At First Sight (11 page)

              Lola suddenly felt completely vulnerable. She stared back at Dean and saw a world that she could never fit into. She saw a person that could never understand her. She saw a love that she didn’t deserve.

              “I can’t,” she whispered.

              Dean furrowed his brows. “What?”

              Lola quickly sat up and put her clothes back on over her suit. “I can’t do this. I can’t… be a Manifester.”

              Dean quickly held her hands, causing her to stop her movements. “What are you talking about? Lola, did I do something? We don’t have to go in the water again.”

              “It’s not you. It’s me,” she said, refusing to meet his gaze.

              Dean let go of her hands and scoffed lightly. “Really? You’re using that excuse?”

              “It’s not an excuse!” she shouted. “It’s true! I’m not for you. I don’t care what the gift thinks. I’m not right for you. I am way too complicated.”

              “Lola, you can’t do this.” He paused. “We’re meant for each other.”

              She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “No. I just don’t belong in your world.”

              Dean pressed his lips together and looked away. “Fine.”

              Lola watched him carefully.

              “I won’t make you stay,” he muttered under his breath.

              Lola began to back away slowly, surprisingly feeling her heart break. “I’m sorry.”

              He didn’t say anything as she left him alone on the beach.

              “You can’t do this! You aren’t in control! Somebody stop him!” shouted Matthew.

              Leo wiped away the guards at the door with a swipe of his hands, causing them to bang against the wall. “I am in complete control.”

              Matthew grabbed his arm and turned him around. “You’re letting the imprint control you, Leo. Don’t let it win.”

              Leo shook his head and smiled. He lifted up his right hand and clenched his fist. Matthew’s throat was suddenly constricted as he struggled to breathe. He was lifted into the air as Leo raised his fist higher and higher.

              “I’ve always let it control me, brother. I’ve never had any trouble with that.” He tossed his brother against the wall, listening as he coughed erratically. “You think you were able to make me better? You won’t win.”

              Matthew looked up at his brother angrily. “She doesn’t know what you can do.”

              Leo smirked. “Oh, I believe she does now.”

              He walked towards the double doors at the end of the hall, snapping his fingers and disappearing into thin air.

              “You
left
him?!” exclaimed Jessica, walking into Lola’s house as she opened the door that night.

              Lola had been in bed after leaving Dean by himself. When she had heard the incessant knocking, she had thought it was Dean. Instead, she found her best friend with an incredulous look on her face.

              “How did you find out?” asked Lola.

              “Freddie told me.” She held up her finger. “By the way, I have taken the drastic step with Freddie. We are now a couple.”

              Lola shrugged and smiled. “Great.”

              “I want to know what happened with you and Dean. I heard you got your imprint,” said Jessica. “The lightning bolt?”

              Lola nodded and showed Jessica her hand. “Just like Leo. I had an illusion where I saw my parents and I was taken back to the memory of when I nearly drowned. Then, I nearly drowned myself.”

              “Dean saved you, though. Why would you break up with him?” she asked, clearly confused.

              Lola threw her hands in the air, frustrated. “I don’t belong in his world! I can’t be with him, especially if I have this imprint. It’s going to be utter destruction! I may as well save them a bunch of trouble and let the gift go away. Then, my imprint will go away. They’d kill me anyway if they found out I have the damn thing.”

              Jessica stared at her best friend as if she was looking at a stranger. Normally, Lola was telling Jessica the right thing to do. This was completely out of the ordinary, though.

              “Lola, you can’t let your past define you. Remember? Your parents don’t control you. They aren’t here anymore,” explained Jessica.

              “It’s not that simple,” said Lola. She honestly felt like she couldn’t deal with anybody right now. “Just leave, Jessica. Please.”

              “Lola…”

              “Jessica!” shouted Lola. She watched as Jessica stepped back at her tone and sighed. “I’m sorry. I just…”

              Jessica shook her head. “No, I get it. I just don’t want you to be afraid to take a chance. Even if it is as crazy as believing in magic.”

              Lola watched her friend leave and collapsed on the couch, letting the tears fall down her cheeks.

14

It felt like a huge elephant was sitting on her. She struggled to open her eyes, blinking back as dull colors came to life. There were pipes all over the ceiling and a dozen empty boxes piled on top of each other. She smelled something old and musty. She was lying on something cold and hard and she couldn’t move her legs or arms. Whenever she strained to move her limbs, a jolt of nausea flew through her body. She felt weak and sick.

              “How are you feeling?” Leo came into view from the shadows with a nasty smirk.

              She didn’t even have the strength to scream. “Leo.”

              “Do you like those straps around your body? They are weakening your system until you become nothing more than rat food. It’s slow, but quicker than the loss of the touch from your soul mate.”

              Soul mate. “Dean. Where is he?” murmured Lola.

              Leo waved his hand in the air pathetically. “Who cares? I have you now. And, you’re quite the interesting girl. It’s too bad I still have to kill you.”

              “I’m dreaming,” she murmured. She continuously blinked her eyes, hoping to be anywhere else but here. “This isn’t real.”

              Leo chuckled. “Oh, this is real. Surprised?” He hummed lightly. “I’ve been planning this for quite some time. A human brings back the gift? My, that’s such a shame.”

              “What do you want? I don’t understand.” Lola was starting to feel weaker.

              Leo held out his hands. “I assume you have heard of us Readers.”

              “You’re… you’re a Reader? But, how?” Lola struggled against the straps and groaned at the pain.

              “My parents were different. Can you imagine a Manifester and a Reader procreating? Nasty business. I have a brother. You know about Matthew? The speaker of you Manifesters?” Leo sneered at the sound of his brother’s name.

              Lola was too stunned and too exhausted to speak.

              “Oh, getting tired? I expected that,” he said. He glanced down at her hand and smirked. “Well, it appears we are twins.”

              “What are you… talking about?” Lola felt her eyelids droop.

              Leo held up her palm just enough so she could see her imprint. The lightning bolt was purely black with red around the edges. It didn’t have color on the inside, but the red around the edges made it seem like the skin around it was on fire. But, it didn’t hurt. It just felt numb.

              “You’re like my protégé. How exciting.” He grinned. He then sighed, pretending to be disappointed. “But, I still have to kill you. Manifesters have taken away everything from us. Forget about the war. I’m having my own party.”

              “No.” Lola’s eyelids began to close as she fought the urge to pass out again. She had to stop him.

              “Sleep tight.”

              The last thing she heard was a menacing snicker before darkness welcomed her back with open arms.

              Dean knew something was wrong. He could feel it. Lola had rejected him for good this time, but instead of feeling pain throughout his body, he felt nothing. The gift had to still be present, though. It was impossible for it to go away so quickly.

              “Dude, what’s wrong with you?” asked Freddie, coming into the living room with Jessica by his side.

              Dean looked up from his fidgeting fingers and shook his head. “Something is wrong. I can’t feel anything from Lola. I can’t even hear her thoughts.”

              Freddie sighed sadly. “Dean, the gift is probably gone. She left, remember?”

              “I know she fucking left!” he shouted. He stood up and put his shoes on. “I’m going to find her.”

              “She’s at home. She’s probably asleep,” said Jessica.

              “No. Something is wrong. I can feel it in my soul.” Dean looked at them. “Freddie, if you were in my shoes, you’d be thinking the same thing.”

              Freddie looked at Jessica and put his arm around her. He looked back at Dean and nodded. “Go find her.”

              Dean nodded quickly and rushed out of the house, determined to find his soul mate and when her heart back for good.

              Even if it killed him.

              Lola opened her eyes and groaned, feeling such extreme pain throughout her body. She could barely move her arms and legs. She couldn’t even move her hands.

              “You won’t feel a thing,” muttered Leo, standing over her. “Quicker than falling asleep.”

              Lola watched as he held the glowing orb in his hands. As it glowed brighter, it began to crackle with electricity around its edges. It got closer to her, sending heat to her face. She shook her head and groaned at the pain.

              “Stop, please…”

15

He needed Lola. He was beginning to feel weak now. Something was wrong. He had managed to perform a tracking spell, leading him directly to an abandoned warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. She was there. God knows what Leo had already done to her. He grabbed the doorknob, but it was locked.

              “Damn it,” he cursed, trying to think of another way to get in.

              He sighed and stared at the wall, placing his hand on the door. But, instead of his hand touching wood, his hand went
through
the wood. He jumped back, startled at what he had just done. He looked at his palm and was surprised to see his imprint, a wave. He smiled, knowing he had gotten the imprint he had wanted. He had admired it for so long and he only wanted Lola by his side so he could enjoy it even more.

              “I’ll mess with it later. Lola comes first,” he told himself.

              He cautiously put one leg through the door until he was all the way on the other side. He stared at the door, feeling the dampness and cold of the atmosphere. He peered around a corner and felt his heart break. Thick, unforgiving straps pinned Lola to a steel, cold table. Her eyes were closed, but she was breathing.