***
Morgan wasn’t sure exactly why, but that evening found her back at the coffee house.
Lucas wasn’t behind the counter, so Morgan ordered an iced chai, just to be on the safe side. The room was filled with the evening crowd, so Morgan had to take a lap before she could find a place to settle down. There was an empty spot on a couch toward the front of the room, and Morgan decided to take a seat there. As she pulled the book out of her purse, the couch’s other occupant spoke.
“Wow, back again?”
Morgan turned to the guy who had spoken. “Lucas?” she asked. “Sorry, I didn’t recognize you on this side of the counter.”
Lucas nodded understandingly. “It’s like the perfect disguise. On that side of the counter, I’m Clark Kent.”
Morgan smiled. “Does that make you Superman now?”
Lucas considered this. “Maybe it’s the other way around.”
Morgan shoved her book back into her purse and turned so she was facing him. “So, why are you here? Are you on break or something?”
He shook his head. “Shift ended a while ago.” Correctly interpreting the question in Morgan’s eyes, he added, “My brothers are home from college for the summer and the house gets a little crowded.” He shifted so he was facing Morgan. “Do you have any siblings?”
Morgan shook her head. “Just me and my dad.”
Lucas just nodded, not following up Morgan’s comment with the obvious question. Instead, he asked something completely unrelated: “So, where’s Corbin?”
“Taking Ris out on a date.”
Lucas’s eyebrows knit. “Really? I thought—”
Morgan held up her hand. “You can stop that thought right now.”
Lucas shrugged. “Sorry to offend, but, you know, appearances and all.”
“At best, we’ve got a grudging friendship,” Morgan said. “We’ve kind of got something in common.”
“Ris,” Lucas supplied.
Morgan didn’t correct him. “How long have you been working here?”
“On and off for the last couple years.”
“And when did you discover your special talent?”
Lucas shrugged. “When did you discover yours?”
“Touché,” Morgan said. “I guess I’ve always known. And,” Morgan leaned in. Lucas leaned in, too. “Lately… I think I’m getting stronger.”
Lucas looked mildly impressed. “Show me.”
“What?”
“Show me,” Lucas repeated. “Read me. Wow me. You know, do your thing.”
Morgan raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”
“Sure. Why not?” He smiled. “I’ll even throw in a free drink next time I’m working. We’ll call it… an exchange of talents.”
Morgan considered the offer. “Okay,” she said finally.
“Okay,” he repeated. “So…?”
“So, give me your hand.”
Lucas obliged. Morgan held his hand in both of hers. She closed her eyes and took in a few deep breaths, allowing herself to relax, bidding her mind to reach out.
She felt Lucas, his energy. She reached forward with her mind. However, she received none of the usual impressions—not even the kind she used to get before her interactions with Kellen and Corbin. Gently, she pushed a little further forward. She met resistance.
Morgan opened her eyes. Moments later, Lucas opened his eyes as well.
“What?” Lucas asked.
“I can’t… You’re blocking me.”
Lucas made a face. “I’m what?”
“You’re not letting me read you,” Morgan said.
“That happen often?”
“No,” Morgan said. She thought back and her mind landed on Wen. “Just… once before.”
Lucas shrugged. “Wanna try again? I’ll try to be more… open.”
“Okay,” Morgan said. She closed her eyes again. Took in a deep breath. Relaxed. And this time when she reached out, she got something.
It wasn’t feelings or thoughts. It was unlike anything Morgan had ever experienced. It was like energy—pure energy flowing through her fingers and into the very center of her being. She felt light—white light—and a tingling in her fingertips.
Lucas pulled away first. When Morgan opened her eyes to look at him, she saw shock and confusion. Then, slowly, Lucas smiled.
“Wow,” he said quietly.
Morgan took in a breath and released it slowly. “Yeah,” she agreed.
“Is that… Was that…? Wow.”
“How do you feel?” Morgan asked.
“Awesome. What’d you… do?”
Morgan shrugged. “Dunno. It’s never happened before.” She studied Lucas’s face. “You sure you feel okay?”
“No… I’m way better than okay.” He smiled. “I feel like I can… I don’t know—fly.”
Morgan nodded. “Me, too.” A pure, white energy pulsed through her body. She felt powerful, like she could do absolutely anything. She smiled, unsure how she should be feeling about this. When she had the reading with Corbin, she was completely wiped out. And now, though she hadn’t actually read Lucas, she was having the complete opposite reaction. Instead of feeling like she had just run a marathon, she felt like she could go run a marathon.
Lucas took in a breath. “I’m thirsty.”
“Oh,” Morgan said. She reached for her chai. “Here, you can have a—”
Before Morgan fully extended her arm, the glass was in her hand. She looked down at it incredulously. “What the—”
“No way,” Lucas said, awed. “Did you just—”
Numbly, Morgan nodded. “I think so.” She picked up the glass and her hand trembled slightly as she handed it to Lucas.
“How’d you do that?” Lucas asked.
Morgan just shook her head. “I have no idea… That’s never happened before.”
Lucas took a sip of the chai. “That was fantastic.” He looked at Morgan. Concern clouded his face. “Morgan, you okay?”
“I don’t think so,” Morgan said quietly.
Lucas scooted closer to her on the couch. He placed his hand gently on her arm. “Morgan?”
“I’m freaking out a little, Lucas,” she whispered, feeling her heart pounding against her ribcage. “I just moved a freaking glass with my mind.”
“I know, I saw,” Lucas said, sounding excited.
Morgan couldn’t believe Lucas was being so nonchalant about this event. Though, a part of her mind offered, you didn’t panic when Kellen did the same thing the other night. And it was true. But watching someone do it and doing it inadvertently yourself were two completely different things.
Morgan’s hand went to her chest; her breathing became ragged.
“No, no, no… You’re okay,” Lucas said soothingly, patting her arm. “Sh, sh, sh…” He scooted closer still. “Come on. Just a second ago you felt like you could fly.”
Morgan managed to smile. “Yeah, and then I started moving things with my mind.”
“Which was cool as hell,” Lucas insisted. “I guess you were right about… getting stronger or whatever.”
“You’re telling me.” Morgan glanced at Lucas. He was sitting very close to her and he didn’t seem to have any plans to change that. Morgan wasn’t sure how she felt about it, but she didn’t move away.
“You feeling better?” Lucas asked.
Morgan took in a breath and found she was filled with a calm she knew she shouldn’t be feeling. She felt almost like she did the night Kellen told her she was special, the night Wen used his ability to calm her down. Her heart rate slowed; her breathing went back to normal. Morgan looked at Lucas. “I am—what are you doing?”
“Me?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Nothing. Just, you know, hoping you’ll calm down.”
“I think you’re doing it.”
“What?”
Morgan shifted a little. “I think you’re calming me down.”
Lucas patted her arm. “I’m gl
ad,” he said.
Morgan sighed. Of course, he didn’t understand what she meant, and she wasn’t sure how to explain. So she smiled at him “Thanks.”
Giving Morgan’s arm a final squeeze, Lucas removed his hand, but he didn’t move away from her. “You are a fascinating person, Morgan Abbey,” he said, taking another sip of her chai. Then he seemed to remember the drink was hers and held it out to her.
She took it and took a sip before responding. “You’re not so bad yourself, Lucas.”
Lucas smiled and turned his face away from her, ostensibly to scan the room. But Morgan could see the blush in his cheeks. She smiled and looked down at her chai. She found his blush endearing.
“Morgan,” Lucas said abruptly.
When Morgan looked up, she saw that Lucas was looking at her. His light eyes shone with excitement. With mischief.
“What?” Morgan asked.
“What are you doing?” He asked. “Why do I feel like this?”
Morgan shook her head. “I have no idea. Believe it or not, in a long line of crazy things that’ve been happening to me in the last week or so, this is the most crazy.”
Lucas smiled. Morgan noticed his fingers were trembling slightly. “I can’t just sit here,” he said, his words tumbling out slightly quicker than usual. “I feel too… alive. I can’t just sit here at a coffee house.” He stood, holding his hand out for Morgan to take.
Morgan didn’t hesitate. Now that she was calm, her previous feeling of invincibility was filling her again. She took Lucas’s hand and smiled. “Okay. Let’s go.”
When they got to the parking lot, Lucas led Morgan to his car. Morgan didn’t think to protest as she slid into the passenger seat.
“Okay, where to?” Lucas asked.
Morgan didn’t know. She knew she wanted to go somewhere that was bright and bustling with activity. Somewhere that felt alive the way she felt alive. But she had no idea where that place could be.
Then, by degrees, Morgan became aware of something. She could feel the collective energy of the people in the coffee house. It was mellow, subdued—not at all the way she was feeling. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, pushing further with her mind. Just beyond what she could feel, Morgan thought she could sense impressions—like just being able to make out something on the horizon.
She opened her eyes, turned to Lucas, and smiled. “I don’t know yet, but I will. Head east.”
eleven