmother keeps moving you so often? God, Cam, they’re coming. Rumors are circulating that they’re on the move again, searching for ones with the ability.”

Fear settled in my gut. “Why?”

He shrugged. “The world is changing, my bet is the government wants to use us again.”

“Would that be so bad? We’d be helping…right?”

He released a harsh laugh, shaking his head. “Yes, it would be bad. We can’t trust them. Not after what they did to us in the past. You think you have no freedom now, wait and see if they get ahold of you. Your life will no longer be your own. And if you even think of rebelling they’ll know and they’ll make you regret it.”

“So what is it?” Blondie asked, her voice breaking into the memory.

If she worked with Aaron, she must have known Lewis. “Lewis,” I blurted out, surprised I’d said his name.

She narrowed her eyes. “What about him?”

“Is he…okay?”

Her lips lifted into a slow smile. “So that’s it, huh? Your kryptonite?”

I clenched my jaw, more than annoyed. How dare she play these games with me. “Is he okay?”

“Yes.”

The relief I felt was completely uncalled for, considering the guy had supposedly betrayed me. But Lewis had warned me, not about Aaron, but someone else…

“I…I can’t.” I wasn’t even sure what I was responding to. All I knew was that Lewis had warned me not to trust anyone. “I can’t go with you.”

“Too bad.” Blondie tucked her feet underneath her, as if preparing to stand. “Because you’re coming anyway.”

I didn’t think, only reacted. My fingers curled around a clump of sand and I tossed it toward her. The crystals sparkled in the rising sun before peppering her face. Blondie cried out, her hands going to her eyes in a desperate attempt to swipe away the gritty bits.

I knew I didn’t have time to waste. I jumped to my feet and raced toward the boardwalk that would take me to the parking lot. The thump of my heart and pound of my feet on the wooden planks drowned out any noise. How much of a head start did I have? Desperately need to know where she was, I dared to look back. Blondie was stumbling to her feet. I knew in that moment she wouldn’t give up. Ever.

I made it to the large parking lot and froze. The road lay across the lot, the path open and long. She’d have plenty of time to shoot me. No place to hide. On the other hand, the fortress, gray and dark against the early morning light, stood to my left. It might look gloomy, but at the moment, it was all I had. Frantically, I searched my mind, attempting to remember the fort my father and I had explored those many, many years back. But I could barely remember the last six months of my life, it was impossible to know the details of a memory that old.

The stairs. They would lead to the top.

I bolted forward and raced up the wide, shallow steps at the back of the fort. A narrow platform provided a roof. Beyond lay another set of stairs. I ran to the low, stone wall that surrounded the top and leaned over, looking out upon the shore. The sand lay empty. I knew better than to believe Blondie had left. My heart slammed wildly, urging me to run, but I needed to think things through. Maddox and I had been running for days and look how well that had turned out. Resting my hands on the stone wall, I reached out with my mind, searching for Blondie, but felt nothing. Where the hell was she?

Grandma said I was powerful. One of the best. Maybe she’d been wrong.

I squeezed my eyes shut and searched for her again.

There… I felt someone coming up the steps, the slightest pulse of energy tingling over my skin… coming closer… closer… closer…

“You think to break into my mind?” she yelled out, her voice echoing against the stone walls. “Can’t happen Cameron.”

Startled, I opened my eyes. She could feel me, and if she could sense me, she knew where I was.

“I’ll always be able to find you,” she said, as if reading my mind. “You’re being ridiculous. Time to give up.”

I jerked my head right. Could I make it to the opposite stairs? But then where would I go? The vegetation below wasn’t tall enough to hide behind. I heard her footsteps at the top of the fort and panic overwhelmed me. Too late to run. I dove behind a black cannon, attempting to calm my harsh breath. She was insane if she thought I was going back to Aaron… the man who had deleted my memory.

“You’re good, I’ll give you that, but you’re out of practice. Untrained.”

Oh God, she was close… so close.

“You don’t know what you’re capable of. We can teach you to use your full powers.”

The world shifted again and I was in a study, Lewis and Aaron in front of me.

“Your concentration is wonderful. Your ability to block everything…amazing.” Aaron shook his head. “If only you’d been taught meditation early on. Hell, if you’d done yoga it would have come out.”

He took my hand and helped me to my feet. I felt oddly weak. “You’re doing amazingly well, Cameron. So much better than I’d expected.”

I nodded slowly, watching Lewis as he walked toward the windows. He stared outside, as if in deep thought. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was contemplating. He seemed upset…or maybe just lost, confused, I wasn’t sure.

“Cameron,” Blondie called out from directly behind me, jerking me from the memory.

I didn’t have time to think, didn’t even dare look back, but bolted forward, out from behind the safety of the cannon and directly into Blondie. Shocked, I stumbled back.

“But—”

“I can make you think you’ve heard something you haven’t. Nifty trick.”

Damn, but I’d forgotten. She’d made me think I’d heard her voice from behind, just as she had in the garage when Maddox and I had been hiding. Maddox had warned me… Oh God, what the hell was she? She sure as heck wasn’t some common mind reader.

She grinned, obviously enjoying my shock. “Give it up. You’re coming with me, Cameron.”

My fingers curled, my anger flaring. “You think so?”

“I know so.” Her smirk fell, annoyance flashing in those blue eyes. She stepped closer, her body a dark shadow against the rising sun. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

“Screw you.” A sharp pain sliced through my head. The entire world went blank, darkness and despair wrapping tightly around me, suffocating. It was too much. I cried out, landing on my knees to the hard, stone floor.

The pain faded as quickly as it had come, but I remained breathless, kneeling upon the ground, fearful it would happen again. Blondie knelt beside me, her gaze as hard as the stone around us. “No idea.”

I lifted my head, my anger palpable, it pulsed from me in waves I could barely contain. “And you have no idea what I’m capable of.”

Before she had time to prepare, I threw my fist forward, right into her perfect face. My knuckles collided with her chin, sending her stumbling back. I had the advantage of surprise on my side once more. It was all I had.

I surged to my feet and darted past her, stumbling down the back steps, knowing I had little time to hide. If only I knew how to hotwire a car! I followed the trail that led around the building to the front of the fort. Could I hitchhike?

I focused my attention on the fort. Dark tunnels faded into the stone building. I remembered exploring those short corridors with my dad. Beyond the fort, right would take me back to the open beach. Left I’d end up at the road and further, in swampy water that I’d rather not take my chances with. No cars drove down the street, offering assistance. I was completely alone in this and I could sense Blondie’s energy coming closer.

Thundering footsteps from above sent my heart skittering. I darted into one of those dark tunnels that led into the fort. The corridor wasn’t long and I had only two rooms to choose from.

“Damn it, Cameron,” Blondie snapped.

I slipped into the first room, hiding in the shadows and crouching low. My only source of light came from the barred windows fifteen feet from me. The dirt was soft underfoot and litter peppered the ground. Graffiti covered the walls in a sad display of those who had been here. But had they been running for their lives as I was? Who the hell was I kidding? I was so going to get caught.

Blondie paused outside that window like a hunter waiting for prey. I didn’t dare move, barely even breathed.

“Come out, come out,” she sang softly. “I can sense you close by.”

My heart pounded, I thought for sure she would hear its beat. She sighed and started toward the parking lot, away from me. I released the air I held. Time to make my move. I’d have a clear shot to the road and then… then… I’d think about it when I got there. I started to stand. A steel arm wrapped around me and pulled me back into a hard, male chest. I opened my mouth to scream but a hand clamped over my lips, trapping the sound. I was pulled back, my shoes scraping against the floor, leaving trails in the dirt.

“Shhh,” a man whispered, his breath warm on the side of my face. “She’s out there. Cover your thoughts.”

I immediately did as he said, not daring to fight or question him. He knew of Blondie and he was trying to hide from her, that was good enough for me.

“I’m going to let go,” he whispered. “Stay calm, alright?”

I nodded.

Slowly, he released his hold and stepped back. Just as slowly, I turned.

There, in the shadows, his angular face seemed oddly familiar. Who was he?

I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer to him. That brown hair, that tall, sinewy body, those eyes….

Realization dawned like a slap to the face.

“Dad?” I whispered.

Chapter 10

“Stay quiet.”

He moved toward the doorway, not making a sound. A man trained to hide. Trained to hunt. Trained for this world.

Stunned, I just stood there searching the familiarity of his features in the low light, unable to believe he was truly there. Searching the way he walked, his hair… everything about him…all so familiar.

It was him. My dad was alive.

I sank back, needing the stone wall for support. “Dad?”

“Shhh,” he held up his hand, silencing me.

But I didn’t want to keep quiet. I wanted to scream, to laugh, to… I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I gritted my teeth to keep from calling to him again. But I couldn’t stop the trembles from raking my body. Violent trembles that started in my very core. I felt close to losing it, as if that thin thread that had kept me linked to sanity was fraying. My dad was ten feet from me. My dad. The man who was supposed to be dead. The man I hadn’t seen in over a decade.

My dad.

He gave a quick wave of his hand, urging me forward. “Let’s go.”

I paused for only a moment, my rational mind doing battle with my emotions. No explanations. I knew there wasn’t time. Still, I’d expected something, anything from the man who was supposed to be dead. We reached the tunnel, dull morning light hitting his body and making him glow.

He was my father. Older, of course, but still my dad. There were lines at the corners of his eyes, I noticed them as he searched the front lawn. I couldn’t look away. Silver strands marked his temples, peppering his dark hair and showing his age. But there was no doubt about it...he was my father.

Suddenly I was angry, so very mad that time had moved forward, stealing moments from me and my father. He had grown old. Any chance of a life with him was gone, really. There was no going back in time.

“I have a car not far from here,” he whispered, completely oblivious to my pain.

My dad was talking to me. I saw his lips moving, but couldn’t quite understand the words. I didn’t really understand anything at the moment. My emotions were going into overdrive, popping and sizzling like a bad circuit board.

He looked back at me, as if expecting something. “Ready?”

I nodded dumbly. He slipped his hand into mine. The contact sent my mind spinning. No longer was I in the present time. I was back in that small cottage we’d owned when I was a child.

“Why are you doing this?” my mother asked.

I was little. So young. I peeked around the corner of the hall, awakened by their argument.

“To protect you. Both of you.”

“You’ll protect us by staying with us!” She grasped onto his arm. “They’ll come for us. You know that.”

“You know where to go if you need help.”

“I don’t trust—”

“Let’s go,” my father said and the memory disappeared as quickly as it had come.

His grip on my hand tightened as he pulled me from the safety of the building and into the unforgiving morning. I stumbled over my feet, barely aware of where we went, still focused on that memory. Had my mom known about my father’s powers? Who hadn’t she trusted?

As we burst into the sunlight, a combination of emotions rolled through me. Anger, confusion, worry… Running for our lives. This was so not the reunion I’d envisioned.

Dad paused at the end of the fort wall. In the brilliant light of the sun it struck me hard… he was real. His touch real. This couldn’t be happening. My heart slammed erratically in my chest, not from fear. No, from shock.

I stood there, so close to my father I could feel his body’s heat, so close I could see the flecks of blue in his hazel eyes. And as I stood there, I tried desperately to search my memory for anything other than our moment at the beach. Something. Surely there was more. Surely we’d had a relationship at one time. Had we shared breakfast in the morning? Had he taken me to the park and pushed me on the swings?

“Well, well, what a sweet reunion.” Blondie’s voice came from behind us.

I spun around. My dad didn’t curse or even flinch. He merely turned to confront the witch.

“Nice to see you again,” he said by way of greeting. Obviously they were well acquainted, while I suddenly felt like the only mind reader who didn’t belong to their secret club. Or maybe all of this insanity was my initiation. God, I hoped not.

She laughed. “Right, I’m sure you’re thrilled.”

My dad stepped forward. “Nora, don’t.”

Don’t what? I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the woman. Nora. Why did that name sound familiar? I raked my patchy memory, but couldn’t place it.

“You’re fast, I’ll give you that,” Nora said, crossing her arms over her chest, her stance relaxed. “But I’m betting you were here all along, weren’t you?”

I glanced at my father, surprised by her comment. She was lying. If he’d been here, why had he waited so long to show himself?

A pulse in my dad’s neck beat quickly, the only sign of his annoyance. “Why are you here?”

I noticed that he hadn’t answered her question. She started forward, her steps slow and unhurried, tapping against the sidewalk. “Same reason you are.”

A soft, cool breeze whispered in from the ocean, smelling of water and salt… a scent that used to be comforting. Now, I only felt sick.

“You know I can’t let you take her.”

They acted like I was some prize, some inanimate object to be won.

Nora paused, blinking her eyes wide with feigned surprise. “Well then, we’re at an impasse, whatever shall we do?”

My father’s hands fisted at his sides. “Enough with the games. You know you can’t beat me.”

“Want to give it a try?” She smirked. “I’ve improved since last time.”

Last time? How many times had they fought?

Dad sighed with resignation. “I guess you aren’t going to give me a choice.”

What the hell was going on?

My father stepped closer to her, placing himself between me and Nora. “It didn’t have to be this way.”

My heart slammed wildly in my chest. What would they do? No, no, it couldn’t end like this. I wouldn’t let something happen to my dad when I’d just found him.

She laughed. “Yeah, if only I’d let you brainwash me.”

“Aaron is the only one brainwashing and you know it.”

“Oh really? Guess what, that perfect little girl cowering behind you is regaining her memory.” She slid me a brief glance, victory in her eyes. “Wonder what she’ll think when the truth comes out.”

“If her memory returns completely the only thing she’ll realize is that her instincts not to trust you and Aaron were right all along.”

Before I could truly contemplate what they were discussing, my father moved his arm through the air. A nearby tree branch that had been lying harmlessly near a cannon rushed toward Nora. She ducked. The branch just missed her, slamming against the stone wall of the fort and falling in pieces to the ground. Holy crap, Dad could move things with his mind. I seriously needed to learn that trick, it might come in handy when being chased by psychos.

“Playing dirty?” She straightened, bracing her legs apart and narrowing her eyes. “Bring it on.”

Suddenly my father cried out, his hands going to his head as he stumbled to his knees.

“Dad?” I started forward only to be caught up short by an overwhelming pain that sliced through my head. I was barely aware of the world around me, only the knife stabbing my brain. My knees hit the cement sidewalk and I pressed the heels of my palms to my temples, attempting to lessen the ache.

“Block her, Cam,” my father’s voice managed to somehow seep through the wall of hurt.

Block her? How the hell did I do that? I tried to ignore the pain, squeezed my eyes shut and took in a deep breath of humid air, rebuilding my mental wall inch by inch. It worked.

Slowly the pain lessened. It was still there, throbbing at the back of my head, but not nearly as bad. I managed to crack open my eyes. The rising sun seemed too bright, the calling seagulls too loud. Dad was regaining his feet, his face stern, flushed with anger.

“Hurt me, but you have no right to hurt her. She’s done nothing to you.”

Surprisingly, Nora agreed. “Fine.” She reached into her back pocket. “You’re right.” She pulled out my pistol and pointed it directly at my father’s chest. “I’m tired of the games too. So what do you say, we end it all here?”

“No!” I screamed, jumping to my feet.

“Cameron,” my father warned. “Stay back.”

I know what I’m doing.

It took a moment for me to realize my father had actually spoken to me through his thoughts. I froze some five feet from him.

“You know you won’t,” my father said, staring unflinchingly at Nora.

I wasn’t so sure.

“Want to test that?” Blondie’s hand shook. She was irate. This was not the cute banter she’d participated in with Maddox. No, this was pure rage directed at my father. But why? What had he done to her? I wasn’t so sure I wanted to uncover the truth.

“I know you—”

“You don’t!” she screamed. Cinder-kick-butt-Ella looked like she might cry. I watched in awe. She wasn’t some emotionless robot after all.

Slowly, I inched forward. She didn’t have the gun pointed at me, but at my dad. She didn’t want to hurt me, at least not kill me. But I sure as heck wasn’t going to stand by and let her kill my dad. I couldn’t lose him… not again.

“Please,” I whispered.

She glanced at me and released a wry laugh. “You have no damn clue, Cameron. No idea what he’s done to my friends, my family.”

She was right, sort of. “Maybe, but I do know one thing.” I stepped in front of my dad. “You want me alive.”

At least I hoped.

She clenched her jaw, her arm wavering.

Cameron, my dad’s voice whispered through my head. Don’t. Don’t put yourself in danger.

“Dad,” I said out loud. “I’m already in danger. I’ve been in danger my entire life.”

“Having secret little father and daughter conversations? How sweet.” Nora started forward, her steps determined, her aim unwavering. “She’s coming with me.”

Dad grasped onto my arm and pulled me back. “She’s not.”

Before I could argue, Dad sliced his arm through the air again and the pistol flew from Nora’s hand, skittering across the parking lot. Suddenly Blondie cried out and dropped to her knees. She gripped her head, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut, a picture of someone in pain.

“You want to do pain, you know I can as well,” my father growled.

I shifted, uneasy with what was happening, and more importantly, what could happen. I’d caused Maddox pain in that hotel room…just like Nora and my father. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that fact. Empowered, shocked… but mostly a little frightened about what I was capable of. I sure as hell didn’t want to be like Nora.

The sudden screech of tires had me turning toward the parking lot. A silver Lexus came to a skidding halt next to us, so close I was forced to jump back onto the sidewalk. I recognized that man behind the wheel.

“Dad!” I grasped his arm. “We have to go, now! They’re working together!”

Maddox had found me and he didn’t look like he was in a forgiving mood. Too late. The door opened and Maddox stood. He glanced briefly at Nora, who was still kneeling upon the ground, then focused on my father. “I’ll take care of her, John. Just go.” Maddox tossed my father the keys.

“You can’t hold her back,” my father said, starting toward the car.

“I can long enough so you can get a good head start.”

Dad nodded and glanced at me. “Cameron, let’s go.”

Maddox met my gaze. Talk about awkward. Okay, so apparently he was on our side.

“Cameron,” my father demanded. He had opened the passenger door and was waiting impatiently for me.

“Sorry,” I whispered to Maddox as I raced passed him.

Maddox didn’t respond.

Dad waved me toward the car. “Get in.”

I sank onto the leather seat and jerked the seatbelt across my chest, my gaze was on Maddox, who was ducking Blondie’s roundhouse kick. She’d already recovered.

“Why?” I asked. “Why is all of this happening?”

He started to close my door, only to pause. “I did what I could to protect you.”

“But—”

“Cameron.” He knelt and cupped the sides of my face. “Look at me.”

Reluctantly, I shifted in my seat, staring directly into his eyes. The same hazel eyes I had.

“We don’t have time for answers right now. It’s going to be a long drive. You’re going to want to rest.”

“But I don’t want to…” My mind felt suddenly fuzzy, my body heavy.

“Yes. You’re exhausted. Sleep.”

My lashes fluttered as I resisted the urge to close my eyes. There were so many things I needed to ask him. So many things I needed to know. My head lulled back against the seat. He was right…I was tired. So damn tired.

“Sleep, Cameron,” my dad said softly.

And so I did. I closed my eyes and drifted into slumber.

Chapter 11

“Wake up, Cameron.”

My father’s words broke through the heaviness of slumber. For a moment, as my foggy mind refused to wake, I thought I’d dreamt his voice. But no, I could feel the low rumble of the car, the soft leather of the seat underneath me, the cramp in my neck from being bent at an odd angle.

Slowly, I cracked open my eyes. It was dark, no street lights lit the road, not even another vehicle approached. On either side were thick woods. I reached for my right shoulder and began to massage the aching muscle, my thoughts jumbled, my body confused.

My dad. I was with my dad. It was still hard to believe. I rubbed the sleep from my blurry eyes. My mouth tasted like dirty cotton. What I wouldn’t do for something to drink.

I glanced at my father, but it was impossible to read his face in the dark interior. “Where are we?”

“North Carolina.”

Surprised, the fog of sleep instantly cleared. “What? How?” I bolted upright, taking in the scenery with a new appreciation.

“We drove,” he said with a laugh that I swore I remembered from childhood. “And if they waited for us, we should be there in time for dinner.”

I brushed the hair from my face and studied the landscape once more, as if expecting to see a sign that said we had indeed, already made it to North Carolina. “I can’t believe I slept that long.”

“Well, you had a trying last few days.”

I glanced at the car clock. Almost nine. Sure, but to sleep for hours, never once waking? It didn’t make sense. I rubbed my aching neck, attempting to clear any remaining fog and remember what had happened. Maddox and Blondie had been fighting at the fort. My father had led me toward his car and…

My father flipped on the turn signal, the soft click, click, click the only sound in the quiet night. My father. I was in a car with my father. It seemed impossible and I fumbled for what to say next.

We turned onto a dirt road that led through more thick forest. “Where’s Maddox?”

“He’ll be fine.” My dad slowed. “He’ll meet us here later.”

“And… Nora?”

“He won’t kill her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how to feel about her. I didn’t necessarily want her dead, but I wouldn’t mind if she was locked away on an island in the middle of the Atlantic with no chance of escape.

“Dad,” I started, unsure of where to begin. There were so many things I wanted to ask him.

“Ah,” my dad said, turning onto a drive that snaked between thick fir trees. “There’s home.”

I shifted my attention, curious. Home was a large, white Victorian house in a clearing atop a hill. Lights glowed softly from the windows, giving it a charming warmth. The yard was beautifully landscaped, and dark woods provided a barrier of privacy around the perimeter. It was picture perfect. It was a home. It left me feeling almost confused. Had he lived here all along, or had he recently purchased the place knowing I would need a house?

“Dad,” I said, the title still odd on my tongue. “We have to talk. I need answers.”

“I understand.” He pulled to a stop in front of a three car garage. “But first, let’s eat.”

Suddenly his words came rushing back. “And if they waited for us, we should be there in time for dinner.”

Who the hell was they?

“You haven’t had anything in hours,” he added.

He was right and my stomach clenched with the reminder. I opened my door and stood, my legs weak and trembling from lack of use. I’d barely gotten out of the car when the door to the house tore open. A woman with blonde hair stepped onto the porch, the skirt of her flowered dress swaying with the movement.

“John, you’re home! And you found her!” A thick southern accent coated the woman’s voice.

I froze. She sure as hell wasn’t my mom, so who was she?

I hope she likes me, her thought drifted through my mind.

“Cameron, this is my wife…”

Blood rushed to my ears, the roar of denial so loud that I didn’t hear any more, didn’t even hear her thoughts. I didn’t want to. I wanted to jump back into that car and take off. I wanted to pretend like I’d never met Maddox. Never knew my dad lived.

He had a home. A really, really nice home. He had a wife. A really, really pretty wife who was rushing down the porch steps as if happy to see me. A woman saying sugary sweet words in her sugary sweet southern drawl.

I wanted to puke.

Her high heeled shoes tapped against the drive as she came closer… closer. Suddenly she was right there, looking at me as if she expected an answer but I hadn’t a clue what she had asked.

“Well,” she said, her astute gaze quickly scanning my body. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. Come on in and I’ll get ya’ll some dinner.” Her cold hands gripped mine. She had a huge diamond ring on her wedding finger. A diamond I knew was real. A diamond that proclaimed to all she lived in wedded bliss.

Yep, I was going to puke all over her heeled shoes.

“Come along now, you need a warm meal and a soft bed.”

With her arm linked through mine, she forced me toward the house. I do hope she likes me, the woman thought.

She smelled like that lilac bush Grandma had constantly tried to keep alive back at our cottage in Maine. An overwhelming scent that reminded me of the only person I really knew, the only person who had ever truly taken care of me. Where was my grandma?

She chatted with my father about our drive here, while I walked numb, silent, toward the house. Never once did she actually ask me a question and I was thankful to be left alone. Still, I forced myself to listen to their chatter, to learn as much as I could before I entered that house of horrors.

She’s so quiet, she thought.

Well, what did she expect with the shock I’d just received?

They chatted all the way, never asking me anything, not bothering to include me. The trip had been uneventful, my father said. I had slept most of the way. All the way, I wanted to correct him, but didn’t.

Up the stairs we traveled and into an impressive foyer. A walnut staircase curved up to a second floor. A chandelier hung, glowing from the high ceiling above and an oriental rug covered the polished, wooden floor. It was warm, clean and I was struck by two things.

One, my dad had money. While Grandma and I had been struggling day by day, he obviously hadn’t.

Two, even worse, he had a home. A real, true home. While Grandma and I had been forced to move from place to place, he’d settled down.

“Dad!” someone cried out, followed by the thump of feet.

I looked at the ceiling, resisting the sudden urge to laugh. Better and better.

“Charlie, dear,” my father’s wife admonished. “Lower your voice!”

Slowly, I turned toward a large family room with cream colored sofas. A young boy, maybe eight, stood near the fireplace. Dark hair, hazel eyes, and a frown. He stared at me as if I was an intruder, and I guess I was.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“Charlie, darling, don’t be rude.” My father’s wife scurried into the living room, no doubt worried her son would say something to offend me. She didn’t realize there was nothing at this point that could offend.

“You know this is Cameron. We told you about her.” She smoothed down his hair, as I’d seen mothers do so often, then wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

I don’t want a new sister, he thought.

Join the club, kid. There was no mistaking it… this boy was my father’s. Same dark hair, same hazel eyes as me. Could he read minds as well? The thought left me ill.

“Daddy?” Another little voice, this one a girl.

My stomach churned. She peeked around the corner. Seeing me she grinned then raced to my dad. He caught her, lifting her high and hugging her close. My heart squeezed, my lungs shrinking.

She’s pretty, the child thought. And she’s my new sister!

No. No, this couldn’t be. It was bad enough that he had a home and wife… but kids too?

“All right, everyone into the dining room.” The woman was watching me, her face wavering in and out of focus. I must have looked horrible because I could see the concern in her blue eyes. “You like chicken?”

I managed to nod.

My dad gave me a hesitant smile as he set the little girl back to the ground. His wife started down the hall, taking their son with her. Still my dad just stood there and I knew he was attempting to figure out an explanation. But seriously, shouldn’t he have come up with a plan before driving eleven hours to find me?

“Hi!” The girl was suddenly beside me. “You can sit next to me.” We’ll be best friends and she’ll play dolls with me.

Her tiny warm hand slipped into mine. At her touch, the world disappeared and a long lost memory flashed to mind. I welcomed the memory, dove into, eager to escape my new reality.

“I thought I’d seen a little girl when I’d first arrived.”

A tall man placed his arm around my shoulders, his golden hair silver in the moonlight. My entire body went cold. As he led me out of some kitchen, I had to resist the urge to shrug him off.

“I try to help as many children as I can,” he said. “It’s impossible to turn them away when they have nowhere to go.”

We moved into a foyer. He’d turned on the lights and it added a soft glow to the area, but it didn’t really warm the place. It was a large house, huge, really. I knew instantly where I was…Aaron’s home. Which meant the man before me must be…

“I’m sure,” he continued, giving my shoulders a little squeeze, “your grandmother would appreciate you waiting until the sun rises to call her. And of course if you don’t find your cell, we’ll get you another one.”

“Okay, thanks,” I think I muttered.

He was smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Good night, Cameron.”

I could feel his gaze burning into my back as I made my way up the stairs. I had no clue where I was going, but didn’t care. I didn’t dare look over my shoulder, but kept my gaze straight ahead, even as my heart hammered madly in my chest. Down a long hall I traveled, only to pause at a door, instinct telling me to stop for some reason. I pushed the door wide. Darkness blanketed the room.

“Cameron?” a child’s voice whispered.

I jerked my head toward the bed. A small shape was huddled on the mattress, her knees tucked to her chest, her white nightgown glowing.

Caroline, a voice whispered through my head. Who the hell was Caroline?

She sniffed, like she’d been crying.

My heart lurched. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Can I… can I sleep with you?”

I was surprised, not expecting something so sweet. “Yeah, sure.” I paused for a moment, then settled on the bed, and stared up at the ceiling…afraid to move, for I knew this was another memory and I wanted to see as much of it as I could.

She curled up next to me, her body warm and comforting. “I miss my mom,” she whispered.

Her words tore at my insides. I squeezed my eyes shut, the tears I’d been trying to keep at bay raced down my cheeks. “I know.” I didn’t say anymore. I didn’t need to. She understood how I felt. I understood her.

“Cameron?” My father’s voice called to me.

I blinked my eyes wide. No. No! I didn’t want to be here. He stood in front of me, his brows together and eyes narrowed in obvious concern, watching me suspiciously.

“Yeah, I’m…”

What was I? Confused? Devastated?

“Gemma, honey, head on into the dining room.”

The little girl released my hand and trudged down the hall. I don’t want to go.

My dad waited until Gemma disappeared, thank God.

He sighed, raking his hands through his hair. “I know this is a lot for you, but the kids and Tara don’t exactly know what we can do.”

I blinked, shocked. I’d expected an explanation, an apology, not this. “How?”

He stepped closer to me and lowered his voice. “I manage to keep my professional and private life completely separate.” He said this as if he was proud. In reality he was lying. Just as he had lied to me for over a decade.

“Your…kids…do they have the ability?”

“Not that I’ve noticed. It develops at different times.” He smiled. “You were early. Almost as if you were born reading minds.”

I thought, perhaps, he was complimenting me, but wasn’t sure.

He rested his hand on my shoulder. I wanted to appreciate the affection, but it felt weird. This entire world felt weird. “Enough of this for now. Let’s get something to eat, okay? And then we’ll talk.”

He led me toward the dining room. The family was already seated, a perfect picture of a perfect family.

“Sit here, honey.” Tara, my dad’s wife, pointed toward a chair next to Gemma. Charlie was glaring at his mashed potatoes, apparently finding more interest in the spuds than in me.

My father sat at the other end, lifting his cloth napkin and settling it upon his lap as if completely oblivious to the tension. Tara hoped I liked the food and her neediness was making me uncomfortable. Soon, she’d be planning mother and daughter outings. No thanks. Gemma was dying to ask me to play dolls with her. And Charlie…well, he was imagining my death.

White, porcelain dishes were passed around the table; the chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans cooked to perfection. It looked like a freaking picture from a magazine. Good lord, did they eat like this every night?

“So, tell us about yourself, sugar.”

I glanced up, realizing Tara was talking to me.

“Living on an island, my,” Tara said, settling a napkin on her lap. “Must have been exciting.”

Dreadful. All that sand. No shopping mall nearby, she thought, although she smiled away her lie.

“Yeah,” was all I could manage. I stabbed a green bean and shoved it into my mouth, partly because I was starving, partly to keep from having to talk to anyone. It was all too much. Everything was too much too soon. Did they not realize how overwhelmed I was? An ache throbbed at the base of my skull.

My eating didn’t dissuade her from talking. “You and your grandma must have had so many adventures.”

I almost chocked on my food. Adventures? Like running for our lives? Trying to make enough money merely to survive? Tears of frustration, exhaustion, and anger burned my eyes. I glanced at my dad. He was handing Gemma her milk, helping her eat like a good father. I couldn’t breathe. Darkness taunted the edges of my vision. No…no, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“I…I need air.” I shoved my chair back and bolted from the room.

“Are you okay, do you want me to go with you?” I heard my dad call out.

I didn’t bother to respond but rushed down the hall, the front door my beacon of safety. I couldn’t sit there and chat with them as if we were a normal, happy family. I wasn’t normal.

I tore open the front door and burst down the porch steps. I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t care. My dad’s car caught my attention, gleaming in the drive. How I wished I had the keys and could get the hell out of here. But I was trapped in the middle of nowhere. Trapped in the past, and at the same time trapped in some odd future.

Forest surrounded me, pressing, watchful. But in the darkness I noticed a swinging bench placed between two fir trees. Exhausted, I stumbled toward it. What the hell was I doing here? It felt like some sort of dream…nightmare. Outside, the house looked perfect. Inside, the house was perfect. A perfect family.

I so didn’t belong here.

The rumble of an approaching engine had me stiffening in surprise. A lone light bounced down the drive. I didn’t dare move, barely breathed. So help me God, if Dad had another kid, I’d scream. A silver motorcycle stopped in the drive, directly behind my dad’s car. I held my breath, waiting. The man pulled off his helmet and I was surprised to see Maddox. So, Blondie hadn’t killed him after all. I shrunk back into the darkness, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. I needed to be alone. As he killed the engine the world once again sank into silence.

He hung his helmet on the handle bar and turned toward me. “Surprised you’re out here.”

Damn it all, what did he have… cat eyes?

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded.

He started toward me, his pace unhurried. He’d changed from the cargo shorts he’d worn in Florida to jeans and a black leather jacket. “Tell you what?”

“That my dad has a family.” I could barely get the words out, almost gagged on them.

He shrugged. “Figured he’d tell you himself on the way up here.” Reaching me, he leaned casually against one of those fir trees.

I flushed, although fortunately it was too dark to see. “I…slept.”

Those dark brows drew together. “The entire drive?”

I nodded.

“That’s like… eleven hours.”

“I know.” He didn’t have to tell me, I knew I’d missed my opportunity for a meaningful conversation.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Wasn’t my place to tell. As I said, thought your father would.” He shrugged and pushed away from the tree. Just like that, he left me and headed toward the house. As angry as I was, I didn’t want Maddox to leave. He was the only person here I sort of knew. I sure as heck wouldn’t beg him to stay.

He was right, my father should have told me. Why hadn’t he? Had he really been so concerned about my lack of sleep that he’d allowed me to rest the entire drive? Something wasn’t adding up.

Before Maddox reached the front door it opened, and my father and Gemma came outside.

“Maddox!” Gemma squealed and jumped, Maddox catching her. I didn’t hear what he said as he carried the girl inside, but it annoyed me. Annoyed me that even Maddox fit in here while I didn’t. Annoyed me that Maddox, my Maddox, the one person I sort of knew, was now a part of their group, leaving me here in the darkness… alone.

My father easily found me and started across the drive. “I do enjoy this spot.” He settled next to me and handed me a sandwich wrapped in a paper towel. “Tara though you might be hungry.”

I grudgingly took the meal, even more grudgingly admitted that it was thoughtful of the woman. “How long has she known about me?”

“I told her before we married.”

So, they’d had a wedding, a real wedding, but hadn’t invited me. Anger, hurt and confusion fought for control. “How long ago?”

“Ten years.”

I would have been eight. How I would have loved to have a family back then. Now, I’d pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I would always be alone.

From the trees above, an owl hooted. I took a bite of the sandwich because I felt like I should. It tasted like sawdust, clumping and sticking in my dry mouth. I swallowed hard, almost choking. My dad didn’t pry, or try to explain, merely sat there in silence, gazing up at the sky. He was a man totally at peace and I wondered how he could hold no guilt.

“Why haven’t you told her about what we can do?”

He shrugged. “It’s for her own safety.”

Yet another person trying to protect his loved ones. Grandma had taught him well. Had these people never heard of honesty? He pushed his feet into the ground, making the seat sway slightly.

“To be completely honest, if you hadn’t developed your powers so early on, I wouldn’t have told you. I’ve only been trying to protect you all, you know.”

I sighed, frustrated. Maybe it was true; maybe they were trying to protect us. It didn’t make the situation any less frustrating. I really didn’t see how leaving me ignorant and alone was protecting me.

“Have you heard from Grandma?”

He shook his head. “She’s still alive.”

Hope burned brightly in the middle of my chest. “How do you know?”

“Because they wouldn’t kill her. They’d want to use her.”

My hope diminished. Use her. That didn’t sound good. Even as I wanted to ask more, my mind slipped from Grandma and traveled back to me. “Why?” I asked, my voice catching. “Why didn’t you ever come for me?”

“Cameron.” He rested his hand on my knee, but the touch didn’t give me any comfort. It only felt awkward. I didn’t know him, this man who was supposedly my father.

“You don’t know how badly I wanted to. But I couldn’t. Half the time I didn’t know where you were. Other times, it wasn’t right. I was being tracked. You were better off with my mother.”

But did his answers ring true? And just like that the world around me shifted.

Lewis… my Lewis was sitting beside me on a bench outside. It was dark. “My dad…I was told my dad died when I was a baby,” I said.

He looked away, but not before I saw the guilt in his eyes. “He thought you’d be better off without him.”

“You knew?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to.

“All that time….” Tears blurred my vision. “All that time I thought he was dead. All that time I was living with my grandma, he was still alive?”

Lewis swallowed and nodded slowly, still not looking at me.

A warm tear slipped down my cheek. “When did you know? About me?”

“I heard him talking to my parents one night. I heard him talk about you, how much he missed you. He wondered if what he’d done was right.” He was silent for a moment. “I’m so sorry, Cam.”

I sniffed, my nose stinging. “Not your fault. It’s just that…I could have had time with him.”

“Or you could have been killed too,” he whispered.

The memory faded, slipping away on the cool, spring breeze. Maybe they’d been right to protect me. Lewis, Maddox, Grandma, hell, even Blondie seemed to think I needed protection. But I was tired of having to rely on others. I wanted to be able to protect myself.

“Cameron,” my father said. “You have to understand—”

“Yet… you have a family now,” I blurted out, the words bursting from my lips before I could stop them.

If it had been so important to protect me, why not his new family?

“They are protected, because I care about them. But they aren’t gifted, like you. You’re wanted for your abilities.”

His words did nothing to ease my pain. Why couldn’t I be wanted for something normal, like my looks?

He sighed. “For the last four years I had no idea where you were. We decided not to stay in contact, that way if one of us was caught, we couldn’t rat each other out. I only just found you last week and sent Maddox to bring you home.”

We were silent for a moment, and I knew he was giving me time to process everything. Dare I believe him?

What choice did I have?

“Please, honey,” my father’s voice was full of emotion…sorrow, pain, regret. It startled me, ate away at the wall encasing my heart. “If I could have, I promise you I would have kept you. But you’re here, now. Can’t we move on and enjoy our time together?”

I wasn’t so sure if I could forgive and forget. But because I didn’t want to argue at the moment, I gave him a hesitant smile and dutifully took a bite of my sandwich.

He might think he’d done the right thing by abandoning me, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I would have been better off here, with him.

Chapter 12

“I understand, John,” Tara’s softly spoken words drew me up short and I paused at the top of the steps in indecision. The early morning sun piercing the lace curtains upstairs was warm on my back.

Why does he always have to be in such a hurry to get to work? she thought. Would it hurt for him to have breakfast with the kids one morning?

I bit my lower lip and sank to the steps. After awaking in the floral nightmare that was apparently my new bedroom, I’d been eager to talk with my dad. Obviously he was more eager to get to work.

So, he wasn’t Dad of the year after all. It should have made me feel better knowing that he wasn’t merely a bad father to me, but to all his kids, however many there were. But I didn’t feel better. He hadn’t abandoned them… yet.

“You know how busy I am and how important my work is,” he said softly.

More important than us? Tara wondered.

I leaned forward, attempting to hear him better. What, exactly, did he do? And better yet, what did Tara think he did?

“You know I love you,” Dad replied.

I almost snorted in disbelief. He was totally reading her mind and telling her what she wanted to hear. Even Lewis had stopped reading my mind, I realized. A memory lost, now found. They were coming more quickly, piecing together in a haphazard puzzle that left me wanting more.

“Why’d you stop reading my mind?” I’d asked him on that boat ride to Aaron’s home.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then shrugged. “It didn’t feel…right.”

Lewis hadn’t read my thoughts once we’d started dating? I wasn’t sure how to feel about that realization, but I knew one thing… I was beginning to like Lewis more and more despite how Maddox seemed to feel about him. He’d betrayed me, supposedly. For some reason that thought didn’t sit well, didn’t fit with the guy from my memories. The question was, what had happened to my supposed boyfriend?

“Lordie, she just got here last night,” Tara said. “She’s exhausted, bless her heart.”

They were talking about me. I inched down a step, attempting to hear better. Fortunately Tara had had the foresight to buy me some clothes. I’d found jeans and sweatshirts in the dresser in my room. Another thoughtful action that made it awfully hard for me to despise the woman. Strangely enough the clothes were the perfect size, which made me wonder if Dad had spoken to Grandma before Maddox had arrived.

“Besides, I thought it would be best if she spent some quality time with her brother and sister.”

I rolled my eyes. Brother and sister? Please, I barely knew them and frankly, at the moment, I didn’t care to.

My dad sighed. “All right. But tomorrow…” Their voices faded as they walked out the door. Gah, Dad was leaving me here with the Stepford Family? I surged to my feet, hoping to catch him before he tore out of the drive. As I rounded the corner, the only one standing there was Tara, this time wearing a flower printed sweater and black slacks.

“Cameron,” she called out in greeting, her face lighting up. “You just missed your daddy. Want some breakfast, honey?”

Not really. I wanted to go with my dad. I wanted to demand he answer the many questions I had. But I could hear the fading rumble of a car engine and I knew he’d left me here alone. Damn him.

I stuffed my hands into my jean pockets. “Umm, yeah, sure.”

She clapped her hands together excitedly. “You get to spend the day with us!”

Apparently I was supposed to be thrilled about this revelation.

“But first, I want to give you something.” She started toward me. “It’s in your room.”

I followed her back up the steps, dreading what I knew would be a long day ahead. What could this woman possibly want to give me? Please don’t let it be a matching mother and daughter outfit.

I hope she likes the photos…

Her thoughts whispered toward me. Thank God. Merely pictures.

In my new room, that floral monstrosity, she waved me toward the queen-sized bed. “I certainly don’t expect you to like my décor.”

I chose to keep my mouth shut.

“But I thought maybe this weekend we could go shopping for a new duvet.”

She was so happy about the idea of bonding with me that I didn’t have the heart to laugh. But really, what the heck did she think I was here for? I hadn’t a clue how long I’d stay with my dad. I didn’t even know if I wanted to be here. I’d had plans to go to college. Go…anywhere. Now everything felt so unsure, so upside down.

When I didn’t respond she gave me a hesitant smile. “Anywho.” She moved toward the closet and I felt guilty for being so aloof. She was nice. There were no mean thoughts in her head. But I didn’t exactly feel like bonding with her when I might not stay. What was the point?

“When your dad told me he was going to get you, I brought these down from the attic. Found them when I was spring cleaning.” She pulled a box from the top shelf and started toward me. “I thought you might appreciate them.”

She set the box upon the bed, then hesitated. I do hope she isn’t offended.

Curious, I lifted the lid. Photos. A picture of my mom holding me. She looked so young, her face so full of hope that it sort of broke my heart. She couldn’t have been much older than I was now. And there were more, so many pictures that I sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the sting of tears. I hated myself for getting emotional. It had been years. She’d abandoned me. Why did I still care?

Oh dear, Tara thought, biting her lower lip. She’s going to cry. Should I hug her?

Please don’t, I wanted to respond.

“They’re yours now,” Tara said softly. “Although, if you don’t mind, let’s keep this between you and me.” In other words, sugar, let’s not tell your dad. He’ll be so angry if he knows I went through his things.

I wanted to laugh. If she’d thought about these pictures at all, my father already knew. I sniffed, refusing to let the tears drop. “Thanks.”

She patted my thigh. “I’m going to start breakfast. Do you like pancakes?”

I nodded, the emotions lumped in my throat making it impossible to speak.

“Great!” She started across the white carpet, leaving me in peace. Dang it all, as much as I wanted despise her, I couldn’t help but admit she was nice. No evil stepmother thoughts coming from her mind. Only a person who desperately wanted to be liked.

I picked up a photo, forgetting Tara for the moment. I was a baby, at least I assumed it was me. I was in front of a cake that had a candle in the shape of a one. Behind me loomed my mother and father, smiling like any proud parents. What had happened to us?

“Hey.”

Started, I dropped the photo in the box, and fumbled with the lid. Gemma stood in the doorway wearing a Disney Princess nightgown. “I’m playin dolls, wanna play too?”

Please, please, please, I hope she plays with me. No one ever wants to play.

I sighed, guilt getting the better of me. “Yeah, sure.”

Why not? Not like I had anything better to do, thanks to Dad. Might as well get to know the house and the people I’d apparently be staying with indefinitely. I jumped off the mattress and slid the box underneath the bed.

“Hurray!” She did a little hop and I marveled over the way that she could find happiness in such a little thing.

Laughing, I followed her down the hall to a room any young girl would kill for. So brilliant pink in color, my eyes almost hurt. A white canopy bed rested against the far wall and an overflowing toy box was against the opposite side. In the middle of the floor a plastic castle was ready and waiting. It was the kind of room I’d dreamt of having as a child.

“Where’s your brother?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know. Probably still sleeping.”

Good, the kid was a brat, constantly glaring when I was around. He’d made his distaste painfully clear. At least one sibling liked me. Sibling? Since when had I started thinking of them as a brother and sister? Tara would be thrilled. I was horrified.

Gemma shoved a doll dressed suspiciously like a hooker into my hands. “You can be her.”

I settled cross legged on the floor. “Great.”

“We’re going to have so much fun, Cameron.” She sat next to me and reached for my hand.

At her touch, the room disappeared. For a brief moment my mind went blank. I knew what was happening…another vision. Suddenly, the room burst to life, but this time… a different room. I was no longer with Gemma.

A shuffle interrupted the quiet, like mice scurrying from a cat. Slowly, I turned. The room was long, dark…an attic? From behind a pile of boxes a small form stepped into the light. Golden hair glinted under the rising sun coming in through the windows lining the walls. The girl who had been in my bedroom in the flashback I’d had only yesterday. Caroline.

She wore a blue woolen dress that came to her knees and white tights. Her hair was pulled into a lopsided ponytail, her long bangs hiding her eyes. I wasn’t sure how old she was, maybe seven, slightly older than Gemma. Too young to be alone.

She didn’t look surprised in the least to see me and settled down, hidden behind her box. “I’m Caroline,” she whispered.

I moved around the boxes to see her better. She had an entire little world set up here in this dingy, dusty attic. An old stuffed bear sat in the corner, his button eyes hanging on by loose threads. She’d propped a box up for a doll house. It was pathetic compared to Gemma’s plastic mansion.

“Hi Caroline, I’m Cameron.”

“I know,” she whispered, not looking at me as she picked up a little doll. She smoothed its hair from its porcelain face.

“What’s your dolls name?” I settled on the ground beside her.

“She’s not mine.”

“Oh.”

“I… found her.”

Was she nervous I’d take the toy away? How sad. “Well, I’m sure no one will care if you play with her.”

“Maybe not.” She held out the doll and looked at me expectantly.

“Uh, thanks.” I took the toy. I’d never played with dolls much as a child. Maybe because I’d had to grow up too fast. I realized, as I held it close, that the doll was old. The lace dress was stained yellow with age. Her pale, porcelain face was crackled, the paint flaking.

“It’s the mother and this is the child.” She picked up another doll, as old as the first.

“Neat,” I said, handing her back.

While she settled them down near their box homes, I studied her little area. Under the rising sun it was easier to see and I was startled to notice a blanket in the corner of her nook. “You don’t sleep here, do you?”

She shrugged, glancing at me through her lashes, as if judging my reaction. “Sometimes, but only if I need to be alone.”

“Alone?”

She sighed, her narrow shoulders sinking. “There are so many. Sometimes they cough, or sneeze and they wake me up.”

“They? Who?”

“The others like me. Like you.”

Her gaze was so sincere I didn’t dare doubt her.

Others? Dear God. “And how many are there?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She tucked her dolls into their house. “He’s awake, you should go.”

“He?” I stumbled to my feet. Nervous, although why, I wasn’t sure.

“Lewis, he’s looking for you.”

“Oh.” I looked back at the door. “You know because…”

“I’m like you.”

“Cameron?” Gemma pulled her hand from mine, jerking me from the past.

I blinked her into focus, attempting to clear the memory from my mind. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah…sure.” I handed her the doll. My head was thumping at the base of my skull. Caroline, the child I’d been trying to escape with. Caroline, a child stolen from her home. “I just… I need some breakfast first, okay?”

She nodded.

I gave her a hesitant smile as I stood, trying to put her at ease. There were too many memories in too short of a time. Instead of clarifying my past, they left me feeling confused and unsure. I had the sudden urge to run from the house once more. The urge to escape this insane reality.

I moved through the door and blindly ran into some guy…seventeen…maybe. He had dirty blond hair that was fashionably messed up and eyes so dark they were almost black. Ugh, so much for making an escape.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked.

Oh God, please tell me he wasn’t my brother? Seriously, how much was I supposed to take? “Who the hell are you?” I snapped back.

He paused for a moment, then a slow smile lifted the right corner of his mouth, giving him a crooked grin that made him look less hard and more boyish. “Jake.”

He was cute, but there was a coldness in his gaze that left me feeling uneasy. “Cameron,” I said reluctantly. Why the heck was he here?

“Cameron,” he repeated, crossing his arms, the blue t-shirt he wore stretching across his scrawny chest. With an ease, he leaned against the wall, as if he had all the time in the world.

“Nice to me you,” I said sarcastically, intending to move around him. I didn’t care who the heck he was, I only wanted to be alone. My head was throbbing once more, a common occurrence after having a flashback. I was hungry and in no mood for more mysteries.

“She’s my sister!” Gemma threw in from her position near the doorway.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She was way too attached to me already. I wasn’t even sure I was going to stay here. I didn’t need that kind of guilt hanging over my head.

He was watching me closely, too closely. I shifted, uncomfortable. “So, what… are you… my brother?”

He laughed. “No.”

Thank God.

“You look relieved.” He pushed away from the wall, blocking me. If he thought he was going to get away with intimidation, he’d find out soon enough I wasn’t so easy to scare.

“Listen, only last night I found out my dad is still alive, and I have a new family.” I glanced back at Gemma who was watching us intently. “So you’ll have to forgive my lack of manners.”

He shrugged. “Calm down.”

Calm down? Had he not heard a word I’d said? “And to top it off,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes. “My dad abandons me this morning with people I barely know. And now you—”

“So, then let’s go.”

I hesitated, confused. “Go where?”

“To see your dad.”

“You can’t leave,” Gemma said, her lower lip sticking out. She was pissed that this Jake was stealing me away. “You haven’t had breakfast yet.”

God, she’s annoying, he thought.

I ignored Gemma. Was he serious? He’d really take me to see my dad? My heart hammered with the possibility. Dad had said he kept his private and professional lives separate. “You never answered my question, who are you?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to kidnap you. I’m an adoptee of sorts.”

Of sorts? A sudden picture flashed through my mind…a young blond boy being told his parents were dead. His memory. Reluctantly, I felt sorry for him.

“Why, there you all are.” Tara appeared at the top of the steps, smile in place. “Breakfast is ready.”

“We’re not eating,” Jake said.

Tara frowned, her gaze jumping back and forth between us. “Whatever do you mean?”

“We’re leaving. Cameron wants to see her dad.”

“Oh.” She rested her hand on her chest, obviously flustered. “But I thought she might like…”

Jake swept by her and started down the steps.

I swear, no one ever appreciates anything I do, Tara thought.

I flushed, and gave her a half-smile. But I was too eager for answers to stay behind and appease the woman.

She’s such a freaking joke, Jake thought as he pushed the front door wide.

I thought he was being rather harsh, but I supposed he knew her better than me. Besides, as heartless as it sounded, I had more important things to worry about. The early morning held a chill, but the crisp air promised a new day. I zipped up my sweatshirt. “So where is my dad? Where does he work?”

“Not far from here.”

A silver two-door car was parked crookedly in the drive. I wondered briefly how Jake could afford such a vehicle. He pulled open the driver side door, leaving me to fend for myself. Most likely Dad had bought it for him. I squelched down the jealously worming its way through my body.

“So, what exactly does my dad do?” I asked, feeling ridiculously lame for having to ask him.

Jake slid me a glance over the roof of the car. “You don’t know?”

Obviously not. I bit back my sarcastic reply and shook my head.

“He works with people like us.” He slid into the car.

I followed, confused, once again. “People like us?”

“Yeah.” He started the car and backed up. “He works with mind readers.” With those shocking words, he pressed on the gas and tore down the drive.

Chapter 13

Not even ten minutes later we turned down a dirt road. I hadn’t said a word the entire drive, not even when Jake had driven so fast, the world outside had been a blur. I’d been too stunned and too confused to say much of anything. But we were obviously getting close and I needed answers. Answers my father might not respond to as readily as Jake.

“You…you can’t be a mind reader.”

He slid me a glance. “Why not?”

“I read your thoughts!”

He grinned. “No, you read the thoughts I wanted you to hear.”

Holy crap, he could send me fake thoughts? Or were they real, but filtered in some way? I pressed my fingers to my temples, my headache flaring as it always did when things became too confusing.

“Tara doesn’t know what my father does?” I managed to ask.

“Nope.”

Poor Tara. Thick forests surrounded us, the road dark and shadowed even though the morning was bright. So much for the promise of a new day. I felt weighed down with expectation.

“So, she’s never been to his office?”

“Nope.”

“Yet… she knows its close by?”

“Yep.”

Okay, these one-word answers were starting to get annoying. “So what the heck does she think he does?”

He shrugged, following the road as it curved right. “Some sort of military work.”

I shook my head, stunned and slightly amused by the ridiculousness of it all. “They’ve been married forever. How can she not know?”

He shrugged. “She’s suspicious at times. But not about that… thinks he’s cheating with a coworker or something.”

How incredibly sad. I glanced out the window. Lies. More lies. I was so tired of the secrets. At least with Grandma I’d been myself. But here… I’d never be able to relax. A tall iron gate blocked the road ahead. The fence flowed passed the road on either side before fading into the shadows of the trees. How far it went, I had no idea, but I had a suspicion it went for miles.

“Is this place totally fenced in?” I asked nonchalantly.

“Yep.” He rolled down the window and pressed his hand to a keypad.

Almost immediately the gates clicked, creaking open. It wasn’t the only security. I noticed the cameras in the trees… two, pointed at the road. Who knew how many more were out there hidden within the branches. A shiver of unease tiptoed across my skin. “High security, huh?”

Jake grinned. “We’ve got valuable assets that need to be guarded.”

We continued down the road, snaking between the trees. I could see nothing but nature on either side of us. Valuable assets. Like what? Raccoons? Squirrels? “You live with the family?”

“Yep.” We stopped at another gate, and this time Jake shifted in his seat in order to look directly at a camera.

“What’s that?” I asked, as a red laser scanned his face.

“Facial recognition and retina scan.”

Holy cow, this was getting stranger and stranger. The gates opened and we drove for a few more minutes. “And they’ll just let me in, that easy?”

He laughed. “No. They know you’re coming and you’ve been approved or we’d be surrounded by now.”

I shivered at the thought. The realization that we were being so closely watched left me uneasy. I stopped trying to make small talk, and instead studied my surroundings, attempting to make sense of the world I found myself in. The trees gave way to an open area. A field, maybe five acres or so. At least twenty cars were parked in a gravel parking lot. A large mound of earth looked strangely out of place in the middle of the flat land.

“Is that an underground building?”

“A bunker.” Jake parked his car next to my dad’s.

Bunker? As in what they use for military and wars? “Jake, where are we?”

Before he could respond, my door tore open and Maddox stood there glowering down at us. So, I wasn’t completely welcome.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Startled, it took me a moment to respond. Jake had no such problem.

“Jackass,” I heard him say before he pushed open his door and stepped outside. Maddox didn’t even bother to glance his way, although he had to have heard him.

I stood, frowning up at Maddox. “I need to talk to my dad.”

Maddox’s gaze shifted from me to Jake and his eyes narrowed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You know you’re not supposed to be here after last week’s stunt.”

Jake shrugged, slamming his door shut. “She wanted to see her dad. Besides, if I wasn’t supposed to be here, they’d block my access, wouldn’t they?” He tossed his keys into the air, caught them, and sauntered off.

I admit I felt more comfortable with Maddox than Jake. There was something about Jake I didn’t like. Maybe it was the cold look in his eyes, or the way he seemed to thrive on hurting people.

“Stay away from him,” Maddox commanded.

Yeah, I didn’t really trust Jake and planned to avoid him, but Maddox’s demand didn’t sit well. Instinctively, I wanted to rebel. I ignored the desire and instead focused on my mission…uncovering answers.

“Where’s my dad?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and refusing to let him intimidate me.

He paused for one long moment, his narrowed gaze piercing. Maybe he was still angry with me for abandoning him at that motel. But if he thought to scare me, it wouldn’t work. I’d been through too much crap in my short life.

He finally sighed, reluctantly relaxing his stance, our battle of wills over…for now. “He’s in his office. Come on, I’ll take you to him.” He pressed his hand to my lower back and led me toward the large building that was half underground.

It wasn’t exactly attractive. The front of the bunker was made of cement blocks, the top and sides covered with dirt and grass. I glanced around the area. Few people roamed the grounds and I wondered where everyone was hidden. The sun managed to warm the cleared space, but beyond those buildings was a fence made of iron bars, barbed wire curling along the top, making this place look more like a prison than a research center. And beyond that fence… dark woods.

Maybe I didn’t want to be here. Maybe I didn’t want to know what my dad did. There was something seriously creepy about a place where you just knew you were being constantly watched. I could practically feel their eyes crawling over me, much like the spider scurrying across the gravel path in front of me.

Of course there was no welcome sign on the steel doors that provided an entrance. But, no surprise, there was a camera mounted above that followed our every little move.

Maddox pressed his hand to a black keypad and the door clicked open. “You want to know what your dad does? Here you go.”

A long, white tunnel dissected the inside of the building. There were no pictures on the walls. No sofa or waiting room, only that long tunnel with the many closed doors on either side.

“Someone could use an interior decorator,” I muttered.

“We have more important things to worry about than décor.”

“Joking,” I said.

He didn’t bother to respond.

We paused outside another steel door, the first on the left. Maddox pressed his hand to yet another key pad. The door hissed in protest, but finally popped open. A large room yawned before us, at least ten people working on computers or answering phones. They barely glanced our way, too busy doing whatever it was they were doing. Electronic maps hung on all four walls, red pinpoints of light marking cities and countries around the world. I felt like I’d just entered some James Bond movie.

“Where the heck are we?” I whispered.

“Command central.” He started into the room and I followed. The tap of our shoes against the linoleum flooring could barely be heard over the chatter of conversation and clicking of computer keys.

“Command central to what?”

“To your life. People like you.”

There it was again…people like you. As if I was some freak of nature.

This was where they studied mind readers? We paused outside an office with glass windows. I could see my dad sitting behind a desk, a phone pressed to his ear. They wore no suits, but jeans and polo shirts. It wasn’t a regular office, more like a police station.

As if sensing me, my dad turned. He didn’t look surprised, but more resigned to the fact that I was there. After a few moments, he hung up and waved us in.

Maddox pushed the door wide. “Your visitor.”

I stepped into his office, quickly scanning the large room. He was important here, which was obvious by the large office. It wasn’t exactly decorated, but had a polished, wooden desk and two chairs across from it for visitors. No windows. Nothing on the white walls… but on his desk were three pictures. One of Charlie. One of Gemma. One of their entire family. My heart clenched painfully. No picture of me. No family vacations to reminisce over. No family dinners. No holidays. Nothing.

He leaned down and pushed a button on his phone. “Tell Jake I want to talk to him before he leaves.”

“Yes, sir,” a woman said.

Someone was obviously in trouble and I couldn’t help but feel guilty. I flushed, tearing my gaze from those photos. Yep, dear ol’ Dad was definitely annoyed. But annoyed because Jake was here, or annoyed because I was here?

I waited until Maddox closed the door behind us before I started in on the questions. “So, Jake’s like us?”

He nodded. I knew, yet was still surprised. I rubbed the back of my head, my skull throbbing. Dad had taken in a teenage mind reader.

“We adopted him when the orphanage started wondering about his odd behavior.”

Dad had no problem taking in others, while he’d left me to my own devices. No problem having a home, another family, while I was left alone. “How long has he lived with you?”

Dad pushed away from his desk and stood. “Since he was ten, so seven years.”

Unbelievable.

“Cameron demands answers,” Maddox said, resting his hands on his hips and smirking at me.

I glared at him. I hadn’t demanded anything. Ugh, had I really thought I preferred Maddox over Jake?

Dad sighed. “All right. Let’s go then.”

That easy? I was actually startled when my dad and Maddox headed toward the door. No arguments, he was actually going to tell me what I’d been desperately wondering for years? I raced after them. We traveled back out of the office and I couldn’t help but notice that this time those fellow coworkers gave us quick glances. They were curious about me, but I hadn’t read it from their minds. No thoughts came from their brains and I wondered if they had a chip like Maddox, or if they were mind readers who could block their thoughts.

Dad pushed open the door and we moved back outside. “I wanted you to know what I do and there’s no better time to show you than now.”

I grew oddly nervous as we followed a path around the building. Maddox and my dad walked like soldiers, silent and determined. I didn’t even see a bird in the trees along the perimeter of the yard. It was eerily quiet. As my dad’s office building ended, another mound of earth rose up from the ground.

“This is the experimental building,” my dad explained.

That sounded creepy. I had a feeling they weren’t making baking soda volcanoes. “Experimental?”

The façade was as bland as the other building. Maddox pressed his hand to the keypad and the door slid wide. Another hallway, but this time a woman sat at a desk and behind her a barred gate blocked the hall from entrance.

“Morning, sir.” The woman wore khaki pants and a white blouse. Her hair was pulled tightly into a bun and no makeup marred her plain face.

“Morning, Ellen.”

We moved quickly passed her and it was as I swept by that I noticed the pistol attached to her belt. So, she wasn’t just some typical receptionist. I should have known better. Dad pressed his hand to a keypad and that barred gate opened allowing us access to the hall. Up and down the corridor, steel doors with windows interrupted the walls.

“These are rooms where we test mind readers,” Dad explained.

A shiver of unease raced over my skin. “Test them for what?”

“Their abilities.” He smiled. “They’re not lab rats. We don’t infect them or anything.”

I nodded, but for some reason I didn’t feel any better. If they were merely testing them, why all the security? Were they keeping someone in or keeping someone out?

We paused at one of those doors and peeked through the window.

“Don’t worry, they can’t see us,” Dad explained.

I was pressed between my dad and Maddox and felt trapped. Just being in this building was making me uncomfortable, too dizzy, too hot. In the cell, a woman sat at a desk, some sort of machine in front of her. A man sat across from her, wire probes attached to his head and the machine.

Fascinated, I studied the man. Dark scruff ran along the lower half of his face. His dark eyes were pinned to the woman across from him. He wore some sort of uniform; gray pants and gray shirt. But he wasn’t the one who really caught my attention. No, in the corner of the room stood a man with a gun.

“Wait a minute,” I whispered. “Why the guard?”

My dad sighed. “Cameron, these aren’t your typical mind readers. These are mind readers from other countries. Mind readers who were sent to the U.S. to spy.”

My gaze went to that man sitting so calmly behind that table. His skin had a tanned look and his dark hair was black. Spanish, maybe? He was a spy? He looked so… normal.

“We aren’t hurting them, sweetheart,” Maddox said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He looked amused by my obvious unease. “We’re merely seeing what they’re capable of and attempting to persuade them to join our side.”

“And if they aren’t persuaded?”

Maddox merely grinned.

“Come along.” My dad gripped my upper arm and led me back through the gate. The woman at the desk smiled pleasantly as we left. I wondered how in the world she could sit there day after day. Outside the air felt chill against my heated skin. I took in a deep breath, attempting to calm my racing heart. It wasn’t right; something just wasn’t right about all of this. It reminded me too much of Aaron’s place and what I’d done to Maddox.

“There.” My dad pointed to a mound of earth about half a football field away. “The last building.”

Why was it so far away from the others? I paused for a moment before asking, “What is it?”

“The prison,” Maddox said bluntly.

My father slid him a look of annoyance. “We like to call it the correctional facility.”

I wasn’t stupid. It was obvious it was a prison. Falling silent, we stood there staring at the building. They made no move to take me that way and I could see by the many guards standing outside that I would never be able to waltz in and take a peek. Not that I wanted to. But I couldn’t help but wonder how they treated their prisoners.

“Cameron,” my father said. “You need to understand that these people were sent to hurt us.”

I didn’t respond. He was justifying this place. I wasn’t sure if I was taking the bait or not.

“We don’t harm then in any way.”

I nodded, knowing better than to try and argue when I barely knew him and barely knew this world of his. Best to keep my thoughts to myself…for now. Maybe it was true, maybe they were evil. “So, why is everything underground?”

“Best way to silence a mind reader,” Jake said from behind us. “Is to bury them alive.”

I spun around, surprised by his sudden appearance, more surprised by his words.

“We are not burying them alive,” my father drawled out. “Having our buildings underground is a way to protect ourselves, draw less notice from above.”

“And to silence mind readers,” Jake added, smirking.

Maddox sighed. “The chemicals in the dirt and rocks have properties that can insulate mind reading. Nothing more nefarious than that.”

I hadn’t a clue that dirt and rocks could silence mind reading. What else didn’t I know about myself? “Is everyone here a mind reader?”

“No,” Dad explained, starting back toward the main building and forcing us all to follow. “But those who aren’t have—”

“Chips, I know.” I glanced at Maddox who walked beside me.

“We all have them,” Maddox said. “That is…those of us who aren’t mind readers.”

I’d wanted answers and I was slowly getting them. But it was hard to have a deep conversation with an audience. I glanced at my dad, wondering if I should try talking to him with my thoughts. Grandma had taught me how to communicate with my mind… or had that been Lewis? I frowned, confused.

“So, John, have you told her yet?” Jake asked.

We paused outside the entrance to the main building. The morning was quickly warming. It was a beautiful day, really. In the distance I could hear birds chirping. But there were no other sounds, no airplanes or cars, only nature. A beautiful morning, yet I felt oddly ill at ease.

“Told me what?” I finally asked.

My dad gave me a half smile. “Well, considering we don’t know what you’re capable of…” He paused, as if unsure how to proceed.

“They want to do experiments on you,” Jake explained. His gaze was mocking, as if he knew how uncomfortable the truth would make me and he enjoyed every moment.

Of course I was uncomfortable. The word experiment brought to mind all sorts of sickening things. The air was cold again, that ache throbbing at the back of my skull. I parted my lips to respond when the world around me disappeared.

I was inside a room… a library of sorts. Aaron stood in front of me and some woman I didn’t know.

She swept forward, a small metal case dangling from her manicured fingertips. Aaron scooted a chair closer, sitting directly in front of me, the spicy scent of his cologne nauseating.

“I’m sorry. I’m not going to enjoy this, Cameron. It’s necessary.” As I looked into his blue eyes, so close that I could see the black flecks around the irises, I almost believed he was sincere in his apology.

“Try to relax. Open your mind and it will be less painful.”

Painful. I jerked forward, but my wrists and ankles were bound to the chair. Panic wrapped its icy fingers around me.

“Deborah.” Aaron nodded at the woman before me.

Confused, I glanced up at her as she stopped beside me. She tapped a needle like some crazy scientist out to do an experiment. A needle. A needle.

“Relax,” Aaron said softly, leaning forward so that I could only focus on him. He was staring hard at me, peering into my eyes, attempting to delve into my brain. Vaguely, I was aware of the slight sting of a needle piercing my arm, but I couldn’t seem to look away from Aaron, mesmerized by the odd glow of his eyes. I felt the slightest nudge on my mind and I knew it was Aaron invading but I couldn’t seem to care. Someone, or something, was holding me captive.

Fight back. The words whispered through my mind, but I wasn’t sure where they had come from. Maddox? No. Frantic, for answers, I jerked my head left and that’s when I saw Lewis.

“Don’t worry, Sweetheart,” Maddox said.

I blinked them into focus. The sunlight overly harsh, the chirping birds too loud. I flinched. My dad was watching me closely. As much as I tried to prevent it, I could feel the heat of a blush making its way to my face.

“They aren’t going to dissect your brain,” Maddox reassured me.

I nodded, pretending interest in their conversation. All three were watching me. Three guys I barely knew. To say I felt pressured would be an understatement. “What will you do then?”

Dad rested his hand on my shoulder, the warmth of his touch comforting. “Merely tests to see what you’re capable of. We already know you can inflict pain.” He grinned, as if proud of that fact.

“Thanks to me,” Maddox muttered.

I crossed my arms over my chest, growing uneasy. It wasn’t exactly a power I wanted to exploit. Why couldn’t I create money with my mind?

We moved closer to the door and my dad pressed his hand to the key pad. The door opened easily and I wondered if it would open for me.

“We want to know exactly what you can do,” Dad explained as we moved into the hall.

Will it hurt? I asked him.

He didn’t look back as we moved into his office and I feared he hadn’t received my thought.

No, of course not. I would never hurt you, he finally said as we moved by the rows of desks and curious faces.

But that wasn’t exactly true, was it? He’d hurt me so much more than he could ever understand. Mentally and emotionally.

We paused outside the office door. Finally, my dad looked at me, a mixture of hope and excitement in his hazel gaze. “So what do you think?”

What choice did I have? I forced myself to smile and shrugged, feigning a nonchalance I didn’t at all feel. “Yeah, sure. Why not.”

Chapter 14

That night I could barely sleep. My dreams were fragmented pictures of reality and imagination that I couldn’t quite connect. What was real? What was fiction? I wasn’t sure how many times I woke up only to toss and turn, before once again falling into a fitful sleep.

But if there was one plus to my restless night, it was that I remembered my dreams. The odd disjointed dreams I tossed aside, but the dream I had closer to morning…that dream that brought me fully awake, stayed with me for days after.

In the early morning, when the sky held just the tiniest tinge of pink…I dreamt of Lewis.

The dream started out much like the flash of memory I’d had the day before. In an all too familiar nightmare, I was tied to a chair. Aaron hovered over me, trying to break into my brain. That gorgeous woman came at me with a needle in hand…closer… closer…

My mind didn’t know the difference between real life and dreams. Fear coursed through my body. I wanted to wake…knew I needed to wake, but for some reason, I couldn’t escape this past reality. Frantically, I tried to imagine those steel walls. But the images slipped away as quickly as they came. Gone, like ghostly memories and I was left standing in darkness, the pain roaring through my body like fire. Pain I knew was only a memory, but it felt real…so real. The fire increased, twisting, slicing through my mind like a corkscrew.

“Enough,” I heard someone demand, the voice achingly familiar.

Who? Who had said the words? I forced myself to open my eyes, forced myself to lift my head. There stood Lewis… his face flushed with anger. The muscles in his chest and arms strained under his t-shirt as he twisted away from the guards, preventing him from coming to me.

Lewis. Lewis had tried to stop Aaron.

My body shuddered as the pain increased. Memories were fading, being torn from my mind. As much as I wanted to grasp onto those memories, to stop them from disappearing, I forced myself to focus on Lewis. I had to see Lewis.

“No!” I heard myself scream, the words slipping from my lips unheeded. Darkness tempted, but I forced my eyes to remain open. “Please, Lewis!”

Lewis surged forward, his right arm free. He slammed his fist into the face of the man holding him.

Hearing the guard’s cry of pain, Aaron stood and the pain in my head ease. “What the hell are you doing?”

Lewis faced Aaron. “What I’d been planning to do all along.”

“Keep going,” Aaron demanded of the woman I knew was named Deborah.

Lewis hit Aaron full force, sending them toppling backwards. I froze, watching, taking it all in. I knew this was the moment when my memory had disappeared, but I would not close my eyes, I would not give into the temptation and faint.

“Did you really think I’d let you do this to her?”

“We’re taking her memory for her own good!” Aaron ducked as Lewis threw his fist forward. Not soon enough. Lewis’ fist hit Aaron’s jaw and the man stumbled back into the wall.

“Enough!” Lewis demanded. “She can be trusted to keep this a secret, and you know it.”

Darkness taunted the edges of my vision, sleep pulling me under. But I wouldn’t let go, I couldn’t.

“How can you know?” Aaron asked, rubbing his jaw. “Will you bet your life on it, because that’s what you’ll be doing.”

The flashback wavered, threatening to slip from my memory forever. I couldn’t let it. Early morning birds were chirping outside my window, calling out to me to wake. I ignored the sound and delved back into the darkness.

Someone knelt before me but it wasn’t Lewis. No, it was Maddox. “Open your eyes. Come on, Sweetheart.”

I wanted to tell him my eyes were already open, but the sudden coppery taste of blood seeped down my throat, making me panic. I couldn’t feel my body, could barely hear their words.

“You’ll be all right.” Maddox lifted me, cradling me to his chest.

My lashes were fluttering closed, I couldn’t resist the darkness any longer…its boney fingers clawing at me, pulling me under.

And then there was only silence. Darkness.

I hovered there, between night and day, afraid to wake fully for fear the memory would vanish. But as tears slipped from my eyes, trailing down my cheeks, I came awake with a start.

My room was dark, the blinds closed, the house silent. Vaguely, I was aware of the birds chirping outside, but their call grated. My pillow was damp with sweat and tears. I lay on my side, afraid to move, clinging, grasping to the dream. Lewis had tried to help me. What had happened to him?

Slowly, I sat up.

The world tilted, my head thumped as if only moments ago Aaron had erased my memory.

It didn’t make sense.

I pressed my feet into the soft, white carpet and stood. My body buzzed with lack of sleep and too many memories. I moved to the windows that overlooked the backyard, and opened the curtains. A garden where in the summer, there would be plenty of blooming flowers. A tree-house was in an elm in the back corner. While a little pink playhouse sat at the opposite side of the yard. It was almost like a war zone, Charlie and Gemma divided to their prospective sides of the yard. They had no idea what war really lurked out there.

I rested my forehead to the cool glass. They had everything I’d ever wanted as a child. But they still lacked one important thing… a father. Yeah, my dad was here, but he wasn’t honest with them. They had no idea of the dangers that awaited, should they show signs of mind reading. With a sigh that fogged up the glass, I closed my eyes.

Lewis.

Where was he?

Lewis.

What had happened that day in Maine?

A soft knock sounded on the door, startling me.

I turned just as the door opened and my Dad peeked inside. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.” Although it was obvious I hadn’t, or I wouldn’t be up this early. He, on the other hand, looked completely well-rested in his wrinkle-free jeans and dark polo shirt which made his eyes look more blue than hazel.

“I wasn’t going to wake you, but heard your footsteps from downstairs. I need to get to work early and wanted to see if you’d like to come along.”

“Yeah.” Definitely. I’d so rather go with my father and get possible answers, than stay here. “Give me fifteen minutes.”

He nodded. “I’ll be downstairs.”

But as he started to turn I couldn’t quite help myself and blurted out, “Dad?” I cringed, for the title still felt weird on my lips.

He paused and glanced back. “Yes?”

“How well did you know Aaron?”

He paused for a long moment, but I could read nothing in his gaze. I wondered if he was going to respond, or scurry off, ignoring me like normal. Finally, he stepped into my room and closed the door. “I knew him very well. We were best friends.”

He grew silent once more, his gaze taking on a far-off hazy look that told me he was trapped in some memory. I took my lower lip between my teeth. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up the subject after all.

“Is he evil?” I blurted out, needing to know the truth.

My dad sighed long and loud. “Cameron, here’s the thing.” He started toward me, his steps slow and soft. He moved as if approaching a wild animal he worried would frighten easily. “Everyone in this world has their own beliefs about what’s right and wrong.” He settled on the edge of my bed. “Is he evil?” He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” My voice sounded slightly shrill. I wanted answers, I wanted to know who I could trust and who not to trust. How could I protect myself otherwise?

“Aaron thinks what he’s doing is right. It’s as simple as that.”

So, he wasn’t going to condemn his former best friend. Why, after what Aaron had done to me? I felt almost betrayed by my father’s calm rationality.

“And is it? Is it right what he’s doing?” I asked.

He shrugged. “It depends on your beliefs. I won’t make that choice for you.”

His words were confusing and shocking. He wouldn’t judge, yet he would keep others imprisoned. But then again…he did what he felt was right, obviously. The question was, what did I think was right?

Dad stood and rested his hand on my shoulder, his way of showing affection. “I believe adults need to prepare and train in a safe, controlled environment. I believe children should be left with their parents, not forced into some commune where they’re trained in guerilla warfare. It’s why I left you with your grandma; I wanted you to have a childhood.”

But deep down I understood what he was truly saying. He couldn’t give up his cause, so he’d given up me. The ironic twist was that I hadn’t had a childhood. I’d been on the run, no time to play when you were constantly looking over your shoulder. But obviously my dad thought it was better to be on the run than in a commune with others like me. Thinking back to Aaron’s home, I realized, with a start, that maybe my dad was right. Yeah, living with Grandma hadn’t been ideal, but maybe it had been better than being with Aaron, or even my dad.

He started toward the door, leaving me with my thoughts.

“Was Nora right,” he asked, pausing, his back to me. “Are your memories coming back?”

The weight of the world was in that question. I hesitated, although why, I wasn’t sure. “Yeah.”

He was silent for a moment, his hand resting on the door handle. I wondered what he thought of my revelation. Was it good or bad that my memory was returning? Hell, I didn’t know what was good or bad anymore.

“It’s nothing important… I mean nothing that can help your cause,” I quickly explained.

“No, it’s not that. There’s nothing you can uncover about Aaron that we don’t already know.” He shook his head and turned toward me. There was an odd look in his eyes…a look I’d never seen before. A look of bewilderment, of awe. “The thing is...”

“What is it?” I was starting to get nervous.

“You shouldn’t be regaining your memory.” He released a wry laugh. “It should have been destroyed. Never before has someone ever regained their memory.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, nervous, unsure. “What does it mean?”

“It means you’re much more powerful than even I’d expected.”

****

The drive to Alcatraz, as I’d dubbed it, was silent and awkward. For me, anyway. My dad didn’t seem to care about making small talk, he was too invested in his own thrilling thoughts to speak to me. His eyes sparkled, he smiled, not a care in the world. And I knew the reason for his happy mood…me.

“It means you’re much more powerful than even I’d expected.”

It left me feeling nervous, worried about what would happen next. He obviously expected a lot from me and it wasn’t the first time someone had expected me to do miracles.

“There are so many things I want to show you. So many things you’ll be capable of, I just know it. If you’re anything like your dad,” Aaron had said while we were in his car the first day I’d arrived on the island.

Not a flash, but a memory that came softly, as if it had always been there. And I’d felt uneasy. Worried I wouldn’t live up to his expectations. Just like now.

Startled by the sudden return of my mind, I glanced at my father to see if he’d noticed the change in my mood. He was humming under his breath as he waited for the facial scan that would allow us access to the second gate. He was completely oblivious.

Oh God, my memory truly was coming back.

Lewis…

I remembered Lewis at Lakeside restaurant the day we’d found Savannah’s body. I remembered Lewis in school the next day. He was a new student who had instantly befriended me. As my dad pulled into the parking lot, I remembered Lewis telling me to meet him at the coffee shop the day before we’d left for Aaron’s. Lewis, who had told me my dad was dead. Had he lied, or did Aaron really not know my father still lived? How I wished Grandma was here. She might be able to fill in the questions, but would she tell me the truth? She hadn’t before.

“What’s wrong? You’re so quiet.”

“Grandma,” I blurted out. “Are you searching for her?”

“Of course,” he said, turning off the car. “We have people out looking for her even now. Don’t worry.” He opened the door. “We’ll find her.”

How I wished I could believe him, but there was something in the way he’d spoken the words that made me uneasy. He was calm…too calm. My dad got out of the car and I knew I needed to follow, but I couldn’t seem to move, frozen within the past.

“You will not leave this house! Until you’re eighteen, I control you!” My grandmother’s words whispered through my memory.

She hadn’t wanted me to go. But I’d gone anyway. I pushed the door open and stepped into the cool, morning air. I’d never disobeyed my grandmother on anything major.

“I want you to try your powers today, Cameron,” Dad said.

Still focused on my past, I barely heard what my father said. “Yeah, sure.” We started across the parking lot. Already there were a good dozen vehicles here. What did everyone do behind these brick walls?

“Maddox has set up a room. We figured we’d work on your abilities now, when the place is less crowded.”

In other words, fewer witnesses. “Abilities?”

“Breaking into minds.”

Like I was some super thief. We didn’t head to the main office, but moved toward the back building where the testing rooms were located. I steeled myself, preparing for battle. We’d barely had time to get to know each other. So much for a father and daughter dance. Hell, I would have taken a ten minute conversation. But nope, apparently it was straight to work.

The door opened.

Ellen glanced up from her computer. “Morning, sir.”

Christ, did the woman sleep here?

“Ellen,” my father called out in greeting.

She barely glanced at me; I was of no significance.

Dad opened the gate and we continued down the hall, silent, steady, no conversation. No pep talk. No need, apparently. At the end of the hall, we paused outside the last door. What, exactly, did good ol’ dad want me to accomplish? I glanced through the window. A man was seated behind the table. His hair dark, his skin tanned. He glanced our way. Instinct had me stumbling back.

My dad smiled. “Don’t worry, they can’t see through the glass. Yes, he might sense us here, but he can’t see or hear us.”

I gave him a hesitant smile back, feeling like a super wimp, and stepped toward the window once more. He was probably my dad’s age, around forty, maybe younger. Dark scruff grew along his jaw and the gray jump suit he wore made him look sickly. Shackles that were bolted to the floor, wrapped around his ankles and wrists.

“See the far wall?”

I glanced toward the wall with the huge tinted window.

“We’ll be watching you from there.”

“I’ll be alone in the room with him?”

“Yes. There’s only so much information we can get with the computers. We want you to try with your powers. He’s low risk.”

Whatever that meant.

Powers. There it was again, making me feel like some sort of superhero. The problem with being a superhero was that people expected you to do things, like be super.

Save for the table and two chairs, one occupied by the prisoner, the room was rather empty. “So, try for what?”

“Try to get any information from him you can.”

“How?”

My father gripped my shoulders, forcing me to face him. “You know how. You were able to break into Maddox’s mind while at Aaron’s.”

I cringed over the memory. “The blood,” I whispered. “I’d had an image of him with blood coming from his mouth and…”

Dad nodded. “You were able to break through the chip in Maddox’s brain. You can do it again.”

“You feel it,” Aaron’s voice whispered through my head, a memory that was seeping through my brain slow and steady. “That’s the chip that’s keeping you out. You have to push against that blockade, Cameron.”

And just like that my dad was gone. I was in front of Maddox. Maddox, who was tied to a chair, a gag over his mouth, his eyes narrowed on me…glaring. Suddenly a river of color flooded around me…memories that burst into full bloom.

People swept through my mind in a whirlwind of emotion; laughing, arguing, talking, hugging. I tried to grasp onto them, but they were gone before I had a chance. Christmas trees, presents, birthday cakes, a mother and father beaming down at me. I saw teachers and then college professors, I saw grades, sports…. Then suddenly it switched to men in suits coming to my apartment, talking about recruiting me…

Maddox’s memories.

Everything went so fast I could barely hold onto a single thought. I felt like I was spinning in space, attempting to latch onto anything that might help. But it was all too quick, too confusing. And then I was looking at a girl…a girl with dark hair and a wide smile. The girl Maddox loved, I realized.

I’m Maddox, a voice inside my head explained.

Nora, the girl said softly and then in a flash she was gone.

“Cameron?” My father’s soft touch startled me. “Another memory?”

I ignored my father’s voice, too stunned to speak. Nora.

Oh God. She was blonde now, but I knew that smile… that smirk.

Nora. I’d known they dated, but hadn’t known Maddox had been in love with her for years. What had happened between them?

My father’s dark brows drew together over his hazel eyes. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. Maddox had told me he had a personal interest, hadn’t he? Still, he’d left out one major fact…they’d been in love. The realization annoyed me much more than it probably should have.

“Ready then?” Dad prompted.

I took in a deep breath and pushed aside thoughts of Maddox and Nora together. “So, the guy in the room isn’t a mind reader then?” I glanced toward the window once more.

“No. He’s an agent like Maddox, and like Maddox, he has a chip.”

But obviously not on our side, whatever our side was.

“You’re sure you’re ready for this?” my father asked, showing genuine concern for the first time since we’d arrived. The emotion in his voice brought me back into the present. I realized, deep down, I still wanted to show him I was worth having around. The realization left me slightly sickened. Of course I would break into this man’s thoughts, because I wanted to make Dad proud.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Like you said, I’ve done it before.”

He smiled, his relief apparent. “Go on then. He’s chained. He can’t harm you and we’ll be just on the other side of that glass.”

“We?”

“Yes, I’ll be there, as well as Maddox.”

I glanced at that window again. Maddox would be watching. For some reason I felt even more pressure to prove myself useful.

“Ready then?”

I nodded.

“Here.” He handed me a small ear bud. “Place this in your ear so you can hear us.”

I slipped the tiny plastic oval into my ear. It was my first mission, and I knew I had to show them that I was capable of being what they needed.

Dad opened the door. Without looking back, I moved inside the small space. I admit, my legs were trembling and my heart was threatening to break through my ribcage. The man’s eyes were cold, so like Maddox had looked that night when I’d broken into his memories. The door closed and I stiffened, realizing I was alone with the prisoner. This is what I’d become and what I would be for the rest of my life? Someone who tortured people, who broke into their minds and stole their thoughts.

Slowly, I sat on the chair across from him, the steel table the only thing between us. The man smelled like sweat. Was he nervous?

The ear bud crackled. “Can you hear me?” my father asked. “Give a slight nod.”

I inched my chin toward my chest.

“Good. Try talking to him first.”

Talk to him? I wasn’t freaking Oprah. I cleared my throat. “Hello.” Lame. But seriously, what was I supposed to say? How’s it going? Seen any good movies lately?

“Where are you from?”

He didn’t respond, just continued to stare at me with those black eyes.

Great, this was going well.

“It would be easiest if you open up now. Talk to me,” I practically begged.

“Give it up, Cameron,” Maddox’s voice came through the ear bud. “Break into his thoughts. I, better than anyone, know you can.”

I ignored his sarcasm and closed my eyes, determine to at least get this one job done. I’d done it before, I could do it again. With mental fingers, I reached out. I felt that wall there. The same sort of feeling I’d had when breaking into Maddox’s head. Taking in a deep breath, I mentally surged forward. I felt like I’d slammed my head against a brick. I blinked my eyes wide, gasping.

The man’s lips lifted in a slow smirk. He knew I was trying and assumed I’d fail.

“Any luck?” my dad asked.

I shook my head slightly.

“Try again,” Maddox demanded.

I gritted my teeth, annoyed. How?

Sensing my reluctance, Maddox continued. “He’s been responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent people, Cameron. We have to stop him. We need to know where their headquarters are located.”

When I looked into this man’s eyes… his cold, dark eyes… I believed them. I didn’t want to delve into his memories… those horrible memories. I didn’t want to swim with evil. But I had no choice.

With renewed determination, I closed my eyes and mentally raced forward with full force. That cement wall wavered, the energy tingling through my body. It was working. Somehow, it was working. Suddenly it all gave way and I was floating, floating in dark space.

A flash of color hit me. A memory.

I was a little boy and men with guns were yelling, shooting the people around me. I was scared, so scared, hidden amongst a pile of crates, hoping they wouldn’t find me. The memories shifted. More violence. More men with guns, but there were good memories as well. I was a young man now, and there was a woman dressed in a beautiful pink gown of some sort. Gold jewelry all over her arms and around her neck. They were getting married. The memory shifted and I was holding a baby, my heart overflowing with warmth and devotion.

And then the world slowed, hovering in stillness and I knew the information I needed, the information he tried desperately to hide, was coming. I was talking to men in suits. I saw nothing out of the ordinary here.

I was getting up from behind a computer and walking down steps, I could feel the cold, iron railing under my hand, feel the excitement, determination and fear pulsing through my body. I pushed the door wide and stepped onto a sidewalk. The buildings around me were stone. I glanced back at the place from which I’d just come.

“513,” I said, repeating the numbers I noted on the building façade.

I started walking down the sidewalk. The weather was cold, dreary. A light rain began to fall. I lifted the collar of my jacket and stuffed my hands into my pockets.

“What do you see, Cameron?” my dad asked.

“He walked out of an office. He’s headed down a sidewalk.”

“Where?”

I shook my head. “Europe, I think.”

“Look around, where is he?”

I could feel the frantic edge to my father’s tone and knew the information was important. “A city. There’s a tower in the distance.”

“What does it look like?”

“A clock. I’ve seen it somewhere before…London!” I could breathe once more. “He’s in London! The house address 513, but I don’t know the road.”

“It’s okay. It’s enough,” my dad said. “Pull back.”

The energy in my body wavered. As much as I wanted to help my father, I was eager to escape this man’s mind. Mentally, I pulled back. It was like being sucked through a vacuum. Blood surged through my veins, my heart pounded, the roar of time and space rushing by me all at once. I opened my eyes, the room burst into focus.

My lungs felt as if they’d collapsed. I surged from my chair, sucking in a sharp breath. As the room came into focus, I saw the man. The man who had seen his family murdered. The man who had been married. The man who had a child. The man who had killed others…supposedly.

But he was no longer the same. His head lulled back, his body still. Brilliant red blood seeped from not only his mouth, but his eyes and nose. It was a vision from a horror movie.

“Oh my God!” I pushed aside my chair, the feet scraping against the tile. Before I reached his side, the door opened. “Stop! Don’t get close,” Maddox demanded.

I spared him only a brief glance. “He’s dead!”

My dad rushed passed Maddox and toward the prisoner. At least someone was taking the situation seriously. He pressed his fingers to the man’s neck.

“He’s still got a pulse.”

I was relieved, although why I wasn’t sure. The man had killed innocent people, according to my dad. Two guards followed Maddox as they swept into the small room and pulled the man to his feet. Without a word, they carried him out the door and I was left with my father.

“Did my visions help?”

My dad grinned. “Yes. You located a sleeper cell. We knew it was there somewhere. We’re going to call London now.” My dad started toward the door, obviously intent on leaving me behind.

“Will he die?” I called out.

My dad paused in the hall and glanced back. He looked confused, like he didn’t understand why I’d ask such a question. “It doesn’t matter, what matters is what you’ve done.”

He disappeared and I was left alone. I sank onto the chair and stared at the spot where the prisoner had sat. I couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t fair. I hadn’t signed up for the military. I hadn’t signed up to be some agent like Maddox. I was… just me. A girl. A girl who wanted a life, who wanted to go to college. A girl who loved to swim in the ocean and play soccer.

But now, thanks to my dad, I might be adding murderer to my list.

Chapter 15

“She said she doesn’t feel well,” I heard Tara whisper outside my bedroom door early the next morning.

I sighed and rolled toward my bedside table where the clock glowed eerily, 8:00 a.m. Seriously, if they were going to have a private conversation, why outside my door?

“I should check on her,” my dad insisted.

“No you don’t. She’s sleeping.”

Thank God for Tara. I was actually growing to care for the woman. I rested the side of my face upon the pillow and wondered if Dad was so eager to see me because he worried, or because he wanted to make sure his new toy was still working. Their voices faded into the background and I closed my eyes. Not for the hundredth time, I wondered why I was really here. But as my body sank into that strange half-sleep, my thoughts shifted.

My bedroom slipped away and I was sitting at a dining room table, a dark haired girl nearby. I couldn’t remember her name, but I knew her from Aaron’s, I was sure of it.

She laughed, although it wasn’t a happy laugh. “You think I’m jealous?” She shook her head and stood, her movements jerky and stiff. “I’m warning you because I’m nice. You’re a pretty, new toy and just like all toys, he’ll grow bored with you.”

Anger and hurt pounded at my chest. “If it’s so bad, why are you still here?” I asked.

She shrugged and picked up a lock of hair, leaving her glass on the table. “Free room and board. Besides, I’ve no place else to go.” She slipped that lock of hair between her lips, chewing on the strand as she left me sitting there alone.

“Fine,” my dad said, and just like that, the memory was gone and I was back in my bedroom. “But ring me if anything happens.”

“I’m sure it’s just exhaustion,” Tara said.

The soft thud of footsteps faded and I was alone once more. Relief was immediate. I realized how weird it was that I should feel so eager to get a break from Dad. I hadn’t seen him in over a decade. Shouldn’t I want to be with him as much as possible?

I pushed aside the thick comforter and stood, stretching my arms over my head and thinking about the memory that had flashed just moments ago. But stretching did little to help my muddled mind. Vaguely I remembered meditating. That had helped when I’d been staying with Aaron, hadn’t it?

I sank back onto the bed and rested against the headboard. If meditating had helped back then, maybe it would now. I took in a deep breath, eager to clear my mind. I couldn’t go into work with Dad today. I needed a break. My father hadn’t exactly said so, but I had a feeling I’d killed that prisoner. Whether it was right or not, the thought left me ill. I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn’t know what he’d done…I didn’t care. I’d never killed anyone and I wasn’t sure I wanted to again.

How I wished there was someone I could talk to. Someone who would understand, but Grandma was missing and…

Lewis.

Lewis was with Aaron. With a frustrated sigh, I jumped from the bed and moved to the windows, gazing out over the back garden. Lewis hadn’t hurt me. He hadn’t thrown me to the wolves, as they’d all implied. I pressed my fingers to my throbbing temples. If my dream had been true… Lewis might have helped save me. But he’d still left me. Why? Where was he?

A soft knock sounded on the door. I sighed, frustrated. Tara meant well, but the woman seriously needed to learn how to give a person space. The knock sounded again. I started across the carpet.

“Cameron, open up or I’m coming in.”

I froze. Maddox?

Anger and annoyance combined. “Come in,” I snapped, since I really didn’t have a choice. Seriously, who the hell did he think he was? Why couldn’t he ever ask politely? Why’d he always have to demand? But I let him get away with it because he was the only one here I could talk to about my past.

The door opened. He stood there in jeans and a t-shirt, looking as gorgeous as ever. Obviously killing someone didn’t bother him in the least. The t-shirt and shorts I wore certainly could have seen better days and I knew my hair was a tangled mess.

I crossed my arms over my chest, attempting to hide the chocolate stain on my shirt. “Don’t you have your own place? Or do you just hover around here all the time?”

He stepped into the room, dominating the space. Did he seem taller than normal?

“You’re not feeling well?”

I narrowed my eyes, studying his face. Was he actually worried? But I could read nothing in his features. “Sure.” I leaned against the wall, feigning disinterest.

He arched a dark brow. “You look well enough.”

So much for being worried about me. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. He thought I was lying and was out to catch me in the fib. “I’m just… overwhelmed. Maybe.”

Maddox sighed and closed the door, trapping us inside. “I understand this is a lot for you to take in.” He started toward me. I wished he’d just leave me alone. How could he really understand? He wasn’t a mind reader. He was some agent who could come and go as he pleased. A man who’d been trained to kill people.

“But this work is important. We’re saving lives here. If you can’t handle it, you need to speak up now.”

“How very dramatic,” I muttered, feeling highly uncomfortable with how serious he was being and even more uncomfortable with the fact that he was in my bedroom, asking me personal questions.

He frowned. “You think this is a joke?”

“Yeah.” Anger propelled me forward. I paused only a breath away, my hands fisted at my sides. “This is a joke. My entire life is a joke. First Aaron uses me to break into your mind, now you want to use me. What makes you different?”

There…I’d said it, the thing that had truly been bothering me, but I was too afraid to admit.

“The difference,” he hissed. “Is that we’re on the good side.”

“I’ve yet to see that.” Seriously, how did I know what they were doing was right? I was just taking their word for it.

His jaw clenched, a pulse leaping to life in the side of his neck. “What, exactly, did you expect when you came here?”

“I didn’t come here! I was forced here.”

But we both knew that wasn’t true. We both knew I would have given anything to see my dad once more.

“I expected…” Embarrassing tears burned my eyes. I turned away from him, pacing to the windows and refusing to let those tears fall. “I expected my dad to say he missed me. To want to spend time with me. I expected him to beg forgiveness for abandoning me.”

“So, this is about your daddy issues?”

My hands curled. How badly I wanted to punch him in his handsome face. “Screw you.”

Maddox sighed and I knew his anger had vanished just as quickly as it had come, but I wasn’t about to forgive him. “He did what was best for everyone.”

I turned toward him. “Did he? Because I’ll be honest with you, Maddox, my life wasn’t that great. I can’t imagine it could have been much worse.”

“You have no idea how horrible your life could have been.” He started toward me. “Your father was on the run for years after he left you.”

“And yet he somehow managed to settle down.”

He gripped my upper arms, his gaze full of frustration and pity. “He would have come for you if he could have.”

It would have been a sweet declaration, if I’d believed him. It just didn’t make sense. Why had he abandoned me when he’d had no problem moving here and starting a family? And I didn’t buy the whole he couldn’t find me thing. Bull.

His grip loosened, but he didn’t let go. “My God, Cameron, you constantly put people on a pedestal. Always expecting more from them than they can give you.”

His words confused and stung. How dare he act like he knew me so well. “He’s my dad, so yeah, I do expect something, anything!”

“He’s a human being. He’s made mistakes, but he’s done the best he could. Just like you.”

“Me?” I jerked away from him. “You’re saying I’ve made mistakes? And what about you? What mistakes have you made?”

He narrowed his eyes, obviously confused.

“Not telling me that Nora was your girlfriend—”

“Yeah, was,” he snapped, his anger mounting. “As in, it’s in the past. Time to move forward, sweetheart. Let it go. I don’t care what magical powers you mind readers hold. I don’t care if you can walk on freaking water. You’re still human, and humans, all of us, have faults. We’re all just trying to find our way in this screwed up world. You need to start believing in yourself; relying on you.”

His words hit me hard and stuck, like gum on the bottom of a shoe. I looked away. Myself. That sounded… lonely. Although I’d had few friends, Grandma had always been the one in charge. Now…now I really had no one.

For so many years I’d been blaming my parents for my problems, thinking that if only they would return and make things right, life would be perfect. I finally had my dad, yet things were far from perfect.

“Look,” Maddox said, gentling his voice. “People try their best. But we make mistakes. Your parents were no more ready for this world than you were. Your mom was twenty when she had you. I sure as hell couldn’t handle a kid right now, could you?”

He had a point, I reluctantly admitted to myself. What the heck would I do with a child? Especially a child who could read minds. It’s not like my dad had a lot of help, considering my mom was so screwed up. Damn, I really hated when Maddox was right.

“We’re all in the same shitty, water-leaking boat and we’re all just trying not to drown. Stop expecting so much from people and just… accept what you have.” He lifted his lips into a crooked grin. “Look on the bright side and all that crap.”

Could I accept my fate? I’d clung so long to what I didn’t have, it was hard to think about the positive. “All I’ve ever wanted was a normal, loving family.”

“What family is normal? No one’s normal.”

So, he had a point. He reached out, his hands warm on my shoulders and his gaze so serious.

“Cameron, perhaps we’re not perfect, and maybe we don’t love you like you want us to, but we are here, doing our best to see you protected and happy.”

I jerked my gaze upright. Was he saying… No, he wasn’t saying he was in love with me… Impossible. But I recognized that heated look in his eyes. I swallowed hard. Oh God, he was attracted to me. But I had a boyfriend, I had Lewis…somewhere. So why, when Maddox lowered his head, did I let him kiss me?

His lips settled firmly against mine. His scent, his taste… everything about this man was perfect. He wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me up against his hard body, while his tongue…his tongue slid against my lips.

I knew in the back of my mind this was going too fast, but my body didn’t care. I sank into him, slid my hands up his chest and around his broad shoulders. I only wanted to be closer to him, to someone. Just as I parted my lips to deepen the kiss, Lewis’ face flashed to mind.

Lewis, his hair ruffled by the wind as we took that ferry across the ocean to the island that fateful day. Lewis smiling down at me, his blue eyes sparkling. My stomach clenched.

Oh God, I couldn’t do this, not now. I shoved my hands against Maddox and stumbled back. Lewis was gone, who knew where? But Maddox was here, watching me, breathing as heavily as I was. Why couldn’t I let Lewis go?

For one long moment we only stared at each other. I didn’t know what to say, how to respond. I wanted to look at Maddox the same way he was looking at me, with passion, with affection. I did care about him, but Lewis… Lewis was always there.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and pressed my fingers to my tingling lips. I felt like I’d just cheated on Lewis, which was ridiculous. Surely we weren’t still dating. I hadn’t seen or heard from him in months.

“I have to go,” Maddox said softly. “I hope you’ll be well enough tomorrow to come to work.”

Why, I wanted to ask. Why did he want me there? To be close to me, or to use my powers? But before I could question him, Maddox strolled to the door and disappeared into the hall.

Not a word about our kiss. Nothing. And I let him go because I was too confused to ask him to stay. Shocked that he’d kissed me and shocked that I’d let him. And even as I admitted that I liked the kiss, I knew it wasn’t the same as Lewis kissing me. I closed my eyes, my heart squeezing painfully.

“Lewis, where are you?”

“Cam, Cam, please, dear God, please look at me.” Lewis’ words whispered through my mind. “Please Cameron, please talk to me.”

Shoot, I’d forgotten to ask Maddox about that last day at Aaron’s. I pulled on my tennis shoes and I raced out the door.

“Cameron,” Tara appeared at the bottom of the steps, dishtowel in hand. “Is everything all right?”

I rushed passed her. “Yeah, just need to ask Maddox something.”

I tore open the front door and burst outside. Maddox’s motorcycle was disappearing down the drive. “No!”

I ran down the steps of the front porch and called out to him. “Maddox!”

Too late. I paused, breathless in the drive. He was gone, disappeared into the shadows of the trees. Stupid me, I’d been too caught up in the moment. I pressed my fingers to my lips where the skin still tingled. Maddox had kissed me. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I remembered. No flashback, but a soft memory that whispered seductively through my mind. Lewis and I standing outside in the dark…

For one moment we merely stared at each other. Then Lewis lowered his head, bending toward me. My eyes closed and I held my breath, waiting. His lips met mine. A soft kiss, a wonderful kiss. My toes had curled in my shoes, my heart had jumped madly against my ribs. Soft, warm, intense.

“Lewis,” I whispered, his name catching in my throat.

A branch snapped from behind. I spun around, facing the trees. The shadows were thick even though the day was bright. Anything could be out there. Surely it was just an animal. Maybe a squirrel?

Another snap, this one closer.

A rabbit?

I took a step back. “Hello?”

No response.

My heart hammered wildly in my chest. A raccoon? Deer? Bear? Did they have bears in North Carolina? I swallowed hard, preparing to flee when a shadow morphed from the trees. A feminine silhouette, a familiar form. She stepped into a patch of sunlight, and the rays glinted off her blonde hair.

I gasped in surprise. “Nora.”

She grinned. “So, you know my name.”

I didn’t respond, too shocked to speak. How the hell had she made it to the house unseen? I dared to glance down the drive where Maddox had disappeared. But I was alone, he was gone and Tara would be of no help. Oh God, Tara and the kids were close by.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

“I’ve been waiting to catch you alone.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against a tree trunk, completely at ease. She wore jeans and a leather jacket that reminded me of Maddox’s. How sweet, his and hers. I wanted to gag.

“Where’s my grandma?” I asked, praying Tara wouldn’t come outside looking for me, or worse send Gemma.

She frowned. “How the hell should I know?”

“Your people took her.”

She laughed. “Someone’s been feeding you lies.”

I hesitated, startled. I couldn’t trust her, I knew that. But if they didn’t have Grandma, who did? “What do you want with me?”

She shrugged. “I’m just wondering if you’re ready to leave yet.”

I shook my head, confused. As if she was giving me a choice. “I don’t—”

“Obviously not.” She sighed. “Never mind.” She stepped away from the tree. “Can’t stay. I’m sure your father has already sent agents to apprehend me.”

“How?” I glanced around, but saw only birds. “What do you mean?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You seriously think he doesn’t realize I’m here?” She turned and slipped into the shadows. “But I will be back, Cameron and I’m betting by then, you’ll be ready to leave.”

“Dream on.”

I heard her laughter over the chirp of birds. “Think you can just walk away? You’re working for the U.S. government now. It’s not so easy to back out. You’ll need my help when the time is right.”

She was so sure I would want to leave, that she made me rethink my position.

“Cameron?” Tara called from the porch.

I spun around. She was standing there watching me curiously. Crap, what had she seen?

“Just a minute,” I called back.

I turned toward the woods. Blondie was gone. There was no snap of branches this time. No crunch of leaves to indicate the retreat of her steps. Only the chirp of birds.

Chapter 16

Three days later and I was strolling the halls of Alcatraz, back to work with good ol’ dad. I could only pretend to be exhausted for so many days. And I sure as heck could only play dolls with Gemma for so long before I wanted to rip their pretty little heads off and shove them down Charlie’s tormenting throat. Being around the bickering siblings had made me realize how fortunate I was to grow up as an only child.

Besides, staying home was doing no good, I was still as confused as when I’d arrived. But I was determined to do what I had to in order to get answers. If they wanted to use me, so be it. I’d use them as well. When I laid out my options, this was the best move… for now. Maybe someday I’d trust my dad, maybe someday I’d forgive him. Maybe. But Maddox had been right, I needed to stop sitting around waiting for someone to give me answers. Time to take charge.

“So,” I said as we followed the path toward the interrogation building. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“There’s someone I’d like you to question, if you’re up for it.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him if he’d rather I make photocopies or answer phone calls. Instead, I bit back my response. Looked like I was following in Dad’s footsteps whether I wanted to or not. I took in a deep breath and focused on the blue skies. So blue, so bright, it almost hurt to look upward. The color reminded me of Lewis’ gaze.

“Cameron,” my dad said, his voice hesitant. “I know about Nora’s visit.”

I stumbled to a stop outside the door of building two, too shocked to feel guilty about not telling him. “How do you know?”

“There are cameras in the woods surrounding the house.”

Stunned, I couldn’t think of a word to say. Nora had known. It made sense now, why she’d arrived and left so quickly. She’d known we were being watched. God, I was so stupid.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “Like I’m invading your privacy. The security is there to protect my family and that includes you.”

An excuse that was sort of growing old. He pulled open the door. Anger and annoyance fought for control. Why hadn’t he told me? “Just the woods?”

So help me if my room was bugged…

His lips lifted into a quick grin. He seemed amused by my question. “Yes.”

I didn’t find it amusing at all. “She said they don’t have Grandma.”

He sighed, his amusement fading. “And you believe her?”

“No.” Maybe. Hell, I wasn’t sure who to believe anymore. “So what’s this guy done?” I asked, eager to change the subject.

He pulled open the door. “He was responsible for the death of ten innocent school children in Berlin. And that’s just one of many.”

I glanced at him, surprised. I hadn’t been expecting the truth and such a terrible truth as that. I felt ill. “H…how?”

Ellen was seated in her usual spot and lifted her head just quick enough to give us a polite smile.

“He worked with a terrorist organization.” We moved through that gate and into the hall with the many, many doors. “We need to find out if he was working alone, or with others.”

We paused outside a door midway down the hall. The man seated in that room behind a nondescript table was blond, pale and tall. Not fat at all, but at least twice my size. Despite the fact that there were two guards in the room, there was something about that prisoner that sent a chill down my spine.

“Is he a mind reader?”

“Yes.” My dad handed me the earpiece.

For some reason the fact that this prisoner was a mind reader made me even more nervous. I felt like he could turn the tables at any moment. It would be a battle of wills.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded. I had a job to do. People to save. This is the path I’d chosen… or been forced upon, at least for now.

The prisoner turned his head, as if sensing us. He didn’t look nervous or uneasy in any way. A slow smile lifted the corners of his lips. A creepy smile. I knew in that moment that everything my father had told me about him was totally true.

“Cameron, he’s a sick bastard. This isn’t going to be easy, but we need the information. You’ll be completely protected. There’s no reason to be afraid.”

“I’ll be okay. Besides, he can’t harm me, right?” I rested my hand on the door knob.

“You want me to come in with you?”

I paused, surprised. He was actually showing he cared and dang it all, I liked it. “Dad, there are two guards, I think I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t trust him.”

No worries, I wasn’t planning on trusting anyone. I nodded and pulled open the door. He was wearing that same gray jumpsuit as the other prisoner and I wondered briefly why they didn’t wear orange.

“So, they’ve sent you? A child,” he said in a thick accent. “Wunderbar.”

I settled in the chair across from him, praying he didn’t notice how my hands shook. The guards watched silently from their corners like huge German shepherds waiting for the sign to attack.

“You know what will happen if you don’t talk?” I was proud that my voice held steady.

He lifted a golden brow. “Indeed.”

I rested my elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Then why don’t you make it easier for the both of us and tell me if you’re working alone?”

He rested his chained arms on the table and leaned forward, much like I had. “But that, mein liebling, would be no fun, would it?”

Great, he was going to be difficult and the longer I talked to him, the longer I’d have to be in his creepy presence. I glanced at the tinted window where I knew my father waited and where I assumed Maddox stood.

“Go ahead,” my father said from the earpiece.

“Why are you in a hurry?” the prisoner asked, surprising me. “Do you have dinner plans? Perhaps with the handsome agent who keeps thinking lustful thoughts about you?”

My gaze jumped to the window where I knew Maddox stood. A horrified flush crept its way up my neck, knowing not only Maddox, but also my dad heard what he had said. How could he possible know what Maddox was thinking? Maddox supposedly had a chip. Unless this guy was ridiculously powerful.

“I’ve hit a nerve.” The prisoner leaned even closer, his chains rattling with the movement. “What makes you special?”

I didn’t respond. I sure as hell had asked myself that many times in the past.

“Cameron,” my father said through the earpiece. “Start.”

The prisoner lowered his gaze, looking me up and down. “You’re no different from me.”

My heart slammed wildly in my chest. He’d spoken the very words I feared were true, but would never admit out loud. Was I just as bad as him? “I don’t kill innocent people.”

“Maybe not directly, but do you think all will be well? Do you honestly believe innocents will not suffer when they rush in to destroy us?”

The earpiece crackled. “Cameron, break into his mind now,” Maddox demanded.

Were they trying to protect me? Or was there something they didn’t want me to hear? I closed my eyes, mostly to escape the prisoner’s eerie gaze. Without pause, I mentally reached out. I felt the wall in place, as it should be, hard, unrelenting. I knew he’d try to block me. I took in a deep breath and pushed. Easily the pressure crumbled. Suddenly pictures flashed to mind… ocean…a beach…brilliant blue water. Where was I?

I stood by the shore, a map in hand.

“Grand Cayman,” I said.

“Cameron,” my dad’s voice crackled. “It’s a lie. Something he’s forcing you to see. You didn’t break through.”

I opened my eyes. The German man was grinning. “Sehr gut, sehr gut.”

“Shut up,” I snapped.

This weirdo was getting on my nerves. I closed my eyes again and mentally raced forward full force. I felt like I’d slammed against a brick wall. My body actually trembled, my bones ached. I gritted my teeth and held tight, refusing to cry out. I wouldn’t relent until that wall of his was down. It was a battle of wills and I would win. I wasn’t sure how long we fought, but it seemed like an eternity.

Sweat broke out on my forehead, my muscles trembled, but I swore I felt him wavering… like a cool breeze that whispered temptingly through my body.

He cried out in pain and a sick part of me was thrilled with the realization that I’d won. The thrill was short lived when suddenly a million pictures flashed through my mind.

His childhood in an orphanage… his teenage years seducing and stalking girls…hitting them if they didn’t do what he wanted.

Dad was right, he was horrible.

The memory shifted and I was walking down an alley in some European town. Three men strolled from the shadows, knives in hand. Just as suddenly as they had appeared, they cried out, dropping their weapons and falling to their knees. I knew what he was doing, controlling them with his mind.

They begged for mercy. He didn’t relent and they fell back, blood trailing from their mouths and nostrils. They lay upon the dirty alley, unmoving, dead. He reached into each of their pockets, taking their cash and strolling away, leaving the bodies behind.

Another memory, this one even slower. I was in a room with maps all over the walls. Men speaking in some sort of language I didn’t understand.

“Where are you?” My dad’s voice crackled through the earpiece.

“An office.” My head thumped, interrupting my concentration. Delving into his brain was taking its toll and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold him off. I refocused, ignoring the pain. “They’re looking at maps.”

The image wavered.

“Maps of what?”

I forced myself to concentrate. “Umm, Scotland, Edinburgh…I think.”

“Where exactly? Do you see a street name?”

I watched as a man reached out and pressed his finger to the map, pointing at a street. The pain in my head increased. I squeezed my eyes shut, concentrating. “Princess Street.”

As soon as the words left my lips, the world exploded with pain. Everything went black, disappearing. I could no longer hear anything, no longer feel my body. I floated in nothingness. I forced my eyes to open, but the room around me spun…spun…

I could hear voices coming from my ear piece, but I couldn’t understand the words. Everything was garbled nonsense. Yet, one thing stood out…the warm coppery taste of blood trailing down the back of my throat. My stomach churned and I thought I might get sick.

“Cameron.” Maddox stood in front of me, his face wavering in and out of focus. Warm hands lifted me, cradling me to a strong chest. For a moment I thought I was back in Aaron’s house during that fateful day when I’d lost my memory. But no, my memory was fine.

“Damn, it was too much for her,” he said.

“We couldn’t know,” my father replied, then turned toward the guards. “Take him out.”

Chains rattled. I cracked my eyes just enough to see my guards dragging the blond from the room, his chin on his chest, his body lax. Obviously he’d fainted… or I’d killed again. Just call me the angel of death.

“I feel sick,” I muttered.

“I know. We’ll get—”

A high pitched shriek rang through the room, echoing, pulsing against the walls. I cringed, the sound too loud, too irritating.

“What the hell?” Maddox demanded.

My dad rushed toward the door. “Take her to my office, now!”

I pushed at Maddox’s chest. “Put me down. I can walk.”

“You look half-dead.”

“Put me down!”

“Fine, but we need to hurry.”

He let me slide down his body, then grabbed my hand. I’d barely had time to gather my thoughts before we bolted through the door and down the hall. My legs trembled, my feet tripping over each other as if they just didn’t know how to work any longer.

“What’s happening?” I managed to ask. Obviously the noise was some sort of alarm.

“Someone’s trying to escape.” I felt like we were running through that airport in Florida all over again and I had to trust Maddox. Only problem was, I still didn’t know if I could.

We reached the gate and Maddox tore open the door.

“Do we have time?” he asked Ellen who was typing furiously upon her computer keyboard. My dad had disappeared, reaching the door before us.

It was only as we paused next to her desk that I realized Ellen’s computer was actually hooked to four cameras outside. She wasn’t a secretary, but a security guard.

“Looks like you’re clear to leave,” she said.

“Why the office?” I asked as we started for the front door. “Why can’t we stay here?”

“The office building is the most secure. In this building there are prisoners who could potentially escape.”

Wow, this day was getting better and better.

Maddox reached for the door. “Not a big deal. It’s happened before.”

Right, if it wasn’t a big deal, why the shrill alarm and hectic faces?

“Stop!” Ellen cried out, but it was too late.

The door burst open, sending both of us stumbling back. A man rushed inside, wearing that prisoner gray jumpsuit, a frantic look upon his face. I had a feeling he wasn’t here to ask where the nearest restroom was located. Maddox pulled a pistol from the holster at his side. Before he had time to point the gun, the weapon flew from his fingers. The pistol skittered across the floor, useless.

Maddox held up his hands, stepping in front of me. “You can’t escape, it’s pointless.”

I could see nothing behind his broad back and I had to resist the urge to peek around him.

“Maybe not,” the intruder said. “But I can take a few of you down while I’m trying.”

Suddenly, Maddox flew through the air, hitting the wall like he weighed nothing more than a ragdoll. I was completely and utterly exposed.

“Traitor,” the prisoner whispered.

It took a moment to realize he was talking to me. His blue eyes flashed with an anger directed at me for some reason. He was young, probably my age. I’d never met him before, I was sure of it. I shook my head, confused.

“They’re out to destroy us and you’re helping them.”

“I’m helping them because you’re killing innocent people.”

His entire body trembled with frustration, or rage. Probably both. “Some, not all of us.”

“Samuel, step away from them.” My father moved slowly through the doorway, called back by some silent alarm, or maybe he’d sensed our fear. Whatever it was, I was certainly glad to see him.

“Dad,” I whispered, starting forward.

Samuel lunged for Maddox’s pistol. He had it before any of us could react. With a wicked laugh, he spun around, pointing the gun at my father. That anger turned to glee.

“Don’t,” I cried out. “Please!”

But he wasn’t looking at me. No, he was staring at my dad with such hatred it sent a shiver down my spine. From the corner of my eye I could see Maddox slowly regaining his feet, pulling yet another pistol from behind his back. Christ, how many guns did the guy have? He was a walking NRA advertisement.

“Maddox is an excellent shot,” my dad said calmly.

“So am I,” Samuel replied, not even bothering to look at Maddox. “Either way, I’m dead. At least I can take you with me.”

“Don’t!” I pleaded. Damn it, I might be angry with my dad, but I didn’t want him dead, not when I’d just found him.

My dad looked directly at Maddox. “Do it.”

As if in slow motion I saw Maddox’s finger twitch. The gun blast rang through the room, the bullet hitting Samuel’s hand before the poor idiot even knew what was coming. Samuel cried out, dropping the pistol and falling to his knees. His finger fell to the ground, rolling across the floor. A bloodied stub of skin, muscle and bone. I didn’t have time to puke. Even injured, the man wasn’t going to give up. I heard his thought right before he started to reach for the gun.

If I can get the pistol…

My gaze jerked to that gun gleaming some twenty feet away. I don’t know how I did it, but suddenly, the pistol skidded across the floor toward me. One minute I was thinking about it, the next minute it resting at me feet. My mouth dropped open. “Holy crap.”

And just like that, the office faded and I was in that café with Lewis once more.

“I want to show you something,” he said. With his arm on the table, Lewis opened his hand, fingers spread wide. The clear salt shaker next to me rattled. Startled, I drew in a sharp breath. The shaker slid across the tabletop, stopping directly against his palm. Lewis closed his fingers around the shaker and he set it back in its rightful place.

“No freaking way,” I whispered. “How’d you do that?”

“Telekinesis. Moving things with your mind.” He grinned. “It’s amazing what the mind can do if trained properly.”

Had Lewis taught me? Samuel flopped to his back, crying out and drawing me back into the present moment. He cradled his injured hand to his chest, blood soaking the gray jumpsuit as he rolled back and forth like a big baby attempting to find comfort.

“Calm down.” My father strolled forward and picked up the pistol. “Reattach it.”

Samuel stopped crying long enough to glare at him. With his good hand he reached out for the stump of his finger. “I’ll kill you.”

“Shut up and mend it,” Maddox snapped.

With a glare, the man pressed his finger to the bloody wound. Taking in a deep breath, he stared intensely at his hand. Slowly the skin mended back together. He wiggled his fingers, the hand completely fixed. It was like nothing had ever happened, although the blood remained as a reminder.

“Guards are on their way,” Ellen said, hanging up her phone.

My father turned toward Maddox. “Take him back to his cell. Wash him up.”

Maddox gripped the man’s arms and jerked him to his feet. “Let’s go.”

They pushed open the door and stepped outside, gone, before I could even contemplate what had happened. I slumped back against the wall, my legs too weak to hold me.

“Sorry about that,” my dad said, turning his focus toward me. “It doesn’t happen often, I promise you.”

“I…I moved the gun.”

My dad smiled. “I know.”

But somehow moving the pistol seemed pretty lame compared to what Samuel had done. “How the hell did he mend his finger back together?”

My dad held out his hand. I slipped my fingers around his and he pulled me upright. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

I nodded dumbly.

“Come on.” Dad held open the door, and I was more than eager to step outside into the cool, morning air. The sun was bright, birds chirping merrily as if nothing had happened. I suppose for them, all was normal and well. The alarm had stopped, although in the craziness of the moment, I’d barely noticed.

“Everyone is made up of cells,” my father explained as we started down the trail to Building 1. “Cells come together to form certain parts of your body. When Maddox shot Samuel’s finger off, he didn’t destroy the cells, merely separated them. With concentration, Samuel was able to bond the cells back together again.”

It sounded so easy, but dear God, that was amazing. The possibilities were endless, and despite myself, I was fascinated with this new world. For the first time in my life, I was truly interested in my powers. “Could I do that?”

My dad laughed and rested his arm around my shoulders. “Cameron, we have no idea what you’re capable of. But from what I’ve seen, as far as you’re concerned, anything is possible.”

Chapter 17

A few days later I felt like I was reliving a previous life. The surprise of uncovering my powers. Breaking into people’s brains all over again. Now, dressing up for some sort of gathering I didn’t want to attend.

Of course I was reminded of that party when Lewis and I first kissed. A party that had changed everything. Would this little gathering be just as eventful?

I closed my eyes as my dad drove the car down that dark road. I understood why they had to have the party within the gated compound. It wasn’t like we could discuss prisoners and experiments at the local Hampton Inn. According to Dad, this little gathering of devious minds happened once every few months. Unfortunately for me, it just so happened that I’d arrived in time to attend.

Poor Tara, dutiful wife that she was, hadn’t asked if she could be Dad’s plus one. She knew everything to do with the compound was top secret, even social gatherings. As I “worked” for the company, I was now a part of that secrecy. My stepmom had even picked out a dress which I’d found on my bed when I’d arrived home the other night. Her ready acceptance to believe the lies my father and I spun made me feel guilty as hell.

And so I’d dressed in the pink strappy gown that came to my knees, slipped on the equally pink heels. I looked like a stick of bubble gum, but to be honest, I didn’t care. I hadn’t made much of an effort, but my dad had seemed pleased enough. Besides, it wasn’t about me, it was about the compound and the strides they’d taken, according to Dad.

So here I was once again… on my way to a party with people who made me more than uncomfortable, in an outfit I usually wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, and all I could think about was Lewis and our first kiss. I couldn’t remember much about that night, but I remembered the soft, silky dress that did little to keep me warm when Lewis and I had stepped outside. A dress I had actually liked. And I remember how gorgeous Lewis had looked in his dark suit. But mostly I remembered his lips meeting mine, and the way I’d felt that kiss all the way to my toes. I couldn’t help but compare that moment to the kiss I’d shared with Maddox. They’d felt different, for some inexplicable reason.

“Don’t be nervous,” my dad said as he pulled into the parking lot in front of Compound One.

Startled, I glanced at him. Had he read my mind?

“You’re fidgeting,” he said in explanation.

I smoothed down the skirt that I’d somehow managed to twist between my fingers. “Yeah, I guess I am. I’m not exactly used to socializing. It was only Grandma and me for so many years and we never stayed in one place long enough to make any good friends.”

I hadn’t realized how my words might hurt him until he looked away as if I’d made him uncomfortable. I truly hadn’t meant to dredge up the past, but I’d spoken only the truth. “I meant…” I tried to explain my comment, but Dad had already opened his door and stepped outside.

Surprisingly, when I followed he was smiling once more as if nothing had happened. I vaguely remembered that about him. When I was young he was always smiling. While Mom was worried, he never had a care. It used to drive her nuts.

“There will be some important people here.”

Yep, he was great at ignoring pesky emotional complications. I knew where he’d learned; he was just like Grandma.

I couldn’t help but wonder what his childhood had been like. I’m bet lots of disapproving glares and silent dinners. Even though it had been three weeks since I’d been with him, we’d rarely had time to talk. He was always cheerful though, as if everything was totally normal. And maybe this was normal for him…this life. But not for me. And frankly, I wasn’t sure I wanted it to be normal.

He pulled open the door to the main building where the offices were located. Tonight the only people there were guards who lined the long corridor as we strolled down the hall. I could make out the soft sound of music and chatter, but no tap of fingers on keyboards, no people shouting out orders and no alarms going off. At the end of the hall we turned the corner and I was surprised to see double doors opened wide. No facial scan. No keypad. No security. As if an everyday office party.

The first thing I noticed was how large the conference room was. The second thing was how many people were in attendance. At least fifty men and women gathered around the room in small groups, chatting amicably. The women wore dark dresses, while the men were dressed in black suits. And me, in my Pepto Bismol pink would completely stick out.

“Conrad,” my father called out, heading toward the closest man, one of many men who were bald, white and fat in the middle.

“John!”

They shook hands, but my interest was on Maddox who was currently moving toward me like a panther hunting prey. Of course I’d found him quickly, he was the only guy in the room under forty and with real hair on his head. Maddox dressed in shorts and a tight T-shirt was hot, but Maddox dressed in a suit was gorgeous. An odd and unwelcome heat swept through my body. I had the sudden urge to bolt from the room, or toward Maddox…which, I wasn’t sure.

He gave me a crooked grin, but I didn’t miss the way his gaze slid down my body before he met my eyes once more. It was a quick glance, but enough to make me realize that the pink dress had done what it was supposed to, get attention.

“You look good,” he said, as he paused close to me.

I laughed. He wasn’t one to wax poetically, that was for sure. My smile wavered as a memory came unbidden. A moment months ago when Lewis had allowed me to read his mind.

His gaze had slipped to my lips.

What does she taste like? Are her lips as soft as they look?

Lewis had been wearing a suit much like Maddox’s. Sorrow swept through my body and clenched around my heart. I didn’t want to think about Lewis. He was gone and who knew if I’d ever see him again. I had to let him go.

“What is it?” Maddox asked, his warm hand touching my arm.

I forced myself to smile, forced myself to stay in the here and now. Lewis was gone, but Maddox was here. Maddox, who had carried me out of Aaron’s home that fateful day.

“Nothing wrong. Just overwhelmed.” I glanced around the room. “Wasn’t expecting so many people.”

Maddox’s hand moved from my arm, to the curve of my lower back. It was an intimate touch and I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed it or not. “You’ll do fine.”

He led me toward a round table up front. “We have these little gatherings once every few months. The men and women you see are important.” His gaze swept the room. “Some are senators, some military, some execs who have donated millions. They all have one thing in common, they are very, very important.”

He wasn’t doing much to calm my nerves. I suppose there were some people who seemed familiar, but I couldn’t be sure. Not like I was up on my politics and military generals. I settled at the table, Maddox at my side. I wasn’t exactly shocked not to see Jake anywhere. It had become obvious early on that he wasn’t liked around the commune. My dad hadn’t said so, but I knew he wanted to make a good impression tonight and Jake wasn’t great at making good impressions. I was most likely here to be cute little eye candy.

“Shall we get started?” my father said as he strolled toward the podium. The room grew quiet, people making their way to their tables. I settled back in my chair, picking at the roll that was on my plate, my appetite completely nonexistent. Tonight would be boring, I knew that, but apparently it was part of the job. I’d wanted to be independent. I’d wanted to be treated like an adult. Now I was, and frankly it sucked.

“We strive to be the best,” my father began, his voice carrying easily with help of the microphone. “To know things before they happen. To prevent catastrophes and keep those who live here safe.”

I admit, he had a commanding presence. His voice echoed confidently across the room, demanding attention. His gaze was direct, taking each person in as if he cared. I studied those around us. How I wished I could read their minds. Know what they were thinking. Know friend from enemy. But obviously they had chips to keep their thoughts locked away.

“We will win this war on terrorism,” he ended some five minutes later.

The room broke into applause.

He smiled, a man pleased with himself. There wasn’t much that made my dad depressed. “And now I’d like to introduce our secret weapon. She’s proven again and again the strength of her power. She has shown a great range in abilities and because of the information she gleaned last week, we were able to infiltrate a nest in London.”

The room fell silent, waiting, as if time stood still. An odd tingle of awareness washed over my body. I knew who he spoke about even before my father’s gaze landed on me. My heart slammed against my ribs in denial. How could he do this and not tell me?

“Ladies and gentleman, our secret weapon. Cameron, will you join me up here?”

Did I have a choice? Vaguely, I was aware of scooting my chair back and standing. My legs shook as I made my way toward the podium. I might have been smiling, I wasn’t sure. Dad put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a half hug. It was the first time he’d hugged me since he’d found me in Florida.

“Say a few words,” he said softly.

In that moment I actually hated him. I clenched my jaw and gazed out onto a sea of strangers. Was he serious? The room fell silent, waiting. Apparently so. I cleared my throat. How many people were watching me? Fifty? Seventy? They blurred together in a blob of white faces and dark clothing. But Maddox… Maddox stood out, his features pure kindness as if he understood.

“Thank you,” I muttered, keeping my focus on Maddox. “I… umm…I appreciate the opportunity and…” My mind went blank.

Say something lame, something… anything… but I was struck mute.

And you’ll do your best to see those who threaten our way of life, are punished, my father’s voice whispered through my head.

I didn’t question how he had pierced the mental wall I always had in place. At the moment, I didn’t care. He was feeding me what they wanted to hear, or maybe what he wanted to hear. Like a good daughter, I latched onto the words and repeated them.

“I’ll do my best to see that those who threaten our way of life, are punished.”

The room broke into applause, their faces alight with excitement. How often had I wanted approval as a child? From Grandma, from my mother, my father. I was getting it in droves now and I so didn’t care. I just wanted to get the hell out of there before someone made me tell more lies.

Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I felt nothing but the urge to shake off his hold. “And now… please enjoy your meal.”

On cue, servers came in, trays full of plates of roasted chicken and braised beef. I felt like I was watching a movie. Numb. My body not my own, my life not my own. How had I ended up here? Another place where I didn’t belong. Another place where I could trust no one. My head throbbed, my mental wall wavering as my emotions took control. But no thoughts slipped inside. No, everyone here had a chip. I could feel them, sense them.

“I… need to use the restroom,” I muttered, shrugging off my dad’s touch.

I managed to keep my smile in place as I made my way around the tables to the door. Most people were too busy eating to notice me, thank God. The scent of food was making me nauseous and I only wanted clean air and space to breathe. Time to think. Time to get over the fact that my dad had set me up. Had Maddox known what he’d planned to do?

The guards standing along the hall like modern suits of armor didn’t even glance my way as I raced by, my heels slipping and skittering against the linoleum floor. The sound of the party faded as I neared the entrance. I shoved the door open and stumbled into the cool night air. I’d yet to get clearance to be on my own and wouldn’t be able to get back inside, but I didn’t care. Above stars twinkled merrily. A crescent moon hung just above the dark shadow of the trees.

I hesitated at the corner of the building, unsure where to go. Cameras followed my every move. Some were easily visible, their red lights glaring from the roofs. Others, I knew, were hidden amongst the trees…always watching. Nowhere to go.

With a frustrated sigh, I leaned against the wall, hidden by shadows. Guards might have watched me on screens in secret rooms, but at least the guests who might come and go wouldn’t see me in the shadows.

Alone, I finally had time to contemplate my emotions.

Instead, I felt… used.

Why hadn’t my dad told me what he’d planned? Why hadn’t he warned me I’d be put on display? Is this why he’d come for me? Not just to protect me, but to use me? I raked my hair from my face, pressing my hands over my eyes. I didn’t know who to trust.

“Hey,” Maddox’s voice whispered temptingly through the darkness.

I straightened, my arms falling to my sides and my heart leaping to my throat. Damn it all, I actually wanted him here. “How’d you find me?”

He leaned against the wall only a few feet away, crossing his arms over his chest. “Security.”

I released a wry laugh, disgusted with him and with myself for desiring his company. “I should have known.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I was silent for a moment, unsure if I wanted to admit the truth. “He could have told me.”

Maddox frowned. “He didn’t?”

I studied his face, but it was hard to read his features in the shadows. In the distance an owl hooted as if in warning. Had he really not known? How I wished I could read his mind.

“No. He didn’t.” I faced him fully, angry because I wasn’t sure I could believe Maddox. Hadn’t he lied to me about so many things? “Obviously I can’t trust him and frankly, I’m not sure I can trust you either.”

His gray eyes narrowed into slits. “I’ve kept nothing from you.”

Was he serious?

“Cameron? Maddox?” my dad called out.

Reluctantly, I stepped back, putting distance between us, annoyed we were being interrupted when I only wanted the truth. “We’re here, Dad.”

He rounded the corner of the building and seeing us, he paused. Did he sense the tension? “Everything all right? There are some people I’d like you to meet if you’re up for it.”

Of course. He wanted something from me. Story of my life. I dampened down my irritation. “Perfectly fine,” I lied. “Let’s get back to work.”

I started by him when he reached out, resting his hand on my arm. Surprised, I stiffened.

“Go ahead Maddox,” he said. “We’ll be there shortly.”

Maddox nodded and left us. I watched him until he faded around the corner. I couldn’t imagine what my dad wanted and grew slightly nervous standing there, waiting. “What is it?”

He was silent for a moment, as if attempting to find the right words. “You said your memory is coming back.”

I nodded.

“You were at Aaron’s and you were meditating. Remember? You saw me.”

Just like that, the whisper of a memory flitted through my brain. I had been imagining I was on a beach.

“Take a breath in, breath out,” someone said beside me.

Confused, but too numb to be afraid, I turned my head. My dad sat next to me, grinning down with a warmth that invaded every cell of my being.

“Dad?”

“Breathe in, and out,” he said. “Concentrate. I need you to concentrate.”

I frowned. I had assumed I’d imagined him there.

“It was me, Cameron.”

I blinked him back into focus. The words were shocking, to say the least. I felt warm and cold at the same time. Confused. And yes, pleased in some way I didn’t quite understand.

“I know you feel I abandoned you, but I’ve always been there…in your heart, your soul. If I thought you were in danger, I would have stepped in. I didn’t realize Aaron was going after you, and by the time he had, it was too late.”

“The men who attacked Aaron’s home that night they erased my memory…”

He flinched, but nodded. “I sent them.” He reached out and pulled me close. I sank into his warm body, bemused, unsure. “I have never left you, Cameron.”

“Sir,” Maddox swept around the corner, interrupting our father-daughter moment. The first genuine moment we’d had. I stepped back, putting distance between us.

“What is it?” Dad asked.

“She’s escaped.”

Dad sighed. “Damn it all.” He took my arm and led me toward Maddox. “Escort Cameron back inside, then gather the team and find her. No one needs to know.”

My dad spun around and headed toward Compound Two.

“Her?” I said as Maddox lead me toward the entrance door. I’d never seen a female prisoner, hadn’t even realized they had them.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said, opening the door to Compound One. “I’ll find her.” He winked and gave me a wicked grin. “I always get what I want.”

Chapter 18

After last night’s weird mixture of highs and lows, I was actually looking forward to a day with Tara and Gemma. Forget Charlie, the brat still hadn’t warmed up to me. I had my suspicions about him though. He so easily manipulated his mother that I wondered if he could read minds. I didn’t mention my thoughts to my dad; I’d barely seen him since the party.

But by lunch time Sunday I was so bored I was ready to tear out my hair. Tara had a two hour T.V. limit for each child, which included me, as ridiculous as that was. With no chance of numbing my brain with mindless television, I was left to sit on my bed and think about last night.

The rest of the party had involved me with a smile plastered to my face as my dad swept me around the room like I was a freaking zoo animal. I hadn’t seen Maddox again and wondered if they’d caught the woman they searched for. As silly as it seemed, I worried about Maddox.

With a sigh, I jumped from my bed and settled cross-legged on the floor. Every time I’d asked my dad about practicing skills like telekinesis, he’d brushed off my request. I had a feeling he only cared about me breaking into minds, abilities relevant to his career. But after bringing that gun to my feet, I wanted to know more.

I reached under the bed and pulled out a ball I’d borrowed from Gemma’s room. If Lewis could move a salt shaker, certainly I could move something as well. But how had I done it? I set the ball a couple feet away from me and narrowed my eyes, concentrating. Move, move. I’d so easily pulled that gun to me, yet now I couldn’t even move a stupid plastic ball.

I fell onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. I hadn’t been here long, but already I felt trapped. I pressed my hands to my temples. I wanted answers. I wanted a life. And I’d mistakenly thought if only Grandma would let go, that I’d be free. Wrong. I was starting to think I’d never be free. What the heck did I want? College? The beach? Lewis? Maddox?

I closed my eyes. Still no sign of Grandma. What had happened to her? Where was she? I couldn’t accept the fact that she had died. I wouldn’t. I knew she was out there somewhere. I could feel her.

A soft knock sounded on the door. I reached out with my mind and found Tara’s harmless thoughts waiting patiently for me to open. She hoped I was awake. She wanted someone to talk to other than her brats. I sighed and sat up.

“Come in.”

Tara pushed open the door and stepped inside, smiling brightly. “You’re up?”

I nodded.

“Thought you might be napping. I’m glad you stayed home.” She moved across the room and pushed back the curtains, allowing brilliant sunlight to enter the dark prison. I blinked rapidly, shading my eyes.

“Sometimes your father doesn’t realize that not all people love to work as much as he does!”

She laughed lightly after she said the words, but I heard the bitterness in her mind. She was growing angry and worse, desperate for my father’s attention. I almost laughed. I so understood her desperation.

I frowned as her thoughts shifted. There was a man she’d met at the grocery store last time she’d been in town. She’d felt an instant attraction. What would it be like, she wondered, to have an affair with him? I wanted to tell her to talk to my father, to explain her frustrations. But let’s face it…dad already knew how she felt. Obviously he didn’t care. Besides, maybe she’d be better off with someone normal.

I pasted a smile on my face as she turned toward me. “Yeah, that party wiped me out. Was pretty boring.”

She continued to smile while wishing she had been invited. I wasn’t sure what to say to make her feel better. I was running out of ideas. Frankly, it should have been my father here talking to her, not me.

“Thanks for the clothes, by the way.” I decided the best course of action would be to change the subject. The woman had filled my closet with a variety of outfits, although I’d asked for none. But I could admit, my wardrobe was limited and I did need clothes.

“Well, it’s not like you have had time to shop. I hope there’s something that works for you.”

“Yeah, they’re fine.”

“I was hoping in a few days we could go to an outlet mall nearby.” She sighed. “We could have done something today, but Maddox has already claimed you.”

I stiffened, instantly interested. “What do you mean?” I could admit to myself that I was relieved he was safe and sound. Of course I’d never tell him that.

She moved toward the door. “He called and said to tell you to put on a bathing suit.”

I jumped to my feet. “Swimming?”

She shrugged. “There’s a hot springs nearby. No one really knows about it. My bet is he’s taking you there.” She grinned, her thoughts going to romance between Maddox and me. I wanted to roll my eyes. Yet, even though Maddox had practically lied to me, I couldn’t deny that I was attracted to him. Stupid hot guy, and his stupid hot body.

“Do I have a bathing suit?” I asked casually, realizing how eager I was to escape the oppressive house, even if it was with Maddox, a man I wasn’t sure how to feel about.

“Oh yes, a two piece and one. I wasn’t’ sure which you’d prefer.”

She hesitated, wishing she was young again, wishing she had nothing more to do than flirt with cute boys. If only she knew what my life was really like, she wouldn’t be so envious. With a wavering smile, she turned to leave.

“Tara,” I called out.

She faced me, curiosity in her thoughts.

“Thanks.”

Her finely plucked eyebrows arched in surprise. Her children rarely thanked her, my father never.

I flushed, not good with emotions. “I mean… I never really had a mother, but you’ve…”

“No need to say more.” Her eyes glistened. “Oh my.” She rushed at me, drawing me into a hug that smelled of expensive French perfume. I did my best to hug her back. Truth was, I sort of meant what I’d said. She was a good woman, lost in this world of ours and I feared she’d drown. She didn’t deserve this life. No one did.

“You are just the sweetest thing.” She pulled back, pressing her hand to her chest. “You’ll make me cry!”

We both laughed.

“Now, you get ready.” She dabbed at her eyes with hands. “Maddox will be here soon.”

She left my room feeling much better and I was glad I could do that for her. One of the perks of reading minds was knowing exactly what to say to help a person.

I turned toward my dresser and reached for the top drawer. Before my fingers touched the handle, the drawer screeched open. I sucked in a sharp breath of surprise. But my shock quickly gave away to excitement. I’d done that… I’d opened the drawer before even touching it. But how? Why now?

“That was sweet, really,” Jake’s voice interrupted my musings.

I sighed, shoving the drawer shut before turning to face him. “What do you want, Jake?”

He shrugged. He wore his typical sloppy jeans and t-shirt, along with that typical wise-ass smirk. “Nothing. Just thought it was sweet, what you told Tara. Exactly what she wanted to hear.”

He was not going to ruin this day for me. “Maybe I meant it.”

He laughed. “We never mean anything we say, do we?”

We? As if I was anything like him. Yeah, we could both read minds, but the guy was a jerk. I wouldn’t be made to feel ashamed for what I could do. “I’m changing, so if you don’t mind…”

He stepped into my room and closed the door.

My anger grew. “Get the hell out.”

“They’ve already won you over.” He shook his head, as if disgusted with me. “You have no clue, do you?”

Curiosity got the better of me. I crossed my arms over my chest. “What?”

“What you’re in for.” He strolled toward the windows and gazed out onto the backyard. “You’re trapped now, sweetheart.”

A shiver of unease raced over my skin. The same sort of thing Nora had said. He was trying to scare me and it was working.

“You’re employed by the U.S. government, Cameron. You think you can just leave when you want?” He turned toward me, grinning. “It’s real easy to be sucked in. Before you know it, you’ll be as brainwashed as the rest of them.”

Warnings were coming fast and furious. First Nora, and now Jake? Problem was, on my list of who not to trust they were tied for first place. “What do you want, Jake?”

He started toward the door. “Just to warn you.” He paused at the door and glanced back, a grin on his lips that said he was enjoying this way too much. “He’s got you totally believing his crap. Truth is your dad is the best at manipulating everyone. It’s why he’s in charge.”

I started toward him, angry and annoyed with his games, but mostly wanting answers. “How? How does he manipulate?”

“You slept the entire way from Florida to North Carolina.” He rested his hand on the doorknob. “Amazing how Gemma and Charlie are such brats, yet they go to bed so easily.”

My heart slammed wildly against my ribcage, already knowing what my head denied. “What are you getting at?”

“He hypnotizes them into sleeping, just as he did you on the way up here. That way he doesn’t have to deal with his kids and their many questions.” He pulled open the door and stepped into the hall. “Have fun on your date.”

****

“You’ve been pretty quiet,” Maddox said, as fifteen minutes later we pulled onto a dirt road that was little more than a path winding between thick fir trees. I was no longer eager to get out of the house, and wished I’d made up an excuse so I could stay home. As much as I hated to admit it, Jake had gotten to me. I didn’t trust Maddox, and here he was taking me to some secluded hot springs. Not exactly a smart move.

I forced myself to smile. “Just a lot of things on my mind.” I took my lower lip between my teeth, watching him from the corner of my eye. If it came down to a battle, could I take him? Yeah, he was twice my size, but I did have abilities he couldn’t even begin to understand.

“Like what things?” he persisted.

“Like…” I struggled for a response, flushing like I was guilty. “Did you find that escaped convict?”

“Yep.”

That easy for him, just as he’d implied it would be. “Where are we going?”

He grinned that sexy grin, and dang it, if my heart didn’t skip a beat. “I assumed you’d like to get away for a while.”

It would be so easy to slip back into that flirtatious banter with him, to trust Maddox and this situation. But did I want to let my guard down? Hadn’t I learned to be leery? “Do I look all stressed out or something?”

He shrugged, slowing the car and pulling alongside the road. “You seemed upset last night.”

“Wouldn’t you be?” The branches on either side of the road hung low, brushing against the car. “He used me.”

He sighed. “John didn’t use you.” He turned off the car and we were silent for a moment, merely sitting there in the small confines of the vehicle, watching birds flittering across the path.

“I mean… yeah.” He raked his fingers through his dark hair, obviously flustered. “He’s excited about your powers.”

I released a wry laugh. “I think he’s more excited about my powers than my being here.”

He glanced at me, his gaze serious. “Not true.”

I turned in my seat, facing him, my anger getting the best of me. “Is that the reason why he came to Florida? The reason why he sent you to pick me up?”

His gaze took on the steely glint. “No. He sent me because you were in danger.”

“I’ve been in danger my entire life.”

He shoved open the car door and stood. “Not like this.”

I pushed open my door and followed. The path underfoot was soft and slick with pine needles. Sunlight pierced the branches in brilliant beams that highlighted his body. He looked like some Greek God exiled to earth.

Although the woods were thick, ahead there was a clearing. A rocky outcrop surrounded a pool of water where steam rose from the surface. Tara had been right. It was a hot springs. Our own, natural hot tub. But hot tubs were for couples wanting to get close. I slid him a glance, wishing I knew what he was thinking, more importantly, wishing I knew why he had brought me here. What was he planning?

Maddox pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it onto the hood of the car. “Your father is very concerned with the welfare of the world. It’s what we’re doing, Cameron. We’re just looking out for everyone.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m not five.”

I wasn’t sure which I was more interested in, the fact that he was undressing, or what he was saying. I couldn’t help but watch him walk toward that spring, admiring the way his broad shoulders tapered to a narrow v at his lower back. The way the muscles in his body bunched as he moved. The way his tanned skin gleamed under the sunlight.

He jumped onto an outcropping of rock and kicked off his shoes. He was young and muscled and healthy. He was gorgeous, simply put. But my heart was fighting with my attraction. Lewis. There was always Lewis in the back of my mind.

“You coming?” he asked, glancing back as his hands went to the waistband of his jeans.

Flushing, I jerked my gaze away. I’d worn the one piece bathing suit, but still felt way too underdressed. On the island I’d worn bikinis, why was I so nervous now? I pulled the cover-up off and tossed it to the hood of the car. Tentatively I glanced back at Maddox. Thank God, he wore swimming trunks.

At the rocks, I removed my ballet flats. Maddox had already lowered himself into the water and sat on a rocky ledge, submerged up to his chest. He watched me with those eerie steel-colored eyes as I slowly sank into the warm water. We didn’t speak, merely sat across from each other. But I didn’t care, because for a brief moment, nothing mattered. The water felt too darn good. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against a smooth rock.

“Aaron abducted children, attempting to use them for his own good,” Maddox said.

I sighed, wishing I could forget my life for a few moments. Wishing I could be a normal teenager, flirting with a normal guy.

“We’re only trying to protect.”

He was right about Aaron. Hadn’t I seen the many children hidden within the depths of his mansion? Hadn’t I experienced first-hand what the man was capable of? But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that what we were doing wasn’t much better.

“Why did you lie about Lewis?” I asked.

His dark brows drew together. “Lie?”

The steam hovering around us and clinging to our skin suddenly felt too hot. “He was there that day I lost my memory.” I thought back to the moment, attempting to decipher fact from fiction. “I think he tried to help.”

“Whatever Lewis did, doesn’t matter.” He moved across the small pond and settled close to me. So close that I could see flecks of blue and black in his eyes. “When it comes down to it, Lewis decided to stay with Aaron, didn’t he?”

His words hurt, struck me hard. Unable to keep the emotion from my gaze, I had to look away and focus on the shadowy woods just beyond the pool. “Why’d you kiss me?”

I was startled when he drew his knuckles down the side of my face. “Because I wanted to.”

I jerked my gaze toward him. “And Nora?”

Just like that, this gaze hardened. I could practically hear his teeth clench. Fascinated, I watched as a pulse jumped in the side of his jaw, showing is irritation. “What about her?”

Did he not see how telling his reaction was? I’d only mentioned her name and his mood immediately shifted. “When I broke into your mind at Aaron’s home, I saw her in your memories.”

He was silent for a moment and I thought he was going to tell me to mind my own damn business. I was shocked when he actually spoke. “I met Nora in college,” he said. “It was a brief fling. Nothing more. We had different values, different beliefs.”

Just like Lewis and me. I leaned my head back against the rocky ledge and stared up at the cloudless sky. Maybe Maddox and I did belong together. Or maybe I should be alone. After all, what sort of relationship would last under these insane circumstances?

“Lewis isn’t here,” Maddox said. “Who the hell knows where he is.” His thigh brushed mine as he moved closer. “But I’m here for you, Cameron. All you have to do is trust me.”

I looked into his eyes, his gaze so sincere that I wanted to believe he had my best interest at heart. But I couldn’t shake the belief that he still had feelings for Nora. So why didn’t I pull away when he lowered his head, his lips brushing mine? It was a quick kiss. So quick, it was over before I’d had time to truly realize what he’d done.

As he pulled back, I resisted the urge to touch my lips, wondering how I should feel about his kiss. Oddly, I felt…annoyed. But the thing that angered me wasn’t the trust issue, or the fact that he’d kissed me without permission. No, the thing that annoyed me, I realized quite suddenly, was that Maddox had never asked me how I felt about him. He’d just assumed I’d like his kiss, practically claiming me as his girlfriend.

Just as my dad had never asked me if I wanted to be a member of S.P.I., but had just assumed I’d become a coworker. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t sit here kissing and flirting with Maddox. I couldn’t do this, knowing Lewis was out there…somewhere. I couldn’t do this while Grandma was lost. I shifted, moving away from him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I dared to look directly at him. “Did you save us, or did Lewis?”

Just like that his confusion cleared. It was like a switch had been flipped inside him and I could practically feel the hesitation pulsing from his body. “I never said he didn’t help.”

My heartbeat actually stuttered, stopping for a quick moment. Was he admitting Lewis had saved me? My shock gave way to anger. “No, you merely pretended he had nothing to do with our escape.” I shoved my finger into his hard chest. “You made it seem like Lewis was against us.”

He moved closer, so close his breath was warm on my face. “Wasn’t he? As far as we know, he’s still with Aaron. Still kidnapping mind readers to use for his own misguided reasons.”

“And how is that different from what we’re doing?”

“Don’t you dare compare us. We’re nothing alike and you know it. You’re just upset because Daddy betrayed you and you’re taking it out on me.”

“No, I’m upset because you’re kissing me while still in love with Nora.”

I saw his gaze flash with surprise, but didn’t dare wait for the anger I knew was to come. Without a backward glance, I moved out of the hot springs, the air cool against my fevered skin. I couldn’t trust my dad, and obviously I couldn’t trust Maddox. Tears stung my eyes, but I forced them to stay put. I would not cry in front of him. Not even when I realized that I was completely and utterly alone.

Chapter 19

I was determined to stay focused on my mission as Dad drove us to work Monday morning. I didn’t mind that he only made his usual small talk, ignoring all the important things that lay between us. I didn’t mind because I knew it didn’t matter. No longer were my emotions going to get in the way. I was here for a reason, gather as much information as I could. Then…then I would leave.

Humming some merry tune under his breath, Dad parked the car.

“I’m proud of you,” he stated as he turned off the vehicle.

His words left me numb. I pushed open my door, having no interest in hearing his compliments.

“Really, Cameron,” my father insisted.

We started toward Compound Two. There was a prisoner I was to work on today. Someone not even my father had been able to break. I admit I was curious. Part of me wanted to beat my father at his own game. Yes, apparently I was five. So much for being an adult.

“Proud of what?” I finally asked because I had to say something.

He patted me on the back. “The way you handled yourself Friday night. I know it was a surprise and I did that on purpose. I didn’t want you to be nervous all week.”

Right. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Instead of warning me, he’d totally blindsided me in front of a crowd. Sounded like a great plan. But then in Dad’s defense, I suppose it had gone how he’d wanted it to. I’d been too shocked to do anything other than what he told me. I’d make a great parrot.

“Next time I’d rather know before hand,” I said.

He slid me a glance, obviously noting the sharpness of my tone. “Understood.” He pulled open the door and we strolled inside, both of us dropping the subject.

Ellen looked up and smiled. “Morning.”

I didn’t bother to respond. She never looked at me anyway, always gazing longingly at my father. It was sort of sickening the way people put him on a pedestal around here. Even Maddox constantly made excuses for the man. Maddox, the very guy who had told me to stop looking to others for guidance and start believing in myself. Ironic, to say the least. As we moved through the gate and down the long hall, I pushed thoughts of Maddox aside.

“They’re extremely excited about you,” he said, as if I was some new toy for the government. “They realize what you’re capable of. We have a lot of new investments. This program can go on for the next ten years, easy.”

“Great,” I muttered, but Dad didn’t notice the sarcasm. Because of me, they’d be able to torture people for a decade. So much for going to college, I saw a long future of living within these cement walls ahead of me.

We paused outside a door and my dad handed me the earpiece. “This woman is going to be difficult.”

Woman? I’d never broken into the mind of a female. My curiosity certainly piqued.

“If we can break her, get the information we need…” He was grinning, his excitement almost tangible. “Of course I don’t expect you to get the information immediately. It might take a few appointments, but we’ll keep at her.”

I understood. Whether it be today or tomorrow, they were relying on me to break this woman. “I’ll do my best.”

I pulled open the door and stepped into the room, not bothering to wait for my dad to explain more. I noticed the two guards first. So, she was high priority, which meant she was probably strong. But as my gaze found the prisoner, I froze.

She was beautiful, simply put. Of Indian descent, she had flawless dark skin and hair as black as the night sky. Without moving an inch, her dark eyes found mine and held. Even the gross, gray prisoner suit she wore couldn’t hide her beauty. She could have been a model.

Oddly, I swore I knew her from somewhere.

I tried to keep my face free of emotion as I pulled out my chair and settled behind the table across from her. As usual, the two guards in the room said nothing, didn’t even bother to glance my way.

“It would be easier if you open your mind now.” Might as well start my lecture, a lecture that had never worked, but I suppose it was S.P.I.’s way of being humane… giving them a chance.

Not surprisingly, she didn’t respond.

I took my lower lip between my teeth, bemused. Where had I seen her before? I leaned across the table, closer to her and lowered my voice. “Do we know each other?”

“Let’s get started, Cameron,” my dad said through my earpiece, startling me.

I leaned back and glanced at the window. Of course I couldn’t see them, but I knew Maddox and my dad were there. Apparently, Dad didn’t like personal talk between employees and prisoners.

I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I reached out mentally, I expected to hit a brick wall. Instead I immediately sank into the richness of her mind. I didn’t have time to be surprised, the moment I reached out, her memories burst through my brain.

“Cameron,” Aaron started. “This is Deborah, she helps around the house, sort of a dorm mom. If you need anything, she’ll be happy to help you.”

I opened my eyes. I’d met this woman before… at Aaron’s home in Maine. This woman had known me, known Lewis. My heart hammered wildly. “What are you doing here?”

She didn’t respond, merely stared at the far wall as if she didn’t understand the words I spoke.

“Deborah was captured,” my dad said through my earpiece, “on our property. Do you remember her?”

I could barely hear him over the roar of blood to my ears. I gave a slight nod. She had been captured? How? Why? Had she been snooping, or was there another reason for her appearance? Only one way to find out. I took in a deep breath and reached out with my mind. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I knew I had to try to talk to her.

Where’s my grandma?

No idea.

I paused for a moment, shocked that she’d answered. Liar.

She slowly quirked a dark brow, a smile hovering upon her lips. I’m not here to discuss the whereabouts of your grandmother.

Then why are you here?

I’m here for you. She lifted her gaze and met mine. Pay attention.

I’d barely had time to contemplate her words when sudden images flashed to mind. It took me a moment to realize these were her memories. For some reason, she was giving me open access to her brain…her life.

“So nice to meet you, Deborah.” It was my father, younger looking, much younger.

So, they’d known each other years ago. The scene shifted, the outfits changed. I was in a room seated around a table with Aaron, my father, and a few other people I vaguely recognized.

“It’s not right,” Deborah said. “What they’re doing. The experiments.”

“Not on us,” my dad replied, leaning over the table. The room was dimly lit…someone’s den or library.

“Yeah,” a man said, “but how long before they turn? How long before we’re the lab rats?”

My dad laughed. “They need us, Lewis.”

Startled, the entire memory seemed to slow as I focused on that man, Lewis. Not my Lewis, but another. His father?

“No.” Deborah stood. “They only need one of us.”

“What are you implying?” my dad asked, his face flushing with outrage.

“Deborah.” Aaron’s voice held a hint of warning as he, too, stood.

“Where were you last night John?” she demanded, still focused on my father.

“You’re a kid.” My dad frowned. “I don’t need to answer to you.”

I’d never seen my father anything but happy-go-lucky. Seeing him so angry took me by surprise.

“I’m old enough to know the truth.”

“I was sleeping.”

“No. I saw you coming back to the house around 1a.m.”

His jaw clenched. “Spying on me?”

“Answer the question,” Lewis’ father demanded.

“Are you guys kidding?” My father’s stunned gaze went to each of them in turn. When no one responded, he sighed. “I went out to get something to eat. I couldn’t sleep and there’s a twenty-four hour diner not far from here. Go ask the waitress if you don’t believe me.”

“Deb,” Aaron said. “He wouldn’t ever turn on us, would you?”

My dad smiled, but I could see the anger in his eyes. “Of course not. If it comes down to you or them, I’ll always choose you.”

But he hadn’t, had he? I knew that’s why Deborah was showing me this memory. He’d betrayed them. Oh God, all this time I thought he’d been hunted down and killed beside Lewis’ parents.

The scene shifted. I was in Aaron’s study, watching him as he poured a drink. He looked older, like the man I’d met only last year. “I sent Lewis.”

“He’s a boy!”

Aaron strolled toward the fireplace where flames danced merrily, sending light across the room. “He’ll do the best at convincing her. An adult might scare her off.”

“And we need her that badly?”

“No. She needs us. If she falls into the wrong hands…” He shook his head. “If her father gets her I worry what will happen.”

“She’ll choose her father over us.”

Aaron faced her, his features set so serious, I shivered. “Not if she knows the truth. Not if she knows that the reason for her mother’s disappearance is because of him.”

“Cameron,” my father’s voice tore me from the memory.

I blinked Deborah back into focus. She was merely sitting there, watching me, waiting for it all to sink in. I felt cold. The truth was a horrible, terrible virus that was working its way through my body. My gaze shifted to that window. Had Lewis’ parents died because my dad betrayed them? Had my mom disappeared because of my dad? Oh God, I felt sick.

“Cameron,” my father’s voice rang through my ear piece. “What is it? What’d you see?”

“Is it true?” I asked her, shifting my gaze back to Deborah and ignoring my father.

What do you believe? the words whispered through my mind. She barely moved as she sent me the thought. The woman seemed as cold as a statue. But she was apparently more human than most. Do you trust him? Not with your mind or your powers… in your gut, do you trust him?

I didn’t dare look at the window where my father stood. I barley breathed. She’d hit on my weak spot. Did she know? Was she playing some sick game? Maybe her visions were a lie.

We don’t harm mind readers, she continued. We try to save them. Save them from others and from themselves.

The door opened, the hinges squeaking. My dad stood there, his face a mask of calm control, but his eyes… his eyes were burning with outrage. The same eyes I’d seen in Deborah’s memory. Eyes I didn’t know. “Take her.”

The guards came to life and rushed forward, spurred into movement with one demand. Each one grabbed her arm and jerked her to her feet, her shackles clanking as she stood. I wanted to demand they release her, demand she answer my questions, but I knew I couldn’t. I had to play it safe. Pretend to trust my dad.

If you have a chance to escape, do it, she said mentally.

I surged to my feet. What about you?

Don’t worry about me, she said as they led her into the hall. Worry about yourself and get out while you can.

She was gone, disappearing down the hall and I wondered if I’d get the chance to see her again. More importantly, to get my questions answered.

“What did she say?” my dad asked the moment she disappeared. His voice came out harder than normal although it was obvious he was trying to keep calm. But that perfect, happy-go-lucky dad was slipping.

I faced him, determined. “What happened to my mom?”

He paused for a moment. Was that concern and surprise flashing through his eyes? “I never should have let you see Deborah.”

“Why? You didn’t want the truth coming out?”

He laughed, shaking his head as if it was all some big misunderstanding. “Come on.” He gripped my arm a little too tightly, and led me out the door. I didn’t fight him, assuming there was a reason for his avoidance and hoping he would answer my questions eventually.

Helen smiled, although neither of us responded in kind. We didn’t pause until we were outside. The sun was brilliant and warm, but I barely noticed. I was cold, down-to-my-bones chilled. No one strolled around outside, enjoying the day. They were all closeted away, doing only God knew what. But for the cameras, we were totally alone.

“I don’t know what she showed you or told you.” My father crossed his arms over his chest, looking very much like a parent reprimanding a child. “But you do realize you can’t trust her, right?”

Interesting, the same thing she’d said about my dad. He still hadn’t answered my question. “Dad, where’s my mom?”

“She’s dead, Cameron.”

The words hit me like a boulder to the chest, crushing my heart with the weight. I’d hoped…prayed… but the dream of her had only been that… my twisted and hopeful imagination.

Dead.

I slumped back against the wall of the building. I’d thought, figured, something had happened to her, but hearing the words, knowing them to be true…

He sighed, raking his hands through his hair. “Maybe you need to take a break for a bit—”

“How’d she die?”

His lips pressed into a firm line. He didn’t want to tell me. But I knew, even before he said the word, “Drugs.”

So I’d heard. Grandma had made it no secret that my mom was an addict. I moved to the lone bench hidden under a small redbud tree that was in bloom with tiny purple flowers. My legs were too weak to hold me and I sank down on the stone seat.

“She died of a drug overdose,” my dad said. “She couldn’t handle life. It was all too much for her.”

She couldn’t handle life? Or our sort of lifestyle? I felt oddly numb, my emotions conflicted. I hadn’t even been to her funeral. Had no idea where she was buried. Worst, was realizing that I would never, ever have a relationship with my mom. I supposed deep down I’d always hoped she’d miraculously return. “When did she die?”

He shook his head, his gaze dropping to the ground. “I don’t know for sure. It was after she’d left you with Grandma. It was hard to keep track of her. I’d hear from her once in a while, but sometimes it would be months.”

“Did she know what you could do?”

“Read minds?”

I nodded.

“No.”

But something tugged at my memory… a flash I’d had on the beach in Florida, right before Nora had found me.

“Why are you doing this?” my mother asked.

I was little. So young. I peeked around the corner of the hall, awakened by their argument.

“To protect you. Both of you.”

“John, you’ll protect us by staying with us!” She grasped onto his arm. “They’ll come for us. You know that.”

“You know where to go if you need help.”

“I don’t trust—”

She didn’t trust who? Damn it, I couldn’t remember any more. But it seemed as if my mom had definitely known about my dad’s powers. Was he lying? Why?

My dad sighed. “I have a meeting, but I’m going to have Maddox take you home, okay?”

He hesitated for a moment, as if expecting me to say something. When I didn’t respond, he turned and started back toward the building. As I watched him walk away, a shiver of unease raced over my skin. He was my dad, but he felt like a stranger.

“You’re thinking.”

I surged from the bench and spun around.

Jake stood there, arms crossed, smirk in place.

“Yeah,” I snapped. “I know you don’t understand the concept, but people do tend to think from time to time.” I turned around and started toward the parking lot, intending to wait for Maddox alone.

“I mean,” he started after me, “That you’re thinking about whether or not you can trust your father.”

I froze, my heart slamming madly in my chest. He’d known all along I was having misgivings. He’d planted that seed of doubt on purpose. “Did you read my mind?”

He paused in front of me, blocking my exit. “I didn’t have to. It’s written across your face.”

I was silent for a moment, wondering how much to tell him. “Well?”

He shrugged, looking somewhat confused. “Well what?”

“Can I trust him?”

He lifted a blond brow, looking about as shocked as I felt. I might not like Jake, but at least he had never lied to me…that I knew of.

The left corner of his lips lifted. “You’re interested in my opinion?”

“Don’t get too excited, it’s not like there are a lot of people to talk to around here.”

His smile dropped and I almost felt sorry for him. He had fewer friends than I did. I hadn’t thought he’d have a heart, but I’d obviously hurt his feelings. “Fine, you want my opinion?”

“Yeah.”

He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “In this world, don’t trust anyone but yourself.”

“Well, that sounds depressing.”

He shrugged and backed up a few steps. “You wanted the truth. Don’t trust anyone, Cameron. Especially not your dad.”

The soft fall of footsteps alerted us to another presence. I knew it was Maddox.

Jake’s gaze shifted from me to the area behind me and his eyes turned hard. “And especially not your boyfriend.”

Chapter 20

“One more store, okay? Then we can go to lunch.” Tara shifted her bags, attempting to juggle the monstrous amount of clothing she’d purchased, and started down the sidewalk of the outside mall. We’d shopped for just about everything a person could buy and now we were looking for shoes. I’d been ready to leave after the first store.

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered, following after her like a freaking puppy dog.

The day was perfect, really, a nice seventy degrees. The outside mall wasn’t crowded as most people were at work. The crabapple trees growing alongside the sidewalk were in full bloom, the soft wind sending the white petals raining through the air like confetti.

Tara had found a babysitter for the kids and had insisted on shopping, doing everything a mother and daughter should be doing. I knew she was trying to make up for the fact that I hadn’t had a stable parent. It was sweet of her, but it was a bit too late to make up for lost time. As much as I loved buying clothes, there were more important things to worry about at the moment.

“You okay?” She glanced at me, her soft gaze full of concern.

I forced myself to smile. “Yeah, just tired.”

Tired of not knowing who to trust. Tired of not knowing if my Grandma lived. Tired of not knowing whether Lewis had been on my side or Aaron’s.

She paused and tilted her head to the side in a sympathetic manner. “Honey, you just sit there, okay?” She nodded toward an empty bench. “I need some shoes for Gemma and then I’ll be done. Don’t need to carry all these bags anyway. You mind watching them?”

“No, not at all.” Thank God. I settled on the bench and Tara placed the bags around my feet like some kind of offering to the shopping gods.

“I’ll only be ten minutes.”

Right, she’d said that at the last store and thirty minutes later we’d finally left. She sashayed off, smiling like a demented clown, happy to have someone to talk to and lunch with. She lived too far from town to have real friends, and because of my dad’s secretive work, he frowned on having people over. Being able to read her thoughts made me even more bitter toward dear old dad. He’d screwed up my life and now he was screwing up a new family. How did he not see what he was doing to the people who loved him? Yeah, his job was important, but what about his family?

I rested my elbows on my knees, and my face in my hands, blocking out the few shoppers who’d managed to escape work. Deborah, Jake, Nora…none of them trusted my dad. Even Grandma hadn’t seemed happy when Maddox had arrived with news from her own son. Thoughts of Grandma had me wishing for my former life. Who would have ever thought I’d want to be back with the grumpy woman?

“You ready to leave yet?”

At the sound of the familiar voice I jerked upright, my heart leaping into my throat. Nora sat on the bench next to me. She’d appeared so quickly and quietly that for a moment I thought I’d imagined her. Her blonde hair was pulled into a stylish ponytail. The skinny jeans she wore showed off her athletic frame and dark sunglasses hid her eyes. She wasn’t facing me though. Nope, she merely stared out at the parking lot, people watching.

“Are you stalking me?” I asked.

She laughed. “Just waiting.” She turned her head to look at me. My wide eyes stared back from her mirrored lenses. “You didn’t answer my question. Are you ready to leave?”

I glanced toward the store where Tara had disappeared. How long had she been gone? Could I get rid of Nora before she reappeared?

“Well?” Nora prompted.

Surely Nora wouldn’t try anything now. There weren’t a lot of people around, but there were enough to make a scene if she did anything weird. As long as I stayed calm, in control, I might be able to handle Nutty Nora.

“Well what?”

She lifted her brows. “Leave? Ready?”

“Why would I ever leave with you? It would be trading one prison for another.”

She laughed again. “Ah, so living with your dad is like being in prison?”

When I didn’t respond, she reached up and pulled off her sunglasses. Those blue eyes were oddly sincere. “You won’t regret it.” She shrugged. “If you stay with your father, I can’t promise that much.”

Something wasn’t adding up. If they wanted me out of the picture, why not kill me? She’d had more than a few chances. Which meant she actually wanted to use me… like my father. They were no different. “Why do you want me to go with you so badly?”

She shrugged. “Going with me is better than staying with your dad.”

It was my turn to laugh. At least with Dad I knew what to expect, but not with Nutty Nora. “Forget it.”

She turned toward me, crossing her right leg over her left and leaning her arm alongside the back of the bench. “What if I can take you to Lewis?”

My heart stopped. I swore for one brief moment, my heart actually stopped. “He’s with Aaron…”

She shook her head, her gaze gleaming triumphantly. “Nope. He’s on his own, and I know where he is.”

She was lying, she had to be. I’d be an idiot to believe her. If Lewis had left Aaron, why wouldn’t he have come for me? At the very least, called? Hell, Emily had been able to locate our number, surely Lewis could. Unless…he didn’t want to.

“By this time tomorrow, we could be there.”

The temptation was strong. I could demand answers. He might be able to fill in the blanks, to explain why all of this had happened. But surely this was all too good to be true. “Why—”

“Why isn’t he with Aaron?”

Actually, I was more interested in why he hadn’t tried to find me, but I sure as heck wasn’t going to admit that. Instead, I nodded.

She sighed, obviously agitated. “No more small talk. We’re sort of in a hurry here, no time to chitchat. If you want to see him, come on.” Suddenly, she’d gone serious on me. What was her problem?

“How do I know I can trust you?”

She shrugged. “Guess you can’t. But you didn’t trust your father or Maddox either, did you?”

She stood and glanced toward the parking lot. Two men wearing jeans and t-shirts were headed our way, their faces completely serious, their steps sure and hurried. They didn’t exactly fit in with the stay at home moms strolling the outside mall. A shiver of unease tiptoed down my spine.

“Listen,” Nora pleaded. “This could be your chance to see Lewis, you want to blow it?”

The two men were obviously coming for us. I glanced back at the store where Tara had disappeared. If I stayed, I’d be putting her in danger. But by going with Nora, I was agreeing to work with her, agreeing to leave my father and Maddox behind. I closed my eyes. No other choice. I had to see Lewis. “All right.”

“Good.” She glanced toward those men one more time. “Now stand slowly and walk casually with me toward that toy store.”

“Wait, I have to tell Tara goodbye.”

“We don’t have time and you’ll be putting her in danger.”

“But I can’t just leave her bags—”

“Cameron,” she hissed, her gaze snapping toward me. “Priorities.”

So she had a point. “But…”

She started to walk away.

I glanced back, feeling terrible for leaving Tara with no word. She’d be totally traumatized. Would they call the police, thinking I’d gone missing? But no, my dad would make up an excuse because calling the police would bring attention to the situation.

I hurried my steps, catching up to her.

“In here.” She shoved me toward the toy store. The door fell open easily under the pressure of my hands and I stumbled into the small shop. The place smelled of cotton candy and the pink and blue walls were blindingly bright under the fluorescent lights.

A young saleswoman glanced up from behind the counter, a ready smile in place. “Hello! Can I help you?”

“No,” Nora replied. She latched onto my hand and dragged me down an aisle of basketballs and baseball bats.

My jeans and t-shirt felt suddenly too tight. The air conditioning too cold against my damp skin. “What are we doing in here?”

“Hiding.”

The small store wasn’t exactly overflowing with hiding places. Unless we could shrink and fit into a Barbie doll house, we were screwed. “Hiding from?”

“Them.” She pulled me down behind a bin of beach balls. There, through the mesh wiring, I could see the front door open. The two men from the parking lot strolled inside, only to pause, searching for us.

“Can I help you?” the peppy sale’s girl asked.

The taller of the two men glanced toward her. The poor girl didn’t have a chance. Under the weight of his powers, the saleswoman slumped to the ground, dead. Or, please God, just unconscious. He was a mind reader too. Wonderful.

“What do they want?” I whispered, as they started down the aisle headed directly toward us.

“You,” she replied.

I jerked my gaze toward her. She was totally serious. There was no mocking laughter in her eyes. “Why?”

She sighed. “You’re new, you’re fresh meat and you’re gifted. They’re going to keep you no matter what it takes.”

My heart slammed wildly in my chest. How many times had I wanted to be popular in high school? Yeah, not so much anymore. “What’s the plan?”

Nora surged to her feet. “We get the hell out of here.”

“Sound plan,” I muttered.

We bolted down an empty aisle, following a row of pink dolls smiling mockingly at us. There were only three aisles in the store. If they picked ours, we were screwed.

“And we head to Lewis the moment we leave?”

She glanced back at me, those blue eyes flashing with irritation. “Don’t worry; we’ll see your boyfriend.”

A shiver of unease raced over my body a split second before I noticed the shadow shifting toward the end of the aisle.

“Nora, watch out!”

Too late. She ran directly into the broad chest of an intruder. He wrapped his arm around Nora’s waist and pulled her up against him. In one swift movement he had a pistol pointed at her head, but his cold gaze was on me. I froze in indecision.

“Leave with me,” he said, his voice oddly emotionless. “And I’ll let her go.”

Nora struggled in his grasp. “Don’t believe him, Cameron.”

“Don’t go with us, I kill her and take you anyway.”

Would he really kill her? Why not take both of us? Nora had powers as well. Nora twisted, shoving her elbow into the man’s gut, but to no avail.

“Stop!” I said, glaring at the struggling Nora. I needed time to think, and I couldn’t think when I was worried she’d get her head blown off.

She paused, her breath coming out in harsh pants as she glared at me. She obviously wasn’t used to listening to someone else. God, no wonder why her relationship with Maddox hadn’t worked. I was surprised they hadn’t killed each other.

I shifted my gaze to the man holding her. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“Cameron, no.”

Shut up, I mentally said to her. When I say duck, drop to the ground.

“Just release her,” I said to the man. “And I’ll go with you.”

I could hear the thump of feet coming up the aisle behind me. The second man was getting close. I had to hurry. No time to wait.

The man holding Nora narrowed his soulless, black eyes. I felt the slightest pull on my brain and knew he was trying to read my mind. As if I’d let that happen. I reinforced that mental wall, and stared him down.

After what seemed an eternity but was no more than a few seconds, he released his hold. I didn’t have time to gloat. Just as he let go, I threw my energy toward the boxed Barbie doll castle on the shelf above.

Duck! I mentally yelled at Nora.

She dove toward the ground. The box hit the man on the head, sending him stumbling back. The impact hadn’t knocked him out but he was stunned, and it was enough to give us a head start.

“Go!” I grabbed Nora’s arm and helped her to her feet. Together we raced toward the door. There was no time to think, only time to act.

“Outside, hurry.” Nora latched onto the door handle and pulled. The door wouldn’t budge.

“What’s happening?” I demanded frantically.

“They’re keeping it closed with their minds.”

I glanced back. Both men were headed our way, the looks of determination upon their faces unnerving, to say the least. “Move!”

She stepped aside. I focused on that door, threw all the energy I had at the handles. The door rattled, but stayed put. Yeah, my powers were real special indeed. My body was shaking, my legs weak. I was pathetic.

I spun around, grabbed Nora’s hand and jerked her down an aisle of toy trucks.

“What’s the plan now?” I asked, breathless.

She rested her hands on her hips, her breathing just as harsh. “No clue.”

Wonderful. “Who are they?” I spun around, searching the toys for a make-shift weapon. Unless a foam sword could do harm, we were in trouble.

“Your dad’s men.”

I jerked my gaze toward her. “He was having me followed?”

“Of course.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the fact that he obviously didn’t trust me. Seriously, this was getting better and better. One of the men stepped out from behind the aisle, blocking our escape. We spun around. The other man was there, waiting. We were trapped by Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-I’ll-kill-you.

“Pain,” I said. “I can cause…”

She shook her head. “It won’t work on them.”

“Why?”

“They have chips. I’m not even sure if they’re fully human.”

“Mind readers with chips.” This was taking a turn for the bizarre sci-fi.

The door suddenly rattled. Terrified, I faced the entrance. It was my worst nightmare come true. Sweet, innocent Tara stood outside, trying desperately to get in. “No. Oh God, no.”

I shook my head, urging her to leave. Instead, somehow the insane woman managed to tear open the door. “Tara, go!”

She didn’t pause, but scooped up a baseball bat and started toward us, a fierce look of determination upon her face.

“They might not be fully human,” she drawled out, “but they feel pain.”

I stood shocked mute. How the hell had she heard us?

“We love our baseball in the south,” she uttered, swinging the bat forward. The metal hit Tweedle-dee in the head, propelling him backward. He hit the wall and slid to the ground with a thud.

“Go!” Tara snapped, waving us toward the door. “I’ll hold them back.”

“But—”

“Go!”

Nora grabbed my arm and jerked me toward the door.

“Take my car.” Tara threw the keys to Nora.

She caught them and without a backward glance, rushed outside. “Let’s go.”

“But…” I looked at Tara. She’d managed to knock the second guy unconscious and was dragging the bodies toward the back of the building. I hadn’t a clue what she was going to do with them, and didn’t want to know. Good God, it was like finding Martha Stewart was a serial killer.

Shoppers strolled by chatting amicably with no clue as to what was happening in that tiny toy shop. Nora and I walked casually toward the parking lot. My thundering heart mirrored the tap of my tennis shoes. I was positive someone would notice my pale face and wide eyes. Positive that a police officer would come tearing across the parking lot at any moment. Or worse, my dad.

“Where’s the car?” Nora asked.

“There.” I nodded toward Tara’s blue Honda.

It was with some relief when we reached the car. With trembling fingers, I somehow managed to open my door and sink onto the passenger’s seat. My body was shaking with nerves and adrenaline; there was no way I could drive. I could barely think, barely breathe. As Nora started the car, I glanced at the toy shop. No sign of Tara. How the heck would she clean up our mess?

We drove out of the parking lot and I finally managed to look at Nora. She was relaxed against the seat, driving in and out of traffic as if nothing insane had happened.

“What the hell was that about?” I asked.

She merged onto the highway. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No,” I snapped. “It’s not obvious.”

She slid me a glance and grinned. “Tara’s a mind reader.”

Chapter 21

“Where are we going?” I asked, as Nora pulled off the highway.

Only an hour ago we’d crossed the border into Virginia. We’d been driving well into the evening and the adrenaline of the situation had worn off, leaving me cold and confused.

“Massachusetts,” she replied.

Massachusetts? We wouldn’t be there until tomorrow which would give me plenty of time to try and piece together the insanity that had become my life. Mostly it gave me plenty of time to worry about Lewis’ upcoming reaction. Would he be happy to see me? Or annoyed?

“He’s in Massachusetts?” I said mostly to myself.

“Yep.” She pulled into the parking lot of a motel where few other cars dared to venture. The town, if you could call it that, boasted a laundry mat and MacDonald’s attached to a gas station.

Nora found a parking spot and turned off the car, the area settling into silence. “We should be there tomorrow afternoon.”

We’d talked little in the hours after making our great escape and my throat had gone dry and rough. I’d been too nervous to talk. But considering I was wanted by the world, I figured I had a right to be anxious. “And Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum… they won’t follow?”

She laughed. “You can stop looking over your shoulder.”

I’d turned around so many times in the past few hours that my neck was stiff. I rubbed my tense shoulders and glared at her. “Do we have to worry about them or not?”

“Not right now. Tara took care of them.”

Tara. I still couldn’t believe she’d saved us. Sweet, kind, unassuming Tara. It made no sense. “How? How’d she take care of them?”

When I’d asked earlier, Nora had brushed off my questions, saying she needed to concentrate on driving and I’d been too nervous about Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum to insist. But I was getting answers now.

She shrugged and pushed open her car door. “Don’t worry about it. She’ll make up some story, probably about how you were kidnapped and the car stolen.”

“So my dad has no idea she’s a mind reader?”

“Nope.” She grinned, taking delight in the response.

Her blasé reaction toward our situation drove me nuts. For all I knew, they could have posted our mug shots on the nightly news: America’s Most Wanted. “Will she tell my dad the truth eventually?”

“Of course not.” She stepped outside and I followed, scanning the open fields that lay on either side of the road. The motel was seriously in the middle of nowhere. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

Nora’s phone rang, momentarily interrupting our conversation. She pulled the cell from her sweatshirt pocket. “Hello.”

There was a slight pause as we made our way onto the cracked sidewalk surrounding the motel. The growing weeds told me few people had been here. No surprise. I glanced toward the office. A light was on, but I couldn’t see a manager. Still, there were two other cars so someone, besides us, was desperate enough to stay.

“Yep, all’s good,” Nora said. “Okay. See you soon.” She hung up and glanced at me. “My mom.”

Surprise, surprise. I would have thought Nora had been raised by wolves. At the least, been invented in some test tube in a lab. “You have parents?”

She laughed. “Don’t we all?” Just as quickly as her laughter came, it faded and her brows drew together, a frown tugging at her lips. It was the most emotion she’d shown all day. “Dad’s a jerk who abandoned me.”

“Sounds familiar,” I muttered.

“And Mom…” She shrugged, the furrowing of her brow smoothing. “She’s great.”

At least she had a mom. I tried to keep the envy from burrowing deep within. “Are they mind readers?”

“Yep.” She started down the sidewalk and I followed.

Did that mean it was always hereditary? “Where is your mom?”

“She works with us. You’ll meet her eventually, if you stay on.”

I couldn’t imagine what Nora’s mom would be like; Cruella De Vil came to mind. “You’ve always known what you were?”

We turned a corner, another row of doors against a white, stucco wall. “Yep.”

“Always been around others like you?”

“Yep.”

Nora didn’t head to an office, but went directly to a room in the middle of the two-story building. I pushed aside thoughts of Nora’s childhood and focused on the present. The wind was cold, easily piercing my sweatshirt, and I was tired. So very tired. “What if my dad calls the cops?”

“He won’t, will bring up too much attention.”

Just as I’d thought.

“He’ll send his people after you.”

I shivered. Who would have thought I’d be hunted down by my own father? He definitely knew I was missing by now. How had he reacted? Would he think I’d been kidnapped, or would he realize I’d left of my own accord?

“And he’ll probably try to clear Tara’s memory. Or at least he’ll think he is.”

I was startled by the revelation. “He can clear memories like Aaron?”

“They learned together. Best of friends, at one time,” she said the words with disgust.

She’d made it pointedly clear how she felt about my dad. There were so many things I didn’t know about my own father. About my life. Nora brushed aside a cobweb and slid a keycard across a panel. The door clicked open.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, glancing around for witnesses. “Did you prepay or is this some sort of safe house?”

“Nope. Nifty trick key, can open any room as long as it has the right program.”

“How do you know the room’s empty?”

She tapped a long finger at her temple. “Don’t hear any thoughts, do you?”

I reached out with my mind. She was right, the room was silent. Still, we could easily be caught and being caught wasn’t exactly an option at the moment. There were no baseball bats or doll houses to use as weapons.

“Come on. The manager’s a drunk, he’s passed out.” She pushed the door open and I followed her inside, worried about being seen on the sidewalk. The room smelled musty and damp. I wrinkled my nose but was too tired to really care how clean it was or wasn’t. Now that the rush was over, I found myself shaking and I couldn’t seem to stop.

I sank onto one of the two beds. “You really don’t have my grandma?”

“Nope, sorry.”

I was silent for a moment, letting the realization of the situation sink in. I’d left Dad. I’d left Tara. I’d left Maddox. I’d joined the enemy. But I didn’t want to be on either side. A myriad of emotions bombarded me. As much as I hated my dad at the moment, he was still my father. If he was injured in this war, I’d feel partly responsible. And Tara…she’d completely betrayed me. God, I felt like a total idiot.

“I’m really tired of the lies,” I muttered.

“I haven’t lied to you.”

“Yet,” I said.

She gave me a wry grin that told me I definitely shouldn’t trust her. Like I would. Ha. I’d learned my lesson. I didn’t trust anyone, and she was at the top of the list. “So what’s your story?”

Nora laughed, tossing her sweatshirt to the other beds. She wore a pink T-shirt with “Savannah, GA” printed across the front and I wondered if that was where she had been born. “What story?”

The more I knew about her, the better prepared I’d be. And I was determined not to be taken by surprise again. “Where’d you come from? When did you realize you were a mind reader?”

She shrugged, pulling off her tennis shoes and dropped them to the floor. “I’ve always known, I guess.”

I had no other clothing and only twenty bucks to my name. I was totally reliant on Nora. Who the heck knew if she was telling me the truth about her life, about Lewis, but I had no choice, especially now, but to go along.

“I’ve lived practically everywhere.” Nora pulled off her socks and tossed them toward the shoes. Her toes were painted purple, perfectly manicured. I curled my unpolished toes in my dingy canvas shoes. I was envious. Jealous that Nora had a mother she was obviously close to. Jealous that Nora had always known about her abilities. Jealous that Nora’s freaking toes were painted.

Although I wasn’t sure where I belonged, maybe if I hadn’t been hidden away and made to feel like a freak, I wouldn’t be so screwed up. Then again, Nora was anything but normal. She had a knife strapped to her calf, for God’s sake. She reached for the remote, but the T.V. wouldn’t turn on.

“Seriously, why do you people always pick seedy motels?” I asked.

She dropped the useless remote to the bedside table. “Less likely to be noticed. The people who do see us, don’t care.”

Even though she’d been traveling most of the day, she still looked pretty. Her hair was smooth, her clothing unwrinkled.

Something small scurried across the far wall, drawing my attention to the stained plaster. Surprise, surprise, the place was infested with cockroaches. I shivered, looking away. Yeah, maybe I should have killed it, but I sort of felt bad for the insect. I knew only too well what it felt like to race from hiding place to hiding place, always looking over your shoulder.

I glanced toward the windows where the late evening sun managed to pierce the threadbare curtains. Would my dad send Maddox after me? Would Maddox even care that I’d left? Or was I merely a diversion, another chick in a long line? He’d loved Nora. I remembered the emotions I’d felt when I’d seen his memories. But did she realize how much he still cared?

“I’m taking a shower,” Nora said, heading toward the bathroom. “You take first watch.”

“That’s it?”

She paused at the bathroom door, glancing cautiously back at me. “What else do you want? A welcome basket?”

I jumped from the bed, annoyed. “Answers.”

She sighed, leaning against the door jamb and crossing her arms. “All right, answers to what?”

I threw my arms wide, exasperated. “Where are we going?”

“To see Lewis, I thought I made that clear.”

She was being a dunce on purpose. “Okay, and after we see Lewis?”

She shrugged. “You decide. I’m not some prison warden.”

I narrowed my eyes. I didn’t trust her in the least. She was being way too easy-going about all of this. “What’s Tara’s situation? I need to know more, she’s with my father and my half-siblings, after all.”

She rolled her eyes and I flushed, embarrassed. Yeah, maybe I’d started to think about Gemma as a sister, so what? And yes, my dad was a jerk, but I didn’t want him injured or worse.

“Don’t worry, she won’t hurt your dad. She’s just there to keep tabs on him.”

I didn’t believe her. If Tara could lie to me, if she could marry my dad and have kids with him… who the hell knew what she was capable of. “How does she do it?”

“Spy on him?”

“No, how can she marry someone, pretend to love him, have kids with him for God’s sake.” Just the thought made me ill. I hoped to hell they never expected me to do that, because there were some things I’d refuse.

She shrugged, as if she’d never really thought about it. “I don’t know.”

“And Jake, which side is he on?”

“Jake’s a plant.”

That definitely made sense. “And Maddox?”

She sighed and looked away. It was impossible to read anything but annoyance upon her face. “Maddox was born and raised in a military family. He thinks the government is all good. Can’t accept the fact that what they’re doing is wrong.”

“Is that why it didn’t work between you?”

Her gaze jumped to me, and I took some satisfaction in surprising her. But she quickly covered her emotions, smoothing her face into an unreadable mask. She was good at that, pretending disinterest. “You know?”

I nodded.

She nudged the carpet with her right foot. Lord, was she actually embarrassed? “Yeah, that’s why it didn’t work. That, among other things.”

She might not ever admit it, but it was obvious she still cared about him. Oddly, I wasn’t jealous. Shouldn’t I have been? I took my lower lip between my teeth, thinking over my feelings for the agent, but they remained as confusing as my life.

She pushed away from the wall and started pacing the small room. “Decades ago, when the government first discovered mind readers, we helped capture criminals.” She went to the window and peeked outside. “Some mind readers didn’t like what they were doing. They felt used. My mom, Aaron, Lewis’ parents. They decided to leave, but the government wouldn’t allow them to just walk away, so they had to escape.” She took in a deep breath and leaned against the small table holding the T.V. “S.P.I takes mind readers captive to use for their own purposes.”

It was the same thing Maddox had said about her little group. I crossed my arms over my chest. She was personally involved, and so I knew her opinion was skewed. I wasn’t going to just take her word for the truth. “So you guys are saints? Never do anything wrong? Remember Aaron? The man who painfully erased my mind?”

She shrugged. “I suppose we aren’t perfect, but we’re not as bad as S.P.I.”

Ha, right. “This is insane.”

She moved away from the table and started toward the empty bed. “And you don’t know the half of it.”

Maybe not, but by this time tomorrow, I’d know a whole hell of a lot more. “So Tara can make people believe she’s thinking something she isn’t…like you.”

Nora nodded.

“What else can she do?”

Nora shrugged. “Other than typical mind reading, nothing. Most people have one specialty.” She plopped down on the bed. “But there are a few people who can do anything they set their minds to. People like you.” She was watching me expectantly, as if I had any clue what she was talking about.

“Like what? What makes me so special?”

“Like, you can move things with your mind.”

I blushed. “It’s new.”

She grinned, knowing how uncomfortable she was making me. “Like, you can cause pain.”

Okay, so I’d admitted that in the toy shop.

“Like, you make people think they’re seeing or thinking something they aren’t.”

I felt oddly relieved that I couldn’t do that, justified in the fact that she didn’t know me like she thought she did. “I can’t.”

She nodded, looking way too pleased with herself. “I bet if you try, you can.”

Dang, if she didn’t catch my attention. “How?”

She nodded toward the bed. “Sit across from me.”

I hesitated.

“Come on, nothing else to do until tomorrow when we go find your one true love.”

I sighed over her snarky tone, but settled on the bed cross-legged. The mattress sagged under my weight and it was hard to get comfortable on the lumpy bed. Even more difficult getting comfortable sitting this close to Nutty Nora.

“Read my mind,” she demanded.

I took in a deep breath and stared into her blue eyes, delving into her brain.

I hope she likes me. She can come over with the rest of my friends, and we can braid each other’s hair.

I pulled back, mentally and physically. “Funny. You’re hilarious.”

She laughed. “How’d you know it was a lie?”

“Because you obviously have no friends.”

“Nice.” She frowned. “I’m serious. How’d you know?”

I shrugged, annoyed we were wasting time. “Because I know you well enough.”

She shook her head. “No. Listen again. Feel it.”

I closed my eyes and mentally reached out, delving into her brain.

I wish I’d known my dad.

The words sank heavily into me. I felt her sorrow, her anger. I opened my eyes, seeing her in a new light. I hadn’t just read her mind, I’d felt her emotions. “It was real.”

“Good. Again.”

I took in a deep breath and concentrated.

Sometimes I wish I was a rock star.

I absorbed the thought, held it with my mind like I was weighing gold on one of those old-fashioned scales.

“Feel the difference?” she asked.

I thought about it for a moment, when it hit me. “There’s no reaction in my body. No emotion with it.”

She grinned. “Exactly.”

Oh God, she was right. When I’d met Nora on the plane, her thoughts about Maddox had seemed so shallow because there was no emotion attached to them. And Tara… I’d thought her some sweet airhead because I’d felt no true emotion with her thoughts.

“And that,” she said, jumping from the bed and standing. “Is how you know a thought for truth or not.”

“How do I make someone think my thoughts are real?”

“You have to hold up your mental wall, blocking your thoughts, while sending the fake thought out at the same time. It’s tricky, and takes practice. I’m too damn tired to work on it now.” She started toward the bathroom. “Get some sleep. You’ll want to look your best when you see Lewis tomorrow.” She closed the door, leaving me alone. The only sound was the annoying buzz of the light overhead.

Lewis.

For one brief moment I’d managed to forget about the importance of tomorrow. I lay back upon my bed and stared at the water-stained ceiling. Lewis, a guy who may or may not have searched for me. A guy who may or may not still consider himself to be my boyfriend.

How would he feel when he saw me? I rolled onto my side and pulled my knees up to my chest, listening to the soft sound of water against the shower walls.

More importantly, how would I feel when I finally saw him?

Chapter 22

The small Massachusetts town was typical New England with clapboard sided homes lining a rocky coast. But I barely noticed the beautiful shoreline, or the colorful boats bobbing on the sparkling water. I was too nervous to care. My entire body hummed with some unidentifiable reaction…as if I could sense him the closer we got.

“You okay?” Nora asked as she pulled alongside the curb and parked.

I wondered if she really cared. Doubtful. “Yeah, just ready to get it over with.” I searched the sidewalks, looking for Lewis’ familiar face, expecting to see him amongst the few people strolling up and down the streets, headed home after work.

She turned off the car. “What will you say to him?”

I shrugged. “Hey, how’s it going?”

“Seriously,” she said.

“I have no idea.” I raked my fingers through my hair. I’d left it down, knowing I looked better and hoping he wouldn’t notice my wrinkled t-shirt and jeans. “I’ve practiced a thousand times on the drive, but nothing seems right.” I looked out my passenger-side window onto the water, sparkling pink and silver under the setting sun.

“What’s your gut say?”

“Why’d he not come for me? Why’d he let me go?”

She shrugged. “Sounds a bit needy to me, but whatever.” She pushed open her door. “Time to find some answers.”

Oh God, she was right. I was being pathetic when I should be pissed. The anger surged forward, pushing passed my nerves. I shoved open my door and stepped into the cool spring evening. I was determined to see this through, even if it meant total heartache.

Nora was staring at the docks. “He’s out there.”

My lungs seemed to shrink. Just like that the anger dissipated, leaving me shaken. Nora had been surprisingly quiet all day, like she understood the importance of this meeting. And even now I could feel her attention like a weight falling over me.

“You coming?” I asked.

She shoved her hands into the pockets of her blue hoodie. “I’ll wait. Give you some alone time.”

I nodded and started forward, reluctantly thankful. The entire world seemed too still as I made my way toward the docks. Like I floated, my brain didn’t seem connected to the rest of me. The other people around me faded when my foot hit the metal platform. A few men were cleaning their boats. Weathered, burly men. But there….at the end of the dock next to a fishing boat stood a young guy. He was hard to see, the setting sun bright at his back. He was a mere dark outline, but he seemed heart-wrenchingly familiar.

I froze. My heart slammed wildly in my chest. I couldn’t seem to move. My legs no longer worked.

“Excuse me,” someone grunted, pushing me aside as he started down the dock.

I barely noticed the man and his pungent scent of fish. My knees gave out and I sank onto a bench. Instead of going to Lewis, I sat and watched the way he moved so efficiently, as if he’d always worked on a boat, although I was sure he hadn’t. Watched the way his broad shoulders flexed as he lifted crate after crate. The way the wind tousled his dark hair, which was longer than I’d remembered.

He was different than the guy in my visions… my dreams. Dark scruff covered his angular cheeks as if he hadn’t shaved in a couple days, making him look older, tougher. This wasn’t the sweet, preppy Lewis I’d known. He’d changed. I felt oddly numb at the realization.

He lifted a crate, slamming it on top of another. The T-shirt he wore tightened against his back and I had the sudden urge to touch his shoulders, to bring him close and breathe in his familiar scent. His muscles were larger than I remembered, his movements more languid than I remembered. It was Lewis…but it wasn’t. His very essence was different… somehow.

Confused and frustrated, tears stung my eyes. It was as if I missed him, yet he was right here, only twenty feet from me.

“Lewis,” I whispered.

He was too far away to hear, but he paused. I sucked in a sharp breath, waiting. Moments later he was back to work, pulling up another crate. I released the air I held. He might have changed, but the feelings he stirred within me were the same. My heart ached, filling with need. Need to touch him, to be closer. The need to have him look at me like he had those months ago. But mostly I wanted to talk to him; share what had happened and understand what he’d been through in the past seven months.

“You realize you’ve been sitting here for a good fifteen minutes?” Nora settled beside me.

Startled, I glanced at her. How could fifteen minutes go by so quickly? “I’m…just thinking about how to approach him.”

“Bullshit. You’re scared.”

I glared at her, annoyed, mostly because she was right.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about approaching him. Here comes your boyfriend now.”

I jerked my gaze toward that boat. Oh God, she was right. Lewis was headed down the dock, straight toward us. I swear, as I waited for him to approach and notice me, my heart actually stopped beating. He swept by, so close I could have reached out and touched him. Strangely, he didn’t even glance our way. My heart took off into a wild gallop, making up for the fact that it had briefly ceased working.

“He didn’t even notice me,” I said, feeling slightly offended.

“He’s escaping,” Nora warned.

Annoyed and confused, I jumped to my feet and started after him. He’d made it to a coffee shop before I caught up. I grabbed the door just as it was shutting. Lewis moved to the counter and sat on a stool. The few people in the shop glanced up at me, no doubt curious as to why I just stood in the doorway. But not Lewis, nope, he kept his gaze on the newspaper someone had left behind. Was he purposefully ignoring me? Or had he really not seen me sitting there?

“Come on in,” the waitress called out as she poured coffee into some man’s cup. “Sit where you like.”

I nodded and moved down the aisle toward Lewis. My hands trembled, and the closer I got, the more nervous I became.

“What’ya have?” A waitress appeared just as I was sitting next to Lewis. She glanced at Lewis, then me, assuming we were together.

Lewis lowered his paper and looked at me. I felt his gaze all the way to my toes, a shiver of awareness that tingled through my body. His lips lifted into a bemused smile. “Well, what will you have?”

“Hot chocolate,” I got out in a rush of words.

He returned his gaze to the waitress. “A coffee, black, and a hot chocolate.”

The waitress sauntered away and we were alone once more. I didn’t understand. Why wasn’t he demanding answers? Why wasn’t he angry? Happy? Annoyed? Something.

He slid me another glance, curiosity in those blue eyes. “You don’t look like you belong here.”

I flushed. I knew what he meant. I’d tanned since living on the island and my dark hair had highlights of blonde. “You don’t either.”

That wasn’t exactly the truth. With the scruff on his face and his tanned skin… he did. He looked like any other fisherman. Young and hot, but still a fisherman. He rested his forearms on the counter. They were strong, roped with more muscled than I’d remembered. My gaze moved down his forearms to his fingers. Rough hands, as if he’d been working for some time. He sure as heck didn’t seem like he missed me. Maybe this had been a mistake.

The waitress brought our drinks, the liquid steaming temptingly. I waited until she was gone and wrapped my chilled fingers around the warm cup. “I need answers.”

He smiled, his white teeth flashing. “To what?”

This didn’t make sense. This wasn’t the Lewis I remembered. Lewis hadn’t been cocky and flirtatious. He’d been sincere and kind. Was my mind playing tricks? Was my memory wrong?

He lifted his coffee mug. “So, what do you want to know?”

“I want to know what happened seven months ago,” I blurted out.

The cup froze halfway to his lips. Those amused blue eyes turned hard as ice. “What do you mean?” His voice had gone gruff, losing any flirtatious warmth.

I leaned closer to him, afraid of being overheard. His scent was familiar, if not his actions.

“What happened, Lewis? What happened to you?”

His jaw clenched, a pulse ticking alongside his tanned neck. “You know my name, but I didn’t give it.”

Wait… what? I pulled back and blinked in confusion.

“Outside.” Lewis tossed a few dollars onto the counter and stood, towering over me.

“You want those to go?” the waitress called out.

Lewis didn’t respond, but latched onto my upper arm in a firm grip and led me toward the door.

“Where are we going?” I demanded, tripping as I attempted to keep up with his quick steps.

He didn’t respond, just shoved open the door and kept walking, his grip growing tighter as he dragged me around the building and into an alley where the setting sun didn’t quite reach. Hidden behind a dark dumpster, he finally let go.

“Lewis,” I snapped. “Tell me what’s—”

I was slammed against the wall, my back pinned to the clapboard siding. I couldn’t move. Somehow he’d controlled my body. Anger and fear combined. Lewis was in front of me, a breath away, his eyes blazing, so close I could smell his scent… musky aftershave, the sun and the salt of the ocean. But this wasn’t the Lewis I knew.

“Who the hell are you and what do you want?” he demanded.

Stunned, my lips parted, but I couldn’t think of a single word to say. Lewis didn’t know me.

His gaze slid from my face down my body, like he was looking for answers. “I know what you are. I couldn’t read your thoughts in the diner. You can read minds, but why are you here?”

“Lewis…”

His blue eyes narrowed. “How do you know my name?”

“What are you saying?”

He stepped back and his powers on me released. I stumbled forward.

“I don’t know who you are, but leave me alone.” He turned and started toward the street.

I raced after him. “Lewis, seven months ago you came to my town in Maine. You and I…we…dated.”

He paused at the mouth of the alley. “You’re lying.” He faced me, his features furious. “I would remember if we dated. I don’t know what games you’re playing, but leave me alone.”

I watched him walk away, too confused and stunned to go after him. He didn’t know me? He wasn’t acting, he was genuinely oblivious. I swallowed over the sudden lump in my throat. Had Aaron erased his memory? I pressed my hand to my mouth, watching him walk down the sidewalk and turn, headed back to the docks.

Of course Aaron had erased his memories. It all made sense now. Lewis had betrayed Aaron. He wouldn’t let him go with just a slap on the wrist. I jerked my gaze toward the street where Nora leaned against the car, watching Lewis walk away. She didn’t seem surprised in the least. Just like that, it all became clear...a cool breeze of reality that swept away the confusion.

Furious, I stomped from the alleyway. If Aaron had erased Lewis’ memory, Nora had known.

She saw me coming and stepped up on the sidewalk. “So?”

I threw my energy forward, reaching out with my mind, and mentally shoved her until she stumbled back into the car. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Ease up Wonderwoman.” She glared at me, crossing her arms over her chest. “So, his memory is still gone?”

“You knew and you made me think…” I couldn’t go on as my anger gave way to humiliation, sadness. That damn lump was back in my throat. Unwillingly, my gaze strayed toward the docks, but Lewis wasn’t there. Gone. Disappeared. For good? The thought sent icy panic through my body.

“We had to know if he was faking it. And if he wasn’t, we were hoping that if he saw you it might spur his memory into coming back, as yours did.”

“So you humiliated me?”

She didn’t respond.

“Screw you.” I brushed by her and started down the sidewalk. I didn’t know where I was going, and didn’t care. I didn’t mind the humiliation as much as I did the fact that Lewis hadn’t remembered me. The one remaining person I thought might be able to give me answers. The one person I thought I could trust.

“Cameron, wait,” Nora called out.

I kept walking, resisting the urge to turn around and punch Nora in her perfect face. How stupid I was to leave with her. To trust her. I was so damn sick of having to rely on other people to piece together my life.

“You got your memory back, maybe he can get his back too.”

Unwillingly, the words wiggled their way into my mind. If he got his memory back, maybe he could fill in the gaps and tell me what had happened that last night at Aaron’s. If he got his memory back, maybe he’d remember me. I paused near an iron bench, watching the blazing sun dip below the horizon. I felt her pause next to me but didn’t bother to glance her way.

“What happened to him?” I dared to ask.

“Aaron…”

I released a wry laugh. “Figures.” I sank onto the bench. “So he took his memory too?”

She sat next to me. The sun was gone, the sky gray and shadowed. Lights from nearby cottages flickered on, casting a cozy glow around the town.

“Aaron felt like he had to erase Lewis’ memory. He’d taken your side. He went berserk. We didn’t think we could trust him any longer.”

The realization that Lewis had tried to save me was diminished by my anger. “And so he just erased his mind. Destroyed his life like he did mine with no thought to how it would affect us?”

She sighed and leaned back against the bench. “Of course he thought about it. He just figured it was the only way to keep you both alive, unharmed and still have a life.”

And I’d had a life. For a brief moment in time, while living on that island with my Grandma, I’d had a life. But it had been a mirage, not real.

“So why are you bringing us back now?”

“Because we need you. Both of you. When Aaron took your memories he went against the order. It wasn’t a group decision and the rest weren’t happy.”

Her admittance didn’t make me feel any better. “How many are in this group?”

She shrugged, looking unconcerned. “There are mind readers from all over the world. We really don’t know. Of course we have our main contacts, just about one from every country.”

We lapsed into silence. I didn’t know what she was thinking and I didn’t care. I couldn’t help but feel like I was trading one prison for another. But where else would I go? What could I possibly do with no money and no connections?

“What if I don’t want to belong to your little order?”

She shrugged. “You don’t have to.”

It was cold, but I barely felt the chill air. I’d grown numb with confusion and exhaustion. Did I believe her? I slid Nora a glance. She looked sincere, but she also lied really well, just like the rest of them.

“Seriously. You don’t have to go with me.” She stood. “But I’ll stick around, okay? Until you decide.”

I waited for one long moment, studying her face, her body, her words, looking for any signs of deception. “Do you really think Lewis’ memory might return?”

She smiled a half smile. “Only one way to find out. Talk to him. Don’t give up.”

Chapter 23

The next day at six, I stood under a maple tree near the docks, watching Lewis from afar. I waited for the right moment to catch him unguarded. The rest of the fishermen had left, headed home or the bar nearby. But for Lewis…Lewis just kept working, that white T-shirt contrasting against his tanned skin, his dark hair gleaming under the setting sun.

Lewis, who I remembered wearing polo shirts and designer jeans. Lewis who used to be so sincere, with a smile that could warm my heart, a man who enjoyed life. And now…now he merely kept his head bent, his gaze on his job, no interest in the cry of the gulls or the beautiful orange sun hovering on the horizon.

Taking in a deep breath I started toward the docks. This was why I hadn’t fallen for Maddox. I still cared about Lewis. It was obvious the moment I saw him yesterday. The way my body had heated from the inside out, as if the very sun had taken up residence in my heart. I couldn’t move on with my life until I knew for sure Lewis no longer cared about me.

Nora had said to try again, and I would. Why not? Not like I had anything else to do. I’d spent the day with Nora, practicing how to send out false thoughts, but my effort hadn’t been as successful as I would have liked. I hadn’t really expected to pick up the gift that quickly. I’d merely been biding time until I could see Lewis.

My foot hit the dock, the platform shaking, and I steeled myself for his annoyance. I wasn’t leaving him until I knew for sure his memory was gone for good. More importantly, before I knew for sure that he no longer had any feelings for me.

When I reached the boat, I paused, taking in a deep breath. His back was to me as he coiled a thick rope around his muscled forearm and palm. Even though he looked different, acted different, he was still Lewis, the guy I’d dreamt about for months now. The guy I hoped was still there deep down.

“I thought I told you to stay away,” he said, not missing a beat.

“Did you hear my thoughts?” I demanded, wondering if my emotions had gotten the better of me and my mental wall had wavered. It had certainly happened before in Lewis’ presence.

He turned, those blue eyes cold, unrelenting. “I heard your footsteps.”

“I’m not leaving until you hear me out.”

He sighed, setting the coiled rope upon a cooler.

“We shared time together,” I continued. “We…dated.” I blushed as the words rushed passed my lips. Seriously, it was a little embarrassing to have to remind someone they had been in love with you.

He remained stubbornly silent and my heart broke a little.

“You don’t remember any of it?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Nothing.”

The word stung. Determined, I forged onward, stepping onto the rocking boat and sinking onto a bench. “That’s not all we shared. We also lost our memories together.”

His blue eyes narrowed. Those blue eyes that had invaded my dreams. Blue eyes that had been so kind, but looked so hostile now. But he hadn’t always looked at me with adoration. No, there had been plenty of times in our months together when he had been angry at me.

My mind shifted and for a brief moment we were back at Aaron’s, together in Lewis’ room, the memory so vivid I could have sworn I was actually there.

He held me, our bodies so close I could feel his warm breath tickling my ear. I wrapped my arms around his waist and soaked in his essence; felt the thump of his heart against mine. God, I didn’t want it to end. But after a few moments, he stepped back, leaving me alone and cold. I curled my hands against my thighs, resisting the urge to latch onto him. He didn’t look at me, but stared at some point across the room.

“Well?” I demanded. “You didn’t answer my question. Do you want me to leave?”

He raked his hands through his hair and paced toward the large Queen bed. “Of course not. I want you here, but I want you on my side.”

“It’s not about sides,” I insisted. “It’s about right and wrong.”

He spun around to face me. “Right and wrong?”

“Do you know what happened to me?” Lewis asked, jerking me from the memory.

If there was a positive to this madness, it was that Lewis didn’t remember we had argued. He had no idea we’d fought about our own ideals of good and bad; that we’d taken different sides. Slowly, I nodded.

He couldn’t hide the interest in his gaze. “Then tell me.”

I licked my lower lip, my mouth suddenly dry. “Less than a year ago you arrived at my high school in Maine. You said you were a student, but it was obvious pretty quickly you were more than that. You were a mind reader, like me.”

He lowered himself to the seat on the opposite side of the boat. “I remember my parents were mind readers. But they…” He rubbed his forehead, looking pained. “They died, didn’t they?”

I flinched. What would he say if he realized my father had been responsible in some way for his parent’s death? I pushed aside the thought. “You came to my school so you could teach me, explain what I’d been missing by ignoring my powers. Together we traveled to an island off the coast where you’d spent most of your life.”

He shook his head slowly. The confusion in his gaze made my heart ache. I knew how he felt, but instead of having my Grandma to back up Maddox’s insane story, Lewis had no one. Not even fragments of a former life he couldn’t place.

“On that island we trained with a man named Aaron. The man who raised you. Aaron taught you everything you know…knew about your abilities.”

“This is insane.” His hands fisted. “You expect me to believe you?”

“Do you have any other choice?” I asked softly.

The boat rocked gently as I waited for his response. The town was quiet, as most people had gone home to dinner. It was almost like Lewis and I were the only ones there, on the edge of the ocean. Above, the stars twinkled, sparkling merrily in the darkening sky. For a brief moment it felt as if we were connected once more.

“I realized pretty quickly that Aaron and I didn’t share the same ideas of what was right and wrong,” I said softly. “I decided to leave, but he wouldn’t let me without erasing my memory.”

His gaze had hardened, anger flaring to life once more. “How did he do it?”

I shrugged, unsure how much I should tell him. “With his abilities. Somehow he’s able to delve into people’s minds and erase their past.”

He swallowed hard and I could see the emotions working through his gaze: confusion, anger, sadness. The same things I’d felt. If only he’d trust me, he might not feel so alone. But I, more than anyone, knew how hard it was to trust someone you barely knew.

“And he erased my memories too?”

I nodded. He didn’t look like he believed a word I said. The desire to pull him close and shake some sense into his thick skull overwhelmed me. Sudden tears stung my eyes and I looked away, afraid he’d notice. It was as if I was reliving the moment all over again. It wasn’t fair. The one person I wanted on my side, the one person I needed to remember me…gone.

“You tried to save me,” I said softly.

I wanted him to know that in some way he was a hero, but I realized the moment the words left my mouth that he might take them to mean it was my fault.

“I remember other children,” he said.

Thoughts of Caroline stung. The child I’d promised to save, but had left behind. I would find her, if it was the last thing I did, if it was the only good thing I did in this life.

“I remember a tutor teaching me to read and write, teaching me geometry and politics.”

I nodded, urging him to continue.

“But I don’t remember you,” he whispered. His gaze had changed and in his eyes I saw desperation. A desperation that tore at my heart. He studied my face almost frantically, looking for validation, for hope.

I turned away before that look of hope faded into what I knew would be disappointment. “I know you don’t.”

“No, you don’t get it.” He surged to his feet, the boat rocking. His voice had changed from frantic to harsh and angry. “I don’t remember you at all. Not even a stirring…nothing.”

“Okay.” I faced him, annoyed, although why, I wasn’t sure. “I get it!”

We were silent for a moment, staring at each other as our breaths left our bodies in harsh pants. Words were left unspoken, yet the emotions so evidently clear.

“So what do you want from me?” he demanded.

The question hovered over me like a dark rain cloud. I searched for the right response. What did I want? “I just…I wanted…I wanted to make sure you were okay. I wanted to see if you could give me answers.”

He laughed, placing his hands on his slim hips. “Obviously not.” With a frustrated sigh, he paced the deck, gazing out onto the ocean as if searching for answers amongst the waves. “This is insane.”

How many times had I said those very words? I stepped hesitantly toward him, close enough that I could touch him. How badly I wanted to. He needed comfort, I needed comfort. “I know.”

He faced me, his gaze accusatory. “If your memory was erased, how do you remember me?”

“Mine has been coming back over the months. Bits and pieces. I have no idea why.”

I didn’t miss the flash of hope that crossed his face. “Will mine?”

I shrugged, unsure how to answer. How badly I wanted to give him hope, at the same time I didn’t want him to turn on me if his memory never came back. “I don’t know.”

The hope was gone, replaced with anger. “What do you know? Other than apparently, everything about me, although I know nothing about you.”

I stepped closer to him, reaching out. “Lewis…”

He stepped back. “No. I’m sorry, but I find this entire situation unbelievable.”

“I understand how you feel. But what choice do you have? You have no one else. If we work together, maybe we can get your memory back, or at the least, maybe we can piece together my memory with yours.”

He didn’t say a word, just looked at me, studying my face as if searching for the truth within my eyes. I realized in that moment that he didn’t believe me. Nothing I said had registered. Oh God, they were truly gone. Every single memory of me.

I didn’t want to beg him, but damn it all, he didn’t realize how badly I needed him on my side. And he didn’t realize how badly he needed me. “Please, Lewis, just trust me.”

He pressed his lips into a firm line before saying, “Cameron.”

“Yeah?” I replied hopefully.

“Get down.” He grabbed my arm and jerked me to deck just as something whizzed past my ear. I hit the floor hard, the boat rocking. Lewis landed half atop me, pressing me uncomfortably into the deck, but protecting me from harm. He might not remember me, but maybe, just maybe, he still cared. The excitement of that revelation died as I noticed the dart quivering on the side of the boat.

“What the hell is that?”

“Tranquilizer,” he said, rolling off me. “Don’t ask me how I know, but I do.”

I could hear the thump of feet coming down the dock, shaking the very boat. How many? One? No, two. “Keys?” I asked, my voice coming out high-pitched. Was it too much to hope we could drive the boat off into the sunset?

“No. Boss took them.”

Apparently it was too much.

Lewis glanced toward the water. “Can you swim?”

I nodded, not liking the way of his thoughts.

He leaned close to me, his body warm and comforting at my side. “When I say go, jump.”

“Into the water?”

He lifted a dark brow. “Where else?”

Okay, so it was a stupid question. “Oh God.” I glanced up at the sky, cursing the heavens for not coming to our rescue. Seriously, would it hurt to throw us a bone once in a while?

“Stay underwater,” he added. “As long as you can. Swim toward the shore.”

He paused and for one breathless moment, our gazes held. Yeah, he might not remember me, but I swore in that second he knew me. “Ready?”

I nodded.

He shoved the heels of his hands into the smooth deck. “Go!”

I surged to my feet. In one fluid motion, my foot hit the railing and I jumped. For a brief second I stayed suspended in air. Then suddenly gravity took over and I hit the water. Hard. The sea rolled over me, a massive bucket of ice water that covered my head. Stunned, I sank toward the murky bottom. Darkness surrounded me, interrupted only by the slightest shimmer of light from above. A comforting, welcoming darkness. How easy it would be to stay there within the safety of the sea. But it was that light that startled me into action.

As my lungs began to burn, I used all the strength I had left and kicked my feet, swimming below the surface in the direction I hoped was the shore. I could hear nothing in my watery grave and Lewis never appeared beside me. When I could take it no longer, I surged upward and broke through the surface, gulping cold air. Frantic, I brushed the damp locks from my face and spun around, searching for Lewis.

I spotted him on the boat, struggling with two men. What the hell was he doing? Why hadn’t he followed me? I treaded water as the waves rocked me gently back and forth and waited for Lewis to jump. He jabbed his right arm forward, connecting with the chin of a bald man. But it wasn’t enough. Although the bald man hadn’t touched him, Lewis fell to his knees, crying out. When he gripped his head in his hands, I knew what they were doing. Hadn’t I used my powers to cause pain? I could do it again, but from this far would it work?

I bit my lower lip and concentrated on the bald man who looked like Mr. Clean. Ignoring the cries of the gull and chill of the water, I mentally threw my energy at him. He pulled back, grimacing. But the thrill of victory was short lived. Yeah, he fell, stumbling back over the boat’s edge and hitting the water, but he took Lewis with him.

I waited…waited for Lewis to burst through that water. The water rocked me gently back and forth. The other man on the boat raced to the dock, watching…waiting like me and for one moment we were bonded in time.

“Lewis?” I called out, my voice barely audible over the cry of gulls.

No response. No movement.

My heart slammed frantically in my chest. Indecision held me captive. I glanced back at the shore… so close. I could easily make it and race to Nora for help. I looked back at the spot where Lewis had disappeared and I knew… I couldn’t leave him.

“Damn it.” I kicked my legs, starting back toward the boat.

A firm hand gripped my ankle and tugged me down. I screamed as the water rushed over my head once more. Saltwater burned my eyes, got into my mouth and made me gag. Through the murkiness, Lewis appeared, hovering next to me. He gave me a quick nod and then started toward the shore, expecting me to follow.

The relief I felt was momentarily pushed aside as I focused on survival. We started through the water, swimming under the surface until our feet touched the rocky ground. Just when my lungs were ready to burst, we rose.

“Hurry,” Lewis gasped, emerging from the surface like a model from a swimsuit catalog. Water ran in rivulets down the hard planes of his face, dripping to his soaked T-shirt. Although I should have been running for my life, instead I found myself mesmerized by the heat of attraction sweeping through my body. He raked his damp hair from his face and latched onto my hand.

I jerked my gaze away, focusing on the warmth of his fingers. My body hummed, my lungs burned, but I wasn’t sure if my reaction was from the swim, or his nearness. I was positive if Lewis hadn’t held my hand, I would have fallen onto the rocky shore, face first.

“Where are we going?” I glanced back. The men were racing down the dock, coming for us. “We have a hotel room—”

“We?” he demanded as we hit the shoreline and raced toward the park.

“I came with a friend,” the words came out in breathless gasp as I tried to regain control of my oxygen level. “She’s the one who knew where to find you.”

He froze under an elm tree and I ran into his back. “You know this person?” He faced me, his jaw clenched.

I pushed aside the wet hair that hung in front of my eyes. What was his problem? Shouldn’t we be running for our lives? “Sort of.”

He spun back around and started across the park, leaving me behind. He was angry, obviously, but why? I raced after him.

“You trusted someone you barely know?”

A cool breeze swept off the ocean and I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. So that was his issue? He obviously didn’t understand the situation I’d been in.

“Someone who suspiciously knows not only all about you, but all about me? And now suddenly two men show up attacking us?”

His footsteps were sure and hurried as he made his way onto the sidewalk. I couldn’t read his features for the sun had set, throwing the area into evening shadows. But then again, I didn’t really need to read his face. I knew he was pissed, which made me angry.

“You think she set me up?”

He glared at me. “What do you think?”

“I did what I had to do,” I snapped. My wet tennis shoes squeaked as I followed, an irritating noise that I worried would draw attention. “Besides, if she wanted me gone, she’s had plenty of chances.”

He paused at the nearest car, and lifted the handle. The owner hadn’t bothered to lock the vehicle and the door opened easily. “Get in.”

I hesitated. “Is this your car?”

“No.” He settled behind the wheel.

I glanced back and spotted the two men headed our way, dark forms that morphed from the night. I tore open the door and dove onto the passenger seat. “Where are we going?”

“A cabin.” He pressed his hands to the dashboard and closed his eyes. After only a few seconds, the engine roared to life.

“How the heck did you do that?” I asked.

He set his hands on the steering wheel and merged onto the street. “How’d it start? Simple mechanics. I used my mind like a key, turning the parts that needed turned.”

I remembered that about him… that he could move things with his mind. Having his memory erased hadn’t made him lose that power. What else did he still have lurking within, waiting to be uncovered? “So, I guess your mind hasn’t been completely cleared.”

Water trailed from his hair, down his neck, dripping to the leather seat. “I still have all my powers…I think.”

“You just don’t remember me.”

“No.”

“And you don’t trust me.”

He turned down a dark street and slid me a glance. “No, and sorry but you’re not leaving my side until I have the answers I want.”

I didn’t bother to tell him that his threat held no power over me. Things had worked out exactly as I had hoped. I wanted to be with Lewis, even if he didn’t trust me. For once things were going my way. Hiding my grin, I settled back in the seat and let Lewis think he was in control.

Chapter 24

Two hours later we pulled onto a dirt road and I still had no idea where we were going. I knew this much, we’d left the coast and the air no longer smelled like the sea. Thick forests grew alongside the road and the land had become hilly and void of human population. At least no one followed and I felt somewhat safe for the first time in two days.

I slid Lewis a glance but his face was hard to read in the dark. He had remained stubbornly silent throughout the drive. Even when I’d asked him pointed questions, he’d ignored me. He was starting to get on my last nerve. And I’d thought Nora was annoying.

“Where are we going?” I demanded, leaving no room for avoidance by the tone of my voice. My clothing had dried, but was uncomfortably stiff with salt water and my shoes were still damp. I just wanted a hot shower and soft bed.

He was silent for a moment and I worried I’d have to do something desperate to get him to talk. Just as I opened my mouth to scream like a child throwing the ultimate tantrum, he spoke. “My boss owns a cabin. Since he’s not using it, we will.”

“You sure there’s no one home?” I certainly didn’t want to put any innocent people in harm’s way.

“We’ll find out.”

Not exactly reassuring. The trees gave way. The headlights hit a small shack settled in the middle of a clearing. A shack that, based on the weathered clapboard and the moss growing across the roof, had been there for some time. It looked like it had sprouted, clawing its way from the earth, rather than having been made by man. Seriously, a perfect location for a horror movie. When Lewis parked the car in a clearing I realized with some shock, that this was the cabin he spoke of.

So here I was, nestled in a dark forest with a guy I wasn’t quite sure was sane anymore. I hadn’t seen a town in over an hour. I wasn’t even sure we were still in Massachusetts. And no one, not even Nora, knew where I was. Yep, smart move on my part.

“You have to let me call Nora. She could be walking into a trap.”

He laughed and pushed open his door. “You’re a moron to trust her.”

New Lewis was a real ass. I glared at him as I stood. Where was the charming Lewis I’d known in Maine? I swore, if I ever saw Aaron again, he’d regret what he’d done. My former boyfriend started toward the cabin and as it was either be eaten by bears or follow, I followed.

The spring ground was soft underfoot and the trees were just unfurling their leaves. It smelled like damp earth and rain…like new growth. A promise of something exciting, my mother used to say. Something, all right, but I wasn’t so sure it would be exciting.

The forest was pitch-black, not even a moon could be seen. Anything could be out there. A shiver of unease raced over my spine. Still too cold for any insects, the land was eerily quiet. Lewis pressed his hand to the door, a wooden panel with brown peeling paint, and closed his eyes. I heard the soft click of a lock being undone and for a split second, thought someone was inside.

Lewis turned the doorknob, and pushed it wide. That’s when I realized he had somehow maneuvered the lock with his mind. Nifty trick, something I wouldn’t mind possessing, but I doubted he’d teach me.

He stepped aside and nodded toward the dark opening. “After you.”

Hesitating, I glanced back at the car. No way I could start it without keys, and the woods weren’t exactly inviting. This wasn’t the Lewis I knew. This Lewis made me nervous, anxious. But being with him was better than being food for the bears, or whatever it was that lurked in a New England forest.

I stepped into the dingy shack, the scent of mildew and dust tickling my nose.

Truth was Lewis was right. It was stupid of me to trust Nora. Sure, she’d led me to Lewis, but she’d managed to conveniently omit the fact that he had lost his memory.

She’d never lied to me, my ass.

Lewis shut the door and locked it, then flipped a light switch. A bare bulb glowed weakly, dangling from a wire in the middle of rafters. The cabin boasted all of one large room with a bed, sink and mini fridge. There was another door that interrupted the far wall, a door I hoped led to a bathroom. Cobwebs hung from the rafters above and thick dust coated the one table near the minifridge. A cold fireplace was next to the bathroom door.

It was disgusting, but it was shelter, and warmer than being outside.

“You’re cold,” Lewis stated.

I’d wrapped my arms around myself, shivering, although I was surprised he’d noticed or cared. “Yeah, that little swim wasn’t exactly pleasant.”

My clothing had dried, for the most part, but the chill remained deep within my bones. What I wouldn’t do for a warm bath. Even that hot springs I’d gone to with Maddox.

Maddox. I hadn’t had much time to think about him. I rubbed my aching temples, sorrow and resignation fighting for control. I’d had to leave, but I wondered if he’d understand. Probably not. The realization that I’d probably never see Maddox again hit me hard.

“I can’t light a fire; they might notice. But there are blankets in there,” he said, nodding toward the trunk at the end of the bed.

I was with Lewis, I should have been thrilled. Instead, I found myself angry and depressed. Cold and hungry. My frustration flared. “What will we do, Lewis? We can’t stay here forever.”

He raked his hands through his hair, something I remembered him doing in Maine. Since drying, the edges had curled slightly but it didn’t soften his look. No, his eyes had changed. They were that same brilliant blue I remembered, but hard. Soulless. Bitter.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

Dark circles marked the area under his eyes. My insides softened. I felt bad for him. Truly, I did. The Lewis I knew had always been in control, now he seemed so alone. “We can’t stay here. We need to find supplies…” I started pacing the room, my body restless, even if my mind was exhausted. “I’m going to call Nora. I know you don’t want me to, but I can at least contact her, see what she has to say. At least warn her.”

“No!”

I snapped my gaze toward him. “You have a better plan? It’s just me and you, and right now we’re pretty pathetic.”

We fell silent, glaring at each other for the longest moment. But there… underneath the anger…I saw his true emotions. Confusion. Exasperation. Exhaustion. It was hard for me to remember that Lewis was completely lost in this new world.

Here I was in a tiny cabin, completely alone with Lewis. It was a dream come true. I wanted things right between us. Yet, I couldn’t deny that there was a wall, an invisible wall keeping us apart.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said softly.

I flushed. “Like what?”

“Like you expect more from me than I can give.”

I closed my eyes. He was right; I expected too much. I expected him to be normal; the Lewis I knew. It wasn’t fair to him. It wasn’t fair to me. Truth was Lewis was a stranger. Just a person in need. I had to accept the fact that Lewis no longer loved me.

“What happened?” I asked, steeling my resolve. “How did you end up in Massachusetts?”

He swallowed hard and looked away. “I don’t know.”

I sighed. I wanted to help him, but I couldn’t unless he shared. Did he not understand how important it was that we trust each other? But I knew as well as anyone how confused he felt, and so I kept my mouth shut, waiting for him to open up.

Lewis sank onto the edge of the bed and clasped his hands together. Large hands, roughened by work. “Seven months ago I woke up in a one bedroom apartment in town. My clothing was there. Food was in the cupboards and a note was on the kitchen table.”

I moved to the wooden chair near the empty fireplace, the only chair in the cabin, and nodded for him to continue.

But he stared blankly at the wall, as if reciting another person’s life history, something he had no emotional attachment to. “The note said to head to the marina and ask for Beckerman. He’ll give you a job.”

“Your boss?”

He nodded.

“And is he a mind reader? Does he know about us?”

His brows drew together. “I don’t think so.”

But he couldn’t be sure. “And that’s it? All the note said?”

He glanced at me. “That’s it.”

When I didn’t respond, he stood and paced to the windows. Aaron obviously had a soft spot for Lewis, otherwise he would have killed him, or left him to wander the world with no memory. But it didn’t negate what Aaron had done. No person should have that much power over another. No person should play God, and that’s what Aaron and my dad were doing… creating their own worlds where they ruled supreme.

“There was a check book on the table with a thousand dollars,” he added. “No idea where it came from. No idea how I got to the town.”

He seemed so completely lost, so weighed down by his own mystery that my heart clenched, and I couldn’t help but go to him. Maybe it was because I knew exactly how he felt, or maybe it was because I still cared. Gently, I reached out and rested my hand on his shoulder. He stiffened at the touch, but didn’t pull back.

“Most likely Aaron set it all up.”

He glanced at me. “The man who supposedly raised me?”

I nodded. “What else do you remember? Any details of the past at all?”

He shook his head, looking completely bemused. “I remember my parents dying. I remember my uncle coming for me. Then it gets spotty.”

I bit my lower lip. How I wanted to pull him close. How I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything would be okay. This was the Lewis I remembered. The Lewis I knew. As if reading my thoughts he stepped away, uneasy. My Lewis was gone. I admit it hurt. Just when I thought we’d had some sort of breakthrough, it crashed down around me, ripping me to shreds.

He paced the small room, the weathered floorboards underneath creaking with the movement. He wasn’t in his element. When I’d first met Lewis, I’d been in awe of how sure he was of himself and his beliefs. But now… now he was a fragment of what he used to be. A man he didn’t know. A man I didn’t know. And the worst thing was that there was nothing I could do to get him back. Time to start over. Time to keep my distance. Time to be the old me.

“Let’s get some rest.” I started toward the bed, eager to close my eyes and forget the day. “Tomorrow will be better. We’ll figure out a plan.” Honestly, it couldn’t get much worse.

“There’s only one bed,” he reminded me.

I glanced back at him, and lifted a brow. “I promise not to take advantage of you while you sleep.”

He flushed and I laughed, easing some of the tension. I realized with some delight that there was one positive to this situation. Somehow, in some way, the tables had turned. In Maine I’d been at his mercy, so out of the loop I didn’t even know there were other mind readers.

Now, Lewis had only me to rely on for guidance, and frankly, I liked it.

****

Hours later I woke cuddled next to Lewis. My eyes opened and for one horrifyingly embarrassed moment, I stared at his chest. Thank God we still wore our clothes.

We’d needed sleep. We were adults. It shouldn’t have been a big deal lying in the same bed. I’d pretended it wasn’t. It was. To me anyway. I resisted the urge to groan, and instead, breathed in his scent. It was pretty hard to ignore my feelings for him when I was plastered to his body. So much for keeping my distance.

So close, I was only reminded of the comfort I used to feel when he held me. Now, I didn’t even have my grandma and her awkward hugs. I so needed a pet… a cat or dog, one of those little ones I could dress up, and carry in a purse. Yep, I was in some serious need of affection if I was actually still obsessed with Lewis. And dang it all, I was. I couldn’t ignore the desire to scoot even closer to him. To tuck my head under his chin and wrap my arms around his waist.

The urgent desire to be comforted was sickeningly present. Slowly, ever so slowly, I tilted my head back. I realized in that moment he was awake. Our gazes clashed. I felt his stare all the way to my toes…a heated bolt of electricity that sizzled through my body.

I stiffened, frozen against him, my heart slamming erratically. Did he know how he made me feel? Did he have any idea how desperately I wanted him to remember us? I breathed in his scent. The same scent he’d had in Maine. Wind and salt water, and him…Lewis. I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt safe next to him. I didn’t feel so alone in this world.

“Lewis,” I whispered, almost a plea.

He lowered his head, and because I was weak and couldn’t quite help myself, I lifted, meeting him halfway. I felt the warmth of his breath right before his lips met mine. It was a soft, hesitant kiss. For a brief moment we didn’t move, just lay there pressed together, side by side.

Then ever so slowly I tilted my head, deepening the kiss. Lewis’ hands cupped the sides of my face and his tongue slipped across my bottom lip sending a shiver of hot and cold down my spine. I was gone. Lost in a memory. Lost in a past that had been perfect.

A warm aching need curled through my body. A need to have more of him, to have all of him. I wanted to press my hands to his shoulders, and down his back. To taste his skin. To breathe in his scent. He shifted, settling atop me and the weight of his hard body on mine felt deliciously wicked. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my fingers sliding into the curls at the base of his neck.

We were so close, so intimately close that I could feel his heart beating wildly against mine.  This is what I’d wanted, this was Lewis. My Lewis. He tore his mouth from mine, his lips finding a sensitive spot at my throat. I shivered, the feeling so wonderful that I almost let him slide his hands under my shirt. Almost. But as his warm fingers found my waist, reality came rushing back.

“Stop,” I demanded, shoving my palms into his chest.

He pulled back warily, his breath harsh upon my lips. “What is it?”

“Are you kissing me because you remember me, or just because you’re a guy and I’m a girl?”

He parted his lips, but didn’t respond.

He didn’t need to. I knew the answer, it was proclaimed quite loudly in his hesitation. A heated flush of embarrassment crawled up my chest. I turned my head, unable to look into his familiar eyes. He didn’t love me. He didn’t even care about me, but I’d been caught up in the moment, thinking the old Lewis was back.

“Get off,” I shouted.

Fortunately he moved to the side. I didn’t dwell upon the fact that I missed his warmth. Instead, I jumped off the bed and shoved my feet into my shoes, which were still damp from our swim in the ocean. The chillness chased away Lewis’ heat.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

I dared to glance back. He was sitting on the bed, his hair mussed and clothing rumpled. He looked almost boyish. My heart squeezed painfully and I had to remind myself this was not the Lewis I knew. That Lewis was gone. This was a stranger.

“Don’t worry about it.” I moved to the door. The panicked need to escape overwhelmed me. My emotions had overtaken any common sense, and I could barely breathe. All I knew, all I was sure of, was that I had to get away from Lewis.

“Cameron.” He jumped from the bed. “You’re surrounded by woods, there’s nowhere to go.”

“I’ll figure something out. I always do.”

I tore open the door and stepped outside. The sun was just rising, but the sky was still gray. A chill morning wind pierced my sweatshirt. I trembled from the cold, or maybe it was aftereffects from kissing Lewis.

But as my gaze fell on the car, my footsteps faltered. I couldn’t start it with my mind like Lewis. I couldn’t survive in the wilds like some animal. I was screwed.

“Cameron, just stop,” Lewis called from the cabin.

Furious, I faced him. How dare he try to rationalize what had happened. He had no clue what I’d been through, and had no desire to listen. I threw my energy at the door. It slammed shut in his face. I took some satisfaction in seeing the startled look in his eyes right before the door closed.

If he could get the car to start, so could I. After all, I was special, right? I tore open the driver side door. If I wasn’t powerful, I wouldn’t have so many insane people after me. I settled on the seat and pressed my hands to the dashboard.

Nothing.

I closed my eyes and threw my energy at the engine, praying it would turn over or do whatever it was an engine was supposed to do.

Nothing.

“It’s not working,” Lewis said, standing beside me, arms crossed. “Because you don’t know the parts of an engine. You have to understand how it works so you can picture the parts turning.”

Well, that would have been nice to know beforehand. “Fine, I’ll walk.” I stood and shoved my way past him. The drive was dark and long, heading toward a road that would take me somewhere…eventually.

“The nearest town is twenty miles.”

I ignored him and started down the dirt drive.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

I stumbled, the memory coming quickly to mind. I was in that room at Aaron’s home, kneeling next to my suitcase.

Lewis glared down at me. “We’re only trying to protect—”

“Bull!” I tilted my chin high, staring directly into his angry eyes. Lewis wouldn’t frighten me. I was sick of being afraid. “I’m going home.”

He didn’t respond, remaining stubbornly silent. I wanted to scream, to stomp my foot like a child. I needed to have my wits about me, but I couldn’t think when he was so close, his scent so warm and wonderful. And in the back of my mind I realized that this could very well be the last time we spoke. But my emotions and anger wouldn’t let me care.

“I’m going home, even if I have to walk or swim.”

He raked his hair back, his hand trembling. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Cameron.” Lewis stood behind me, his warm hand resting on my upper arm, forcing me back into the present moment. “Don’t leave me.”

There was an honesty in his words that melted the steel wall around my heart. Slowly, I turned. The sun was rising, outlining his body with a heavenly glow. He stood in the middle of the drive looking confused…alone…vulnerable. Just like that, my anger disappeared.

He didn’t know me now, but maybe someday he would. Maybe someday he would remember me. Meanwhile, maybe we could start over, clean slate. If only he’d trust me. Would he give me a chance?

“Lewis,” I said softly, taking that last step that would bring me so close, we almost touched. “We need to talk. I need you to listen.”

His jaw clenched, but he nodded. For the first time since finding him, I felt hopeful.

Boldly, I rested my hand at his chest, the beat of his heart strong against my palm. “You might not trust me, but the way I see it is we don’t have anyone else.”

A twig snapped. Lewis’ arms came up protectively around my waist.

“What was that?” I whispered.

“I don’t know.” He scanned the woods but the forest was still too shaded to decipher plant from animal. “Stay here and I’ll…”

The branches shifted, snapping and rattling. Surely it was just a deer…raccoon…squirrel. But of course nothing was ever that simple.

I wasn’t exactly surprised when a man morphed from the trees. His familiar bald head gleamed under the rising sun and that massive frame was something I’d never forget. I recognized him immediately. Mr. Clean from the docks.

Slowly he lifted his arm and pointed a gun directly at us.

Chapter 25

“Cameron, go!” Lewis shoved me forward, sending me stumbling toward the back of the car.

Off balance, I fell to my knees, hidden behind the monstrous piece of metal. Damn him, the idiot was trying to save me and he’d most likely get killed because of his heroics. The chill morning air was suddenly hot on my skin. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.

“Lewis!” I was more than relieved when he knelt beside me. My relief was short-lived as the realization of our circumstances caught up. As much as I didn’t want to care about him, and would probably get my heart broken because of it, I did care. I had a sick dreadful feeling this wasn’t going to end well.

“They found us.” He leaned his palms against the bumper and rose just enough to peek through the back window of the car.

“How?”

He slid me a glance. “My bet is your friend.”

“Nora?” I shook my head, refusing to believe she’d betrayed me. Not because I trusted her, no, but because she had no reason. “I never told her where we were.”

“Doesn’t matter right now.” He glanced back at the woods, searching for an escape route. The sun was starting to rise, the brilliant rays piercing the darkness. I didn’t see anyone else hiding within the trees, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there…waiting.

He glanced down at me. “Our best bet is the car. Can you make it to the passenger door if I hold him back?”

I knelt beside him, my hands resting on the smooth bumper. No biggie. I’d defeated Mr. Clean before, I could do it again. “No, I can’t start the car. There’s no point in me going first. I’ll hold him back.”

His gaze took on a stubborn look. “Cameron…”

I held up my hand, cutting him off, in no mood for his saintly ways. “I’m as powerful as you, Lewis, in fact more so.” I wasn’t gloating, it was the truth, and he knew it as well.

He frowned, but nodded. “Fine.” He looked through the back window once more. “He’s still there, waiting. When I say go—”

“I’ll say it when I’m ready.”

He rolled his eyes, but I swore I saw a glimmer of amusement in his blue gaze. A slight quirk of his lips that, despite our circumstances, sent warmth through my body. Wonderful, while our lives were at stake, I was busy watching the way the wind played with his hair, the way the sun made his skin glow. Pathetic.

I took in a deep breath, ignored Lewis and delved within my mind. There, just below the surface, the energy sparked, waiting. I didn’t know where it came from; it had always been there. An energy that was as familiar to me as my own face. A sensing. A knowing.

“Go!” I yelled.

Lewis raced around the car as I stepped into the clearing. Mr. Clean didn’t seem shocked by my appearance, but looked as if he expected nothing less than to do battle with me. Oddly, he lowered his gun. But even with the pistol at his side, he wasn’t any less threatening. There was a determined gleam in his gaze that sent my pulse racing. In his eyes, I saw my future and it wasn’t pretty.

I swallowed hard, the world around me spinning. I would stand my ground. Focusing, I threw my energy at him full-force. I hit the chip in his brain so hard, I actually stumbled back, gasping. Shoot, I hadn’t expected that. Mr. Clean had had surgery since our last meeting. I opened my eyes to find him smirking at me. Jerk.

“The door won’t open,” Lewis said, tugging desperately at the handle.

I knew what Mr. Clean was doing. A different agent, but it was the toy store all over again. Nora and I had won that round, but we’d had help. What to do now?

A sudden breeze swept through the woods, rattling the branches and crying out in warning. Before I had time to formulate a plan, Mr. Clean lifted the gun. But he didn’t point it at me. No, he swiveled his arm left and pointed the gun at Lewis.

“Lewis, get down!”

But there was nowhere for him to hide. Frantic, I searched for a weapon and saw it in the rotten tree that leaned precariously over Mr. Clean. Did I have enough power to make it fall? No other choice but to try.

Although the ocean was hours away, I swore I heard the waves roaring in my ears as I focused on that tree. I sent my energy across the open yard, willed the tree to fall. The man with the gun disappeared. Even Lewis disappeared. The only thing that mattered was a dead tree.

Sweat broke out on my forehead as my body and soul strained to keep concentration. Was it my imagination or did the trunk waver, swaying back and forth? My breath caught, but I forced myself to remain calm, centered.

Mr. Clean heard the tree crack right before the rotten trunk gave way. He stumbled back just in time. It didn’t hit him like I wanted it to, but it was enough to break his concentration. The door to the car opened easily under Lewis’ fingers.

“Get in!” I raced around the front of the car and dove into the passenger seat. A quick glance forward and I noticed that Mr. Clean had already regained his feet and was headed toward us. I jerked the seatbelt across my chest. “Hurry!”

Lewis placed his hands on the dashboard. It seemed like an eternity before the car roared to life. Without pause, he slammed his foot on the gas pedal and the car lurched forward. The driveway yawned long and dark before us…salvation. But just as I started to relax, wisps of smoke curled from the hood.

“That’s not good,” I muttered.

Lewis slammed on the brakes. “Damn it.” He clutched the steering wheel so hard, his fingers grew white. I felt sorry for him. He knew as well as I we were royally screwed. But I wasn’t about to give up.

I tore off my seatbelt. “What now?’

He shoved open his door just as flames shot out of the hood. The scent of smoke swirled within the cab of the car, replacing the oxygen in my lungs and making me cough.

“Cam, let’s go!”

But crazy me, I froze in place. With the hood on fire, and smoke filling the car so that my eyes and lungs burned, I just sat there.

He had called me Cam.

Cam.

The same shortened version of my name he’d used when we’d dated in Maine. He glanced back at me and I realized he had no clue about the importance of that word. Was it coincidence, or was his memory returning?

“Come on,” he snapped, waving me impatiently forward.

Jerked back into reality, I dove across the driver’s seat and stumbled out of the car, gulping in the fresh air. I wasn’t sure which to be more thankful for: Lewis calling me Cam, or the oxygen feeding my starved lungs.

“The woods,” he said, latching onto my hand. “It’s our best bet.”

We darted between the trees, branches snapping their protest underfoot. The sound was unnaturally loud in the quiet morning and I worried Mr. Clean would easily find us. For the first time in days, I had hope that Lewis’ memory would return. We would win this fight. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“No idea.”

“Great,” I whispered. Unable to resist, I glanced back. The guy had disappeared and my panic flared. “I can’t see him.”

Where had he gone? As Lewis led me around a blooming Dogwood, I reached out with my senses, hoping to catch a trail of his essence. There, fluttering in my chest like a finch in a boney cage, I felt the slightest whisper of energy…his energy. I tore my hand from Lewis’ hold and paused in a small clearing. The air was cold, damp and left a fine mist upon my arms for the sun hadn’t reached the spot yet. It was cold, but I barely noticed.

“Cameron?”

I ignored him and closed my eyes. There…the slightest tingle of energy coming from the left. I opened my eyes. “This way.” I grabbed Lewis’ hand and pulled him toward the right.

“How do you know?”

“Just shut up and trust me,” I said, in no mood to stand there and argue my defense. Had I ever questioned him? No, because even now, even with this new Lewis, I still trusted him.

I jumped over a fallen log and burst through underbrush just coming to life. There were too many shadows; it was too hard to tell man from nature. Breathless, I paused behind an oak. Lewis caught up to me.

“Shhh,” I whispered as he parted his lips to question me further.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the tree, the bark rough under my fingers.

I could feel the energy immediately, a tingling awareness coming closer…closer. A twig snapped behind us. “Get down!”

I shoved Lewis and we fell together into a patch of ferns just sprouting from the damp ground. Something whizzed by our heads and a piece of bark flew from the tree above.

“So they want us dead,” I muttered, staring at the damage done by the bullet.

“At least me. Come on.” Lewis grabbed my hand and pulled me behind the injured tree. “Who are they?”

I shoved aside a low-hanging red bud branch, the tree out of place in the hardwood forest. Tiny purple blossoms sprinkled into my hair, raining down around us. “S.P.I. Society for Paranormal Investigation.”

“And why do they want you?” We darted through the trees, seeking shelter under the low branches of an elm. “They obviously don’t care about me as they didn’t arrive until you did.”

Lewis was close, but I couldn’t read his gaze in the shadows of the tree where the rising sun couldn’t reach. His tone was oddly neutral. Was he annoyed? Or just curious? Did he blame me for this mess?

“I don’t know why they want me.” I stumbled over a root, but managed to keep to my feet. “My powers, I guess.”

“You guess, or you know?”

I didn’t respond. We paused for a moment and listened. Not a sound. Not even birds. But I knew better than to think we had lost Mr. Clean.

“What do they do, this S.P.I.?” Lewis whispered.

I knew when I told him the truth, he might freak out, but I wouldn’t keep him in the dark any longer. And I sure as heck wouldn’t lie to him. “It’s a governmental branch. They use our powers to find terrorists.”

He raked his hair back from his face. “Hell, it’s like a freaking science fiction movie.”

I started forward. “You’re telling me.”

“Wait!” He held up his hand.

I froze.

Silence. A stillness that worried me. A stillness that was unnatural, as if the world was afraid to breathe. In the silence I heard nothing, but I felt the man’s energy. He was close. So close. I searched the forest, attempting to decipher shadow from man.

There, behind that elm just twenty feet away. I couldn’t see him, but I sensed he was there.

“Lower your mental wall,” I whispered.

Lewis stepped closer, his body warm at my side. “He’ll hear me.”

“No, open your mind just for me. You know how, you taught me.”

He looked unsure, confused.

“Focus on me, my energy.” Slowly, I lowered to the ground and picked up a broken branch. It felt heavy in my hands, pulling at my exhausted muscles. “Go left. He’ll follow.”

For one long moment we didn’t move, merely stared at each other. We didn’t need to speak, I knew what he was thinking. If it didn’t work out…if something happened to either of us…

He was sorry.

My heart ached and I had to resist the urge to reach out to him. Lewis took in a deep breath, and then darted from our hiding place and into the open. I could only hope my plan would work.

I waited for a few seconds, waited until I heard the thump of footsteps from Mr. Clean. Waited an entire five seconds with my heart slamming wildly in my chest. Waited, praying I wouldn’t be too late. The world around me faded and only that man came into sharp focus as I inched out behind my hiding spot, stick raised.

The man stood with his back to me, that gun lifted and pointed at Lewis. And Lewis…Lewis stood frozen, as if accepting his death.

Duck, Lewis! I threw out my mental message as I swung the branch forward. It hit Mr. Clean’s head with a thud that echoed through the trees. Slightly stunned by what I had done, I dropped the branch and stumbled back. With a grunt, Mr. Clean fell forward to his knees and then to the ground, his face pressed to the damp earth. He was still, unmoving. Dead?

“There’s a lake,” Lewis said breathlessly. “Not far from here. If we follow the edge, we might find a boat, or house with a car.”

Something else to steal, but I knew we didn’t have a choice. I only hoped the people had insurance. I cringed at my practical side. There was no time for regrets. “Let’s go.”

Instinctively we found a deer trail and raced down the narrow path, ducking under low-hanging branches, searching the dark shadows where the sun didn’t quite reach. We didn’t speak, but savored the silence, too afraid to talk for fear we’d be found.

Even though my fingers were numb with cold, sweat trailed down my temples. Were there more men waiting for us within the shadows of the trees? I didn’t dare close my eyes but attempted to find their energy.

“Lewis, we have to call Nora. She’s our only chance at answers, at help.”

He shook his head.

I grabbed onto his arm, jerking him to a stop. “Sometimes you just have to trust people, when there’s no other alternative.”

He shrugged off my hold and started forward once more. “There is an alternative, we trust no one and figure things out on our own.”

With a growl of frustration, I followed him. Yeah, it sort of warmed my heart that he was including me in his great plan of isolation, but he didn’t understand how many were out there, after us. After me. We needed help.

“There’s a field up ahead.” Lewis paused next to a birch tree, resting his hand on the white, curling bark and taking in a deep breath. “Ready to make a run for it? The lake is just beyond.”

The trees had thinned and just ahead I could see the sun bursting across an open field. Plan, we needed a plan. But I could barely think, the adrenaline overtaking and urging me to flee. A loose lock of hair fell across my eyes. I brushed it aside, the strands damp with my own perspiration.

“Ready?” he asked again.

I nodded. We had no choice but to make a run for it. “Let’s go.”

We burst from the trees and into the field. For a brief moment I was blinded by the brilliant sun. Although I could barely see, I kept running…running…running. Purple and blue flowers brushed against my legs, tangled around my feet, tripping me, but still I continued on. Birds, startled by our approach, squawked and took flight. How I wished I could fly away with them, head up into the sky with that dark, protective mass beating beside me.

“Almost there,” Lewis called out from slightly ahead of me.

I could barely hear over the roar of wind around me and the thump of blood to my ears, but I forced myself to lift my head, to narrow my gaze on the trees wavering in and out of focus…safety. Even though the sun was bright, burning, I didn’t look away and that’s when I noticed a shadow shift within that forest ahead. I stumbled, my pace slowing. There it was again. A man. Tall. Broad shouldered. Dark Hair. Lewis kept going, continued to run toward the trap.

“Lewis!” I cried out, surging forward and grasping onto his arm. But his stride was too powerful, his body too strong. He easily broke free.

Fumbling, he turned his head and glanced back, confused. “What is it?”

But I was focused on that form ahead. They’d found us. Surrounded us. I stood frozen in the middle of that field as the man stepped from the trees just fifteen feet from us. He had dark hair peppered with gray. He looked…normal. So normal. I didn’t need to turn to know if Mr. Clean had followed. I knew he was there, behind us.

Following my line of vision, Lewis turned his head toward the woods.

Kill the boy.

For a brief second the man’s thoughts whispered closer on the breeze. He raised his arm and metal flashed under the bright sun. I’d already lost my grandma, I couldn’t lose Lewis.

“No!” I yelled, my voice echoing across the field.

Lewis didn’t even flinch, but in one fluid movement he spun around and shoved me toward the ground. I hit the rocky soil hard, groaning as pebbles bit into my back and Lewis’ heavy body fell atop me.

With a grunt, Lewis managed to flip to his back, giving me room to breathe.

My entire body ached, I didn’t want to move, but knew we had to run. “Lewis.” I shoved my hands into the damp earth and sat up, hidden by the flowers around us. “Lewis, we have to…” I turned toward him and froze.

My mind. My body. My soul. Frozen in that moment of realization. A red circle near the shoulder of Lewis’ white t-shirt. A red circle that was growing…spreading…seeping across his chest.

“No!” I screamed, the word echoing across the field. “No!”

Lewis’ breath was harsh as his gaze met mine. There was no fear upon his face. His blue eyes shone with acceptance. “Go, hurry,” he gasped. “They won’t hurt you.”

“No!” I leaned over him, my hands fluttering above his chest like butterflies afraid to land. If I pressed down, would I hurt him? Make things worse? Could I stop the flow of blood? Oh God, so much blood.

“Lewis?”

His eyes blinked once and then closed. I waited…waited…waited for them to open, but they didn’t. My heart squeezed painfully, tearing apart inside my chest.

“No!” I screamed again, cupping the sides of his face.

It was my fault. My fault! Why hadn’t I sensed the other man? Why hadn’t I assumed he would be here? Why had I gone to Lewis in the first place? Why? Why? Why? Tears stung my eyes, blurring the world around me. The very air seemed tainted and I couldn’t breathe anymore.

My fault.

A twig snapped.

I jerked my head upright.

The man with the dark hair hovered over us, his face passively content. Anger and fear mixed in a sickening swirl. I wanted to charge at him. I wanted to grab that gun from his hand and point it at his chest. I wanted to use my powers to make him feel the kind of pain he’d never felt before. A pain so intense he’d beg for mercy. The kind of pain I felt.

“I won’t kill you,” he said, his tone level, unconcerned.

I surged to my feet, my entire body trembling with rage. “You killed him!”

He didn’t even glance at Lewis. “He’s not dead. Yet.”

I jerked my gaze toward Lewis, searching for signs of life. Was he right? Did Lewis live? Then it happened…ever so slowly, his chest rose. For a brief moment that was all that mattered.

“If you come with me,” the man said. “We will not harm him further.”

A threat. But it was too late for threats. My anger got the better of me. My hands curled at my sides and the energy deep within burned in the pit of my belly, so strong that I felt on fire. I couldn’t control it. Didn’t want to control the anger.

Kill him. Kill him. The words repeated over and over in my mind.

The man’s dark eyes narrow slightly as if he could read my thoughts.

Kill him.

His face flinched and the gun in his hand wavered.

Kill him.

The energy seeped from my body in pulsing waves, the fire spreading…spreading until my skin tingled and the world around me faded. All faded but him…the monster that had shot Lewis.

Kill him.

He cried out, dropping the pistol and clutching the sides of his head. Vaguely, I was aware that I had broken through his chip. I had entered his mind. I had won. But the monster inside me didn’t care, couldn’t stop feeding on his pain, taking pleasure from the torture.

Kill him.

He fell to the ground, but my energy wouldn’t recede. He squirmed there, like a worm in the sun, his mouth open, although I couldn’t hear his screams. And I would have stayed like that forever, until the man was dead, if Nora hadn’t appeared, kneeling beside him. She looked up at me, her eyes wide with shock. Her lips moved, she said something, but I couldn’t hear her words. The man grew still. I might have killed him. I didn’t care.

Nora surged to her feet and bolted the few steps to me. When her warm hands gripped my upper arms, the touch forced me back into the present. The world burst before me. Colors came vividly into focus and the call of the birds was loud… too loud.

“Cameron!” Nora screamed.

I flinched.

Her gaze shifted to Lewis. “Oh God,” she whispered and dropped to her knees. Reality returned. Lewis was dying.

He lay still, quiet, his eyes closed, his breathing so shallow that I wasn’t even sure if he still lived. My lungs shrunk. My heart collapsed within itself. My entire body seemed to stop functioning. There was nothing I could do to help him. Nothing.

Lewis.

Nora pressed her fingers to his neck and her shoulders visibly relaxed. “He’s all right. His pulse is steady. The bullet seems to have gone through his shoulder. Will hurt like hell, but he’ll be all right.”

Just like that, every emotion I should have felt, came rushing through my body leaving me panicked and cold. My legs quivered and gave out. With a cry, I slumped onto the ground next to Lewis. Tears burned, sliding down my cheeks, falling to his white T-shirt and mixing with his blood.

“He’ll be all right,” I whispered over and over to myself as I cupped the sides of his face. “He’ll be all right.”

Nora was talking on her cell phone, but I barely listened to her words. All I knew, all I cared about, was the fact that Lewis would be all right. Nora would help us. There was hope. Beautiful, fleeting hope. He would be all right.

“I knew you’d help,” I said, looking up at Nora through my tears. She wavered in and out of focus. “I knew I could trust you.” I swiped the tears away with my forearm. But I realized as I met her gaze that something was wrong. For a split second I worried it was Lewis. Maybe he was worse than she was letting on. But no…she was staring hard at me. A shiver of unease raced down my spine.

I surged to my feet. “Nora, what is it?”

She swallowed hard and slowly lifted her arm. From the tips of her fingers, a gun gleamed smooth and silver. Before my muddled mind could even comprehend her actions, her finger twitched. “It will just hurt for a second.”

The dart hit my side, a sharp, stinging pain as if someone had stuck me with a needle. I glanced down, watching the red dart waver back and forth. No. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening. I stumbled back a step… shocked, confused.

“Sorry Cameron,” she said, but her words came out as warbled as a song bird.

I tried to blink her into focus, but the scenery grew blurry. The field around me wavered.

I couldn’t seem to feel my body. Frantic, I turned my head, searching for Lewis, but the world faded…the light disappearing and slowly…slowly, I sank toward the ground.

Chapter 26

The silence woke me.

A deathly, heavy silence that settled upon my chest and sat there like a bully pinning down a smaller child. An unnatural silence. A silence full of questions.

When you could read minds, the very thoughts that shifted from a person’s brain…their hopes, their dreams, their fears… the world was never quiet. Chatter was constant, like a radio left on a static station.

But not here, not now. Something was definitely wrong.

Slowly, my lashes lifted and I stared at the dimly lit ceiling wavering in and out of focus. Where the hell was I? What had happened? My body felt oddly numb. I felt nothing. No form, no thought. It was as if the world was waiting for me to catch up, catch on, understand what had happened. But my mind was too muddled to care.

My hands curled at my sides, digging into the cot underneath me. The blanket was soft and smooth against my fingertips. From somewhere a light glowed softly. I swallowed hard, my dry throat convulsing in protest. The room was chill, but not cold and the scent of mildew and condensation assaulted my senses. But it was the quiet that got to me.

Immediately my instincts went into overdrive. I’d spent the past eighteen years of my life learning how to block the thoughts of others just so I could get some peace and quiet. But this silence…this silence was different. This silence told me I was alone. Completely and utterly alone.

I didn’t dare move, but remained still like a wild animal testing her surroundings. My mouth was dry and my eyes were blurry as if I’d been sleeping for a long time. How long? What had happened?

Just like that, I caught up to the world. Memories flashed through my mind, so quickly I had to grab hold before they took flight, disappearing forever.

Vaguely, I remembered running for my life. A cottage that was more of a shack than home. A place where I’d stayed the night, hidden from those who wished to use my powers for their own benefit.

Vaguely, I remembered running through a field, the sun so bright, it burned my eyes. Still I kept running, running, chased by those who would do me harm.

Vaguely, I remembered…Lewis. My heart skipped a beat. Lewis, lying upon the ground, blood spreading across his white t-shirt.

“No,” I whispered, a sob catching in my throat.

Lewis.

The guy I had loved. The guy I still loved…shot in that field.

The memory came rushing back like a raging river, bursting and overflowing with emotion. My stomach clenched painfully and I thought I might get sick. I rolled onto my side, the small cot creaking with the movement. How? How could this have happened?

Desperate, I shoved aside the thin, cotton blanket that covered my trembling body, momentarily struck dumb as I noticed my outfit. I wore cotton pants and a long sleeved cotton shirt, both dark blue. Thick socks were on my feet. I’d changed clothes, but I didn’t remember changing.

“No,” I whispered, pressing my hands to my throbbing temples. “No.”

“Go, hurry,” Lewis’ words whispered through my mind. “They won’t hurt you.”

My heart hammered wildly in my chest, the image of Lewis upon the ground startling. I settled my feet on the cold stone floor and bolted upright. “No. No. No.”

He couldn’t be dead. I wouldn’t believe it. I’d know, deep down, wouldn’t I?

I would find Lewis. He was here…somewhere.

Determined, I pressed my hands to the damp stone wall and closed my eyes, searching for the feel of him. His very energy. The only sound was the soft drip of condensation from somewhere above.

Nothing else. But I wasn’t defeated. Stone was a natural insulator for people who could read minds. Just because I couldn’t feel him, didn’t mean he wasn’t here. I stumbled toward the center of my small room.

No sounds of footsteps. No murmur of conversation. No one.

Confused, I searched my small prison for an indication of where I was. For a weapon. For anything. But with the movement, the room wavered. I’d slept too much, or too little. Or maybe my reaction was from the tranquilizer. The memory rushed back on a surge of anger. Nora, the woman I’d grown to think of as a friend. The woman who shot me.

Nora had stood before me, a silver gun gleaming from the tips of her fingers. Before I could even comprehend her actions, her finger twitched. “It will just hurt for a second.”

The dart hit my side, a sharp, stinging pain like someone had stuck me with a needle. I stumbled back a step.

“Sorry Cameron,” she said, but her words came out warbled, like a song bird.

I hadn’t seen it coming.

Lewis had been right all along, I never should have trusted her. Because of me, Lewis was injured, or worse…

Anger and fear combined in an acidic swirl that burned in the pit of my belly. I would find Nora and this time, she would pay. I surged forward, traveling the square room. The walls were made of large cut stone. Like I was in a prison cell…or dungeon…or buried alive. Panic had me turning and rushing toward the wooden door. I wrapped my hands around the iron handle, the metal chill and damp, and pulled. The door creaked open so easily that for a stunned moment I merely stood there staring out onto the dark hall.

Shock was an understatement. I sure as heck hadn’t expected the door to be unlocked. A shiver of unease tiptoed down my spine, warning me not to trust the lack of security. Someone was setting me up.

Yet, anger and curiosity spurred me forward. I stepped hesitantly into the hall. The corridor was long and narrow, made of the same dark stone as my room. Every twenty feet or so, an iron lamp threw dull light against the glistening walls. I reached out, pressing my fingers to either side. The stone was damp, old. Where the heck was I?

The soft murmur of singing voices suddenly echoed down the hall, a low buzz, like a swarm of bees that rose and fell with each breath.

I froze.

The sound was pure. So beautiful, that for a moment I thought I might have actually died and gone to heaven. I turned toward the music and started mindlessly down the hall. The song called to me. Voices like those of a men’s choir. I followed the holy music as if in a trance. They drew me near with their song, as if the heavens were speaking directly to me. At the end of the corridor a narrow staircase curved up into darkness.

I paused for only a moment, then followed those steps to the top. There was no door. Only a wall in front of me and a grate above where dim light managed to pierce the gloominess. No way in, no way out. Confused, I stood on tiptoe, slipped my fingers through the grate and pulled. It didn’t budge. But the music was coming from that grate and whoever was above.

“You won’t find a door,” a voice said from behind me.

Startled, I spun around, only to teeter on the edge of the steps.

“Careful.”

I pressed my hands to the damp wall, regaining my balance. A man stood at the bottom of the stairway, his pale face weathered with age, but there was a kindness in his smile, an ease in the set of his shoulders as he waited patiently for me.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“Hello Cameron, I’m Father Myron.”

The fact that he knew my name didn’t worry me. Most people I came into contact with seemed to know more about my life than I did, thanks to Grandma keeping me in the dark most of my childhood. In fact, I expected to be confused at this point.

“Where am I?” I asked.

He folded his hands politely in front of his white robes. In the dimly lit corridor he practically glowed like a ghost. Hell, maybe he was some long, lost spirit. “You’re in Savannah, Georgia.”

Savannah. The name of the girl who had died almost a year ago in my small town in Maine. The death that had started it all… acceptance of my powers, my relationship with Lewis. How weird.

“Savannah,” I whispered.

“Yes.”

I started slowly down the steps. “How?”

“I’m sorry, but it was the only way we could get you here. Time was running out. Your father was headed your way with reinforcements. We had hoped you would trust us, trust Nora, and come of your own free will.”

Trust Nora? Trust anyone? Ha, I’d learned my lesson. I reached out with my mind, gently testing his brain. No thoughts escaped. But it wasn’t a hard, mental block like someone had put a chip in his brain. Holy Hell, this priest was a mind reader.

“And because I didn’t trust you, you kidnapped me?”

Some man of God.

There was no guilt upon his face, he fully accepted responsibility. “It was for your own protection.”

I paused in front of him and crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t the least bit intimidated by this man of the cloth. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

In fact, I’d heard that most of my life.

He turned to the side, pressing his back to the wall. “Come, let us walk. There are other’s eager to see you.”

I didn’t give a shit who wanted to see me. I knew who they would be, other people wanting to use and abuse my powers. All I cared about at this point was my freedom. “Where’s Lewis?” I demanded, not moving an inch.

He sighed, his easy-going nature slipping. “Lewis is alive.”

My entire body trembled with relief, but I didn’t dare let him see how his words affected me. “Where is he?”

“We shall discuss everything very soon. Don’t worry.” He waved me forward. “Now, if you’d like to know more, I suggest you follow. Talking in the halls is dangerous. We don’t want to be overheard.”

He turned and started down the corridor. Before I lost him in the shadows, I surged forward, my stocking feet whispering over the cold stone. “Where, exactly, are we in Savannah?”

His footsteps were soft and sure. “Underground.”

Startled, I stumbled. “As in under the earth?”

He smiled, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “Savannah has underground tunnels. It’s no secret, although most people have found only remnants. They’ve been here for hundreds of years.”

I’d been to Savannah once with Grandma. I’d been only eight, but I remembered it so clearly because she had left me in the car alone. She never left me alone. I’d been with her for most of childhood, hopping from place to place, always together, always running from some unknown enemy.

But for thirty minutes she’d been gone, disappearing inside some building. She’d returned and we’d left. She’d never explained why or what she’d done. But then again, she explained little to me.

We had stopped for lunch at a restaurant which used to be a pub for pirates. I’d been thrilled as we rarely went anywhere cool. I could still remember the story of the tunnels uncovered underneath that restaurant. Tunnels pirates had supposedly used to kidnap victims and escape the law.

But this tunnel was long, narrow…different.

“You use the tunnels?” I asked.

He nodded as we turned a corner, heading down yet another dimply lit corridor, this one with wooden doors spaced every so often. “We took them over decades ago. No one but us knows about them.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what was behind those doors. I wrapped my arms around my waist, shivering. “What do you use them for?”

“We house those like us. Those in trouble, in pain. We use the rooms for meetings.”

Those like us. Mind readers. Up until a year ago I’d thought Grandma and I were the only people on this planet who could read minds. It was still hard for me to process the fact that there were actually thousands.

“The singing?” I rubbed my forehead, my skull beginning to throb from too much information, and too many unanswered questions. I only wanted to find Lewis and leave. He’d been right all along. We should have fled, we should have trusted only each other.

“Ah, yes, you were underneath the floor of a church. The church where I practice.”

Nothing made sense. Underground Savannah? Mystery rooms? Mind reading priests? “I want to see Lewis.”

“You will.”

“When?”

“Soon, hopefully.”

I released a puff of air, frustrated with his lack of information. “Where are we now?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment as he glanced up at the ceiling. “I’d say we’re under Johnson Square.”

The words meant nothing to me, but I made a mental note to check a map as soon as possible. It was hard to believe that just above us there were cars driving, people walking, clueless as to what hid below.

I slid the old man a glance. “Why not just tell me the truth? Why send Nora to lie to me?”

We paused outside a wooden door. “Because we feared if we told you the truth you wouldn’t come.”

Warning bells rang through my body, clamoring an alarm in my head. I knew, if they’d kept the truth from me, it must be something major. “What truth?” I demanded.

He pushed the door wide. Inside, the room was much like mine, only larger. Stone walls, dimly lit, no décor. In the middle of the room was a large wooden table which seated twelve. Only one chair was occupied. Nora stood as I entered. My hands fisted, heated anger rushing through my blood on a surge of pure hatred.

She looked nervous, unsure. That smirk she’d always worn was gone, replaced with obvious discomfort. “Hey.”

My God, she was afraid… of me. The realization made me feel better, but not much. I still wanted to hurt her. It was all I could do not to lunge forward and show her exactly how I felt about her little stunt in Massachusetts. “Where’s Lewis?”

“He’s okay. Don’t worry.” She shoved her hands into her jean pockets. “You’re safe now, that’s all that matters.”

How dare she act like she cared about me. “No.” I started toward her. She actually took a step back. “What matters is you tell me what the hell is going on. What matters is that you tell me where Lewis is. What matters is—”

“I know.” She held up her hands, warning me off. “I understand why you’re angry. And you can say whatever you want, but first I need you to meet someone.”

I paused, too damn curious for my own good. “Who?”

She took in a deep trembling breath. “Cameron,” Nora turned toward the far wall. “My mom.”

Confused, I spun around.

A woman stood, arms crossed, body still, as if watching a play. She was too far away and the room too dimly lit for me to get a good look at her. How long she’d stood there, I hadn’t a clue. Most likely she’d heard our argument, but I didn’t care.

The woman stepped away from the shadows and into the light, her movements fluid and easy, like a dancer. A tingle of awareness whispered over my body. An unease that rang through my brain, a warning that told me there was something important I’d missed. Even before I saw her fully…I knew.

My heart warred with my rational mind.

Her dark hair glimmered in loose familiar curls that ran down her back. Her blue eyes found me and she smiled, a slow, easy smile. A smile so familiar my heart squeezed painfully as it denied what my brain knew to be true.

“Hello Cameron,” she said softly, the voice achingly familiar.

“Mom?” I whispered.

The End

Interested in more? Check Lori’s website for updates and news about the third and final book in The Mind Readers Series!

The Mind Readers Series:

The Mind Readers, book 1

The Mind Thieves, book 2

About Lori Brighton

Lori has a degree in Anthropology and worked as a museum curator. Deciding the people in her imagination were slightly more exciting than the dead things in a museum basement, she set out to become an author. Lori writes Romance for adults, as well as Young Adult books for teens and adults.

To find out more about Lori visit her at: www.LoriBrighton.com