The Forbidden Trilogy(158)

"Don't worry about classes." Bernard cut me off. "Your job here is secure. This is your home, and we take care of our own. We'll all help with Ana. Just focus on getting that scholarship."

Desirai nodded. "If anyone can do it, you can."

Murmurs of agreement filled the room. I hugged the acceptance packet and squealed, then reached for Des's hand. "It's good to see you. I thought you were still in recovery from your injuries."

She'd suffered some burns and cuts during the Rent-A-Kid escape, but appeared to be doing very well. "I'm all healed up. Do you mind if I hold your baby?"

"Please do. She loves meeting new people."

I couldn't read my daughter's mind as I could others', because she didn't have the mental development. Her thoughts were more instinctual, more connected to her moods and her energy. And I didn't have to dip into her mind like I did with others. Ana was always a part of me.

Brad stood by Des, his arms around her. I didn't have to read their minds to know that love was blooming between them—it had probably started when Brad had helped nurse the injured back to health.

I was happy for them, even if it did cut into my heart to think about love at all these days. But with my dreams finally becoming a reality, sadness would not pull me down. A new life awaited me, and I would live it to the fullest.

"Have any of you heard from Luke and Lucy?" I asked.

Bernard took the baby from Father Patrick and cuddled her. "They're still on assignment. IPI hasn't reported in for a while, so we don't know how it's going."

I looked at Des. "Could you connect with their dreams and see how it's going? If you're well enough?"

She blushed, and Brad squeezed her shoulder.

They are so cute together.

"Sure, I can try."

"Thank you. And tell them about Ana, if you can. They'd want to know. They are the godparents, after all."

"I will."

Mary slipped out of the room. Relieved that she'd finally left, I relaxed and enjoyed the presence of my friends. But my dream, from before Ana had been born, still unsettled my thoughts. Serena needed help.

There must be some way to better use my gifts to find these kids.

Des placed Ana back into my hands, and I kissed her head. As much as I wanted to help all the kids out there who needed me, the little girl in my arms needed me most. It was time to be a mother.





Chapter 75 – Lucy



The stone skips over the water, one-two-three-four-five, before it drops into the river. "Take that, Bro! Bet you can't beat it."

Luke laughs and flicks his own stone out, but it falls after only four skips. "Guess you got me that time. You're pretty bad-ass, Sis. I still remember the look on our teacher's face when you flipped him over in the hall after he faux attacked you. He underestimated you."

"People often do. It's my secret weapon." Lucy stretches out on the bank of the river and lets the sun warm her skin. "It's nice to have a day off from classes. Think Sam is having fun at her art workshop?"

She doesn't see him, but she can tell her twin rolls his eyes. "Sam plus art equals massive fun for her. She probably doesn't even know the rest of the world exists right now."

The water laps at her bare feet, cool and inviting. She slides her bare legs deeper into the water and kicks up, splashing Luke.

"What the hell. Not cool, Sis. Not cool at all." But he says it with a huge grin and splashes her back.

"Can't we just stay here? I don't even want to deal with Mary tonight. She's such a bitch!"

Luke flops down and looks up at the canopy of trees. "She's... yeah, she's not great, but she's not so bad. I mean, her power doesn't affect me, so it's not such a big deal. I'm un-seducible."

"Ha! Right! Well, by her at least. But I recall some seduction happening with Carey, and with Elizabeth."

"Sister! Not at the same time, at least. Give me some credit."

"Fine, not at the same time. Still, you're quite the lady's man."

Luke sits up, touches his finger to his chest and makes a hissing noise. "With hotness like this, how can the ladies resist?"

Lucy rolls her eyes, but enjoys the teasing—a perfect moment on a perfect day. Can life get any better?

Another wrist flick and she sends another stone into the water. It skips a few beats, then hits something emerging from the lake. Uh-oh.

An alligator's head surfaces, its eyes staring into Lucy. She's seen it somewhere before, knows it somehow. But that makes no sense; she's only ever seen alligators in books and television.

"Um, Luke, we gotta get out of here. We have company."

She grabs her brother, her heart pounding in her chest.

The alligator swims toward them. It wants them. It's taking revenge. They must run.