Chrysalis: The Emergence of Emery (The Gifted Series Book 1) by Maria Macdonald Page B

I know it’s his pain from my words. “I’m trying here, trying to trust you, all of you. It’s not easy. The stuff you’ve told me so far. The things I’m seeing. Hell, the things I’m doing. It’s all unbelievable. I feel like at any moment I’m going to wake up from some crazy dream.” A cold laugh slips from between my lips. “You want to know what the hardest part is? The feelings. I get them a lot. I try to ignore them, but they flow from everyone. Most people I guess I can’t tap into at the moment, but you lot…” I gesture toward Elijah and Kade. “I can feel you. Maybe not all the time, but enough that it’s driving me crazy. I needed a few hours away today. I was coming back. I knew I was safe—”
    “Em—” Elijah tries to interrupt me, but I hold out my hand.
    “No. I get that people are after me, but I intended to stay in public places. And since you said Kade could feel me when I was scared, and that he’s the fastest one of us, I figured, unless he doesn’t care if I die…” I move my eyes to meet Kade’s and take note of the frown marring his face before looking back to Elijah, “…then I was safe.”
    Sighing I sit down, all the annoyance and frustration drains out of me. “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t know when you tried to put me to sleep it would backfire, and yes I took advantage of that moment, but I needed space. I’ve been alone my whole life.” I ignore the looks from them both, close my eyes and lay my head back on the sofa.
     

     
    “You know she’s your other half.”
    I can hear the voices, but my mind can’t quite reach them.
    “Yes. Of course. I knew the moment I laid eyes on her when I was a boy. That doesn’t change anything.”
    “How can you say that? It changes everything.”
    “No. You know what happened with Kale and Tessa.”
    “Yes, I’m very aware as are we all, but you can’t believe things like that will happen to everyone. Emery is different.”
    “You’re right. She is different.”
    “Then why Kade?”
    “Because if I let her in… she’ll consume me.”
     

     
    I wake with a start and instantly notice the room is quiet and dark. Rubbing my eyes, I move to search for the light switch.
    “Here, I got it.” Kade’s deep voice rumbles somewhere in the black of the room, making me jump, then a dim light glows, outlining everything.
    “You scared me,” I whisper.
    “I doubt much can scare you these days. Far as I can tell, you were a survivor long before we entered your life.” He floors me before raising what looks like a beer bottle to his lips and takes a swig.
    “Was that supposed to be a dig at me? I know I’m not what you want in your life right now, and I’m sorry, I didn’t ask for any of this… not that it makes any difference,” I mumble the last few words realizing whatever has happened there’s no one to blame. And what’s worse is that I could be creating more danger for Elijah and for Kade. The thought of Kade being hurt slams into my chest, and I finally understand the power he has over me. This other half business is starting to become annoying, especially when I have to be around him and my feelings grow daily. Soon it won’t be him struggling, it will be me.
    “You scared him,” he offers, and I try to find his eyes.
    It bothers me that I can’t see his face.
    Suddenly, with that thought, his eyes blaze into the gold color I saw that first night.
    “What is that?” I ask, standing and moving over to him.
    “What?” he asks frowning.
    As I make it into his personal space and my hand reaches up, almost of its own free will until I’m touching his face. “Your golden eyes,” I whisper.
    Kade grabs my hand tenderly but doesn’t move it. “When I can’t control my feelings my eyes glow. It also happens when I’m fighting. Not scuffles with dicks like that that guy at your school, but real fights, one’s where I’m using my powers and my strength or when someone I care about is in danger,”