wasn’t because I trusted him more, but because he had been my first victim. Kind of unavoidable.
But Lukas…
Was it an unfair advantage that one knew and not the other? What if the only way I could figure out which one truly cared for me were to tell them both, put them on even playing fields? My heart and my head were at war with each other, but I knew that for my safety and my aunt’s I couldn’t make any mistakes.
“It’s okay. You can trust me,” Lukas said.
My gaze fell. “I’ve got to get to class.” I turned, but his hand shot out, preventing me from my intended slippery escape. I wanted to mull over some ideas before I said anything I couldn’t take back.
“You ’ve got this all wrong, Brianna. I want to help you harness your gift. You are extremely powerful, and there are risks—ginormous ones. But I know you can handle them.”
A faint tremor went through me. What he was implying scared me to death. The small taste of power I had gotten was too alluring, like a drug. I didn’t want to become addicted; there would be no stopping the monster it unleashed.
No , I didn’t want it.
Shaking his arm off, I said, “I’ll talk to you later.”
He gave a slight nod of his head. “I think your boyfriend wants to rearrange my face. I guess you aren’t the only one with trust issues.”
I rolled my eyes and took off down the hall. Gavin was at my side, matching my strides. “What did asshole want?”
I didn’t know what to say, but I knew if I told him the truth, he would go ape shit. I needed time to think. “Nothing,” I muttered. “He wanted to know if we’re still going to practice you-know-what.”
His eyes went gloomy. “And?”
“I told him that I had to think it over.” I glanced at the clock hanging in the hallway. Classes had started five minutes ago.
Damn.
***
I retreated to an empty corner of the library. My schoolwork had been suffering for the last few months, and I was having a hard time concentrating, understandably. There had been a lot of crazy distractions in my life, but if I wanted to graduate, I needed to get my head back on task.
With about as much enthusiasm as eating brussel sprouts, I opened my massive trig book and prepared to fry my brain. Math has that effect on me. Flipping open my notebook, I searched the bottom of my bag for a pencil. The chair beside me scrapped across the floor and a stack of books joined mine on the table with a thump.
“So you are back to hiding out in the library?”
I lifted my lashes, spotting Sophie’s angelic face and exhaled. “It is the only way I have time to actually study lately.”
The material of her jeans rustled as she made herself comfortable in the seat next to me. “Is m y brother sneaking into your room at night?”
I was pretty sure she was teasing, but my jaw dropped. Maybe we hadn’t been as inconspicuous or clever as we had thought. I had one guy who slipped into my room and the other my dreams. How do I get myself into these pickles?
I sat back in my chair. “Sophie, how is my aura today?” I hadn’t really expected there to be a change in the dark spots that had appeared on my aura, but it was worth a shot. I believed in miracles. And I was in desperate need of one.
She tilted her head to the side, studying the outline of my profile, seeing the colored glow of my spirit. “It’s a bluish-grey. You are under a lot of stress and…” she paused. “You still doubt yourself.” Her eyes became sympathetic. “Regardless of what you think, you have come a long way. Magic isn’t learned or controlled overnight. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
If she only knew the half of it and what I had done to her brother, then she might not be so understanding.
Sometimes it sucked that she could read me so well. I sighed. “And the spots?”
She nodded. “Still there. I can’t be positive and I didn’t want to alarm you, but I think they might have spread.”
I tried to keep the disappointment
But Lukas…
Was it an unfair advantage that one knew and not the other? What if the only way I could figure out which one truly cared for me were to tell them both, put them on even playing fields? My heart and my head were at war with each other, but I knew that for my safety and my aunt’s I couldn’t make any mistakes.
“It’s okay. You can trust me,” Lukas said.
My gaze fell. “I’ve got to get to class.” I turned, but his hand shot out, preventing me from my intended slippery escape. I wanted to mull over some ideas before I said anything I couldn’t take back.
“You ’ve got this all wrong, Brianna. I want to help you harness your gift. You are extremely powerful, and there are risks—ginormous ones. But I know you can handle them.”
A faint tremor went through me. What he was implying scared me to death. The small taste of power I had gotten was too alluring, like a drug. I didn’t want to become addicted; there would be no stopping the monster it unleashed.
No , I didn’t want it.
Shaking his arm off, I said, “I’ll talk to you later.”
He gave a slight nod of his head. “I think your boyfriend wants to rearrange my face. I guess you aren’t the only one with trust issues.”
I rolled my eyes and took off down the hall. Gavin was at my side, matching my strides. “What did asshole want?”
I didn’t know what to say, but I knew if I told him the truth, he would go ape shit. I needed time to think. “Nothing,” I muttered. “He wanted to know if we’re still going to practice you-know-what.”
His eyes went gloomy. “And?”
“I told him that I had to think it over.” I glanced at the clock hanging in the hallway. Classes had started five minutes ago.
Damn.
***
I retreated to an empty corner of the library. My schoolwork had been suffering for the last few months, and I was having a hard time concentrating, understandably. There had been a lot of crazy distractions in my life, but if I wanted to graduate, I needed to get my head back on task.
With about as much enthusiasm as eating brussel sprouts, I opened my massive trig book and prepared to fry my brain. Math has that effect on me. Flipping open my notebook, I searched the bottom of my bag for a pencil. The chair beside me scrapped across the floor and a stack of books joined mine on the table with a thump.
“So you are back to hiding out in the library?”
I lifted my lashes, spotting Sophie’s angelic face and exhaled. “It is the only way I have time to actually study lately.”
The material of her jeans rustled as she made herself comfortable in the seat next to me. “Is m y brother sneaking into your room at night?”
I was pretty sure she was teasing, but my jaw dropped. Maybe we hadn’t been as inconspicuous or clever as we had thought. I had one guy who slipped into my room and the other my dreams. How do I get myself into these pickles?
I sat back in my chair. “Sophie, how is my aura today?” I hadn’t really expected there to be a change in the dark spots that had appeared on my aura, but it was worth a shot. I believed in miracles. And I was in desperate need of one.
She tilted her head to the side, studying the outline of my profile, seeing the colored glow of my spirit. “It’s a bluish-grey. You are under a lot of stress and…” she paused. “You still doubt yourself.” Her eyes became sympathetic. “Regardless of what you think, you have come a long way. Magic isn’t learned or controlled overnight. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
If she only knew the half of it and what I had done to her brother, then she might not be so understanding.
Sometimes it sucked that she could read me so well. I sighed. “And the spots?”
She nodded. “Still there. I can’t be positive and I didn’t want to alarm you, but I think they might have spread.”
I tried to keep the disappointment
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