Frostbite (Touch of Frost) (21 page)

Zach flinched beneath me. I pulled away. White puffs of breath streamed from his mouth. “Oh my gosh. Zach?”

Frost tipped his eyelashes. His lips were blue. He clenched his jaw tight and pressed his head into his pillow more with a groan.

I jumped off him, and my shoes squeaked at the contact with the slick floor. The monitor he was hooked to flashed, but more disturbing, there was frost building on the screen of the contraption.

“Shit.” Frost covered my fingertips, my nails flared. Thankfully it didn’t work its way up my hand. “Back off. Warm up. Warm up.”

“Mandy?”

I stepped away from the bed.
Son of a bitch
, I’d almost killed my boyfriend.

I would
never
have a normal life.

Time to go.

And this time, I needed to stay gone.

TWENTY-FIVE

“I
almost froze him, Scott.” I plucked a pillow off the couch and hugged it close. Wasn’t enough to comfort my cracking heart, though, so I kept pacing around the coffee table. “Just like with you.”

Scott sat on the table. “I’m sure it wasn’t that. You’re way better with your powers now.”

I couldn’t answer. A lump lodged in my throat. After what had just happened with Zach, no way was I in control of my powers. Exact opposite.

“Mandy, with all you’ve experienced in the last few days, that’s why things are so much harder. Especially tonight.” He stood and gripped my shoulder. “You had to deal with those
Coats.
I’m so sorry.”

“I never knew what you did for me when you took care of things.” I shook my head. “I mean, I had an idea, just wanted to sweep it under the rug, though.”

He pulled me into a hug.

I’d taken him for granted. What he’d been doing for me over the years was more than any brother should ever have to do for his sister.

“And I’ve never said thank you, Scott.”

“Anything for you, Mandy.” He leaned back. “It’s been just you and me for such a long time, hasn’t it?”

I nodded as I stepped out from his embrace.

“And now we have Georgia.” He grinned and headed for the couch.

“What else is on the video?”

“A lot. She talked more about The Center and what Dad found out.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “She still references that book as a companion to this video. Not wanting to put everything in one place. Being extra cautious. But she said the nanotechnology The Center has been involved with has been going on since the late eighties.”

“I don’t even know what that means.” I jammed my hands into my hair.

“It’s okay. We’ll figure it out. I didn’t get most of it either, but it sounds like those allergy testing shots were actually injections of various types of organisms. Ones that can deal with high or low pH levels, heat, cold, strength…” Scott shook his head. “She said to reference the book for more details.”

I scratched my arms and started pacing again. “So, I have that shit inside me, too?”

“From what she said, it’s not like that for you. It’s just part of you now. Your DNA…well, it’s just different. Not once normal then altered.”

“Just altered from day one.” I needed to puke. Seriously puke.

“Hold on.” He showed me his palms quick, then grabbed my shoulders. “Keep the cold in, Mandy. You can do it.”

I sucked in a deep breath, hoping it’d calm me down a second, but I was seriously rattled. Not only by this new information but from the fact I nearly froze my boyfriend.
Shit!

“Mom described more of her powers, too. I set the video at that part. You need to see it.”

I covered my mouth fixing to run to the bathroom if I heard one more bit of crazy genetic freak information. “What?”

“It explains more about you. I think it’ll help you with your control.”

That, I needed.

“I hooked your computer to the TV.”

I grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen, then hurried into the living room. It was nearly three in the morning. No wonder my body felt like lead flowed through my veins. Or maybe it was because I’d cried the entire walk home from the hospital, worried I’d hurt Zach. I knew leaving him was the right thing to do, but I hated it.

I nestled onto the couch with a blanket tucked around me, and a pillow in my lap. “It’s so weird seeing Mom, isn’t it?”

Scott sat beside me and clicked play. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

“Now, Mandy and Georgia. I’m not sure if you’ll get abilities or maybe a variation of them, but I have to tell you about mine in case. I can freeze objects. And, well…

She covered her mouth with her hand and cleared her throat.

“And not just objects. Pretty much anything. Including people. At first, it was erratic. Closely linked to my emotions. Scott, plug your ears if you’re listening.

Oh, I missed her smile. Scott shifted in his seat, and his face turned crimson. Obviously he’d watched it and not plugged his ears.

“The first changes occurred during pregnancy, but later, when I experienced PMS, it was erratic as well. I had to learn to concentrate to keep from freezing everything in sight. Once I discovered it was linked to emotions, I was able to control it better.

“I can emit any form of freezing liquid from my hands. I’ve been able to form balls of ice, shoot small pieces of ice like bullets, you name it. If I concentrated hard enough, I’m sure I could freeze an entire lake.

“I have not yet found a limit to the power wielded from my hands when it comes to freezing. The strength –if you get that—is amazing. I’ve been able to test it in various ways. Lifting cars, trailers, semis. Again, I’ve found no limit other than sharp objects. They can pierce my skin if thrown hard enough.

“I don’t expect that your powers will replicate mine. My special gifts combined with Dad’s human DNA may alter your abilities—if you get any. Since my powers were first facilitated by hormones, I will assume yours will present themselves in a similar fashion. Possibly during puberty or an extreme emotional experience.”

I pressed pause. “She doesn’t have the blue streak in her hair. So, we already know it’s different with me, huh?”

Scott nodded. “Not to mention Georgia having fire instead of ice.”

“Did she watch this?”

“Yep. And she looked about as freaked out as you do right now. We talked. I made her a smoothie. She calmed down, then I brought her home. She’s not going to say anything to her parents until we figure out a plan.”

I clicked play.

“I’ve come to master my abilities. It takes concentration and practice.
”
Mom held out her hand, and a snowball appeared much like the ice ball I’d made the other day. Only fifty times quicker.

“I know you can do it. Scott, you help them. Show them discipline. Training. They’ll need your support and your confidence. You’ve always been protective of Amanda, extend that to Georgia now, too.”

Tears brimmed Scott’s eyes.

“Mandy. Georgia. I won’t presume to know what kind of situations you’ll be in, but I must tell you one thing I’ve learned about my power.”
She cleared her throat.
“You may find yourself in a cocoon of ice. A thin layer of frost or ice around your body. Don’t be frightened. It’s your body changing. Or healing. Unfortunately, I’ve had many fights against the evil that hunts us, and I’ve been injured. I realized the ice encasing me was a healing cocoon.”

“That explains the two icing incidents. The first one changing, and second healing the cut in my shoulder I got saving that chick from the car,” I whispered to Scott.

“Girls, the cocoon isn’t just for you, though. I’ve been able to heal your father on several occasions. The first few times, I didn’t understand. Didn’t know what was happening. But I quickly figured out that I could heal him.”
Tears moistened her eyes, and she wiped them away with her finger. She stared into the camera.
“Honey, can you come sit with me here?”

The camera shook, but then suddenly Dad came into the picture. Goosebumps prickled my flesh. “Dad.”

“Hi, girls. Scott. I hope I’m there with you right now watching this and making fun of how dorky I look.”
He waved, then kissed Mom on the cheek. He sat next to her and faced the camera. His brown eyes flickered.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I wiped my nose on my sleeve. I couldn’t believe I was watching my mom and dad. They were talking to me like they were sitting right here.

“Girls, those who chase us go after him as much as me. Probably because he knows too much. It was his company, after all, that made me what I am now. Not to mention the fact that I’d do nearly anything for him, and they used my love for him to try and get me to allow them to study me.

“That’s enough for now and for one place. Keep the disc and the book safe. It’s evidence and information that can hopefully help you and harm The Center. Do not let it fall into anyone’s hands. And, girls, trust your instincts. If you’ve received special abilities, they are a part of you. They are one with you, not artificial like they were in me. Trust them. They won’t let you down when you most need them.”

Dad smiled.
“And if you’re even a fraction of how strong your mother is, The Center will want you. Badly. Don’t let that happen. Taking lives to protect yourselves and those you love—it’s difficult. We know this. But you must do whatever is needed to stay alive and, if necessary, take these sons of bitches down.”

“We love you so much, Scott, Amanda, and Georgia. Our dear children.”
Mom kissed her hand and waved. Dad got up and walked to the camera, then it clicked off.

My gut hollowed out. I didn’t want them to be gone. I wanted them here with me right now. Scott held me close, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Does she say anything more about the experiment itself?”

“She gave a few details. But she said most of the information is in the book.”

“What’s she talking about?” I lifted my head. “The book is empty. Did Georgia show you?”

“She did. I don’t get it either. Maybe Mom was killed before writing in it.”

“Or, there’s another book out there, the book she’s
really
talking about.” I let out a long breath. Man, I was tired. The day felt like it was a week long. A near death experience with Zach, finding out I had a twin sister, and watching the disc.

Seeing Mom, hearing her voice, learning about her secret life ripped my guts out. Yet, I felt an odd sense of relief as well. It scared me, sure, but I had a twin sister. And I was loved and protected.

But, one question nudged at my tired, murky brain as I fell into sweet oblivion.

Where the hell was that darned book Mom mentioned?

TWENTY-SIX

“W
ait for me here?” I asked Scott as we walked into the hospital entrance. “Just a quick peek to make sure he’s okay.”

My brother nodded, his big eyes sad for me. I was doing the right thing staying away from Zach, but I needed to be sure he was okay after what I’d done to him last night. The wimp that I was, I needed Scott close by since Georgia was in class.

I stopped outside Zach’s door and peeked in.

He sat on his bed, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, like he was getting ready to leave. A bright white cast covered his wrist, not quite up to his elbow.

“I think we’re all set.” His dad strode out from the bathroom with a shaving kit of some type. “Docs cleared you from concussions. Got your lit final rescheduled for tomorrow. It’s rest-time for you, son.”

Zach glanced at his phone and shook his head.

“Something wrong?”

“No. I’m fine.” Zach stood and slid his phone into his pocket. “Let’s go.”

He’d texted me several times this morning, but I hadn’t returned any of them. Couldn’t. I’d made my decision, and I had to stick with it.

Sure hurt like a son of a gun, though.

I backed away from the door and hid around the corner.

“Sure is a miracle how your cuts healed, though.” Zach’s dad clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

Now that I took a closer look, Zach’s face was free from scratches. His arm, too.

“Medical mystery,” Mr. Landry said. “You sure you don’t want to talk to that reporter about it?”

“I’m sure.” Zach shoved his hand into his front pocket.

I’d healed him. My heart leapt into my throat, and I had to bite back a cough. I’d healed Zach. Just like Mom had mentioned she’d done for Dad. But wait, a reporter? That couldn’t be good.

The fact that Zach refused confirmed his pledge he’d made to me last night about protecting me. That made the sting in my heart even worse. Maybe he could help me, like Dad helped Mom. Be that for me.

Oh hell, we were only eighteen, soon to be nineteen, he was off to college on a full ride scholarship. He needed that more than he needed what I had to give him.