Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Fourteen

"Getting sick? It was the side effect of your awakening abilities," Mike said. "The closer you got to turning eighteen, the more they fought against the barrier. When you reached the anniversary of the moment you were born..." He made an explosion sound, puffing his cheeks, and then pushed his fingers out beside his face.

Well, that explained a lot.

"You guys never told me that," Suzie said with a scowl. "Dude, her dad totally gave her a pregnancy test. I thought she was pregnant!"

"Seriously?" I asked, bewildered. "When would I have gotten pregnant—who would I have done that with? —and not have told you? Huh?" I rolled my eyes. "Geez. Immaculate conception much?"

"Okay, focus," Gabe said. He turned to me and glared. "What happened earlier?"

Thanks a lot, Mike. I ignored Mike to speak to Gabe. "I was going to get my gown. Suzie showed me the entrance and then went to do something, and when the door shut, it locked. I tried to get out and the handle came off in my hand—don't bother checking because it is somehow fine now. It was dark, so I couldn't see very well. When she called, I told her off. Shadows of any kind are so not cool, you know?"

"That's not what upset you," Mike said.

I stopped fidgeting and settled my hands on my hips, twisting as I asked, "Did I say I was done?" I glared. "I don't think so."

Shifting my weight, I relaxed and continued, turning back to face Gabe. "Anyway, I was pretty creeped out. Then Mike showed up and we started talking about how Darkness would rather have me join it than kill me—"

"We didn't talk about that."

"Shht! Would you let me finish? Geez, you're worse than Suzie!" I smiled, calling over my shoulder, "Sorry, Suze."

She raised her hands in front of her and shrugged, distracted by something under her nails. "No worries. I know I'm a pain."

I started to laugh, but Mike and Gabe's matching glares were enough to remove my smile and force me to continue. "So, Mike said Darkness wants me and that my heart is pure, but it felt totally off. When he touched my arm, it was cold. Like really, freezer-burn temperatures, you know?" I shuddered. "Then the door that locked behind me opened and Mike took off, and again I noticed something weird." Finally, I turned and met Mike's scrutiny. "But then you showed up and I knew it was you because you were warm."

"That's creepy." Suzie shuddered. "Ugh. So ew. You're telling us there's a bad Mike?"

"I know, right?" I laughed. "Like one isn't enough!"

Mike and Gabe looked at each other. Suzie and I stopped laughing. The muscles ticked in their jaws and to call them not happy was like calling them inhuman. It fit, sure, but there was just so much more.

Gabe turned to me. "You said you noticed something else weird. What was it?"

"Oh." I swallowed as I nodded and furrowed my brow. "The Mike that left had no shadow." I shrugged. Like that mattered. "Can we go now?"

"You don't want to pack first?"

"She means the party, Dum-dum," Suzie said, tilting her head so her ear rested on her shoulder, and rolled her eyes at Mike.

The door behind us slammed open and shut, and then Raffy was there. He'd scrapped his ceremonial gown for jeans and a hoody, appearing as though the rain hadn't touched him at all. Alone and smiling, he shrugged in greeting. "What did I miss?"

"What did you do, fly my parents home?"

"Funny," he said and pointed his finger in my direction before dropping it back to his side. "You live a few blocks away, Aly. I would have been faster if everyone hadn't been leaving all at once."