Nick gaped at the fact that he finally had a working power. And it was a good one too!
“Let me let you in.”
He waited until she’d unlocked the door and left before he summoned Kody and Caleb. Luckily, after Kody had talked to Brynna about Nick’s plan, Kody had then explained everything to Caleb.
“And you’re sure you saw a Trexian?” Caleb asked. “You were in the middle of another near-death experience. The chemicals in the brain can kick up all kinds of weirdness with that type of stress.”
“I’m sure, Caleb. Since I’ve been on house arrest, I’ve taken your advice and have overcome my bibliophobia. I’ve been doing a ton of research.”
Caleb appeared shocked, then impressed. “Really?”
“Yeah, you know they have all kinds of information online.”
Caleb passed an irritated smirk at Kody. “He can find more ways to navigate out of something he doesn’t want to do than anyone I’ve ever met. Impressive. Irritating, but impressive.”
“So what’s the plan?” Kody asked.
“I’m going to pick up Brynna and then we’re going to pay the Trexian a visit.”
Or Nick was going to jail for a really, really long time.…
Brynna was still protesting as they stood outside of Dina Quattlebaum’s house. “Nick, I’ve known her most of my life. You’re absolutely wrong about her. She didn’t do this.”
He refused to listen to her. “Then we can apologize. But I don’t think I’m wrong. I know I’m right. Think about some of the things written on the site. The feelings of being invisible.”
Brynna scoffed. “Everyone feels invisible at times. Dina’s no different than anyone else. Believe me, she wouldn’t hurt a flea. Never mind me, or anyone else.”
“Bryn, if I’m wrong, we apologize and go home. But if I’m right…”
All of this would stop.
“Fine. Go on, then. Embarrass yourself. I’m right behind you.”
Kody stopped them. “That might not be a good idea, since we don’t know if she lied about her rape, or not. If she really was attacked, and she’s not lying about that part, seeing Nick might unhinge her.—For all we know, her attacker really looked like him.”
She had a point. A very good one.
“Nick, stay in the bushes and I’ll check it out.” Brynna went up the walkway.
Hoping for the best, Nick came in from the side of Dina’s yard. He’d just ducked into the hedges that surrounded the ornate front porch, when Brynna knocked on the door.
No one answered.
Brynna glanced at him. “Maybe she’s not home.”
Nick knew better. He could sense people inside the house. Most of all, he could feel the deep sadness and hatred that fed the demon part of him. “Try again.”
She did.
After a few seconds, the door opened slowly. Dina stood there in a pair of dingy sweats and an oversized gray sweatshirt. Her hair was in pigtails, and it was obvious she’d been crying. Her eyes were swollen and her nose red. Sniffing, she frowned at Brynna. “What are you doing here?” Could there be anymore hatred in that one single word?
“You haven’t been in school for the last few days and you haven’t returned my calls. I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine. Just leave me alone, okay?” She started to close the door.
Brynna stopped her. “Why have you been crying?”
“I haven’t been crying.”
Yeah, right.
“Then that’s one bad allergy you have. Have you been to a doctor about it?”
If looks could disintegrate people, Brynna would be porch dust. “Why don’t you just go back to your perfect little life and leave me alone. I’m not your pet project, you know?”
Brynna scowled. “What are you talking about?”
Dina sneered at her. “You’re such a bitch, Brynna. Go.”
Brynna refused. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re friends. And I don’t understand where all of this animosity is coming from. What has happened to you?”
“You want to know? You really want to know?”
Brynna was aghast. “Of course.”
Dina sniffed. “Who did you ask to be on your stupid committee? Huh?”
Brynna appeared stumped as she tried to remember.
“You’re so pathetic,” Dina snarled. “Okay, let me help you. Who did you not ask that you should have?”
Brynna’s scowl deepened. “Well … Casey had cheerleading practice so I didn’t ask her.”
Screwing her face up, Dina grimaced at her, then tried to slam the door in Brynna’s face.
Brynna caught it again. In that instant her eyes lit up as she finally understood what Dina was talking about. “You? You’re mad at me because I didn’t ask you?”
“Of course I’m mad at you. You slapped me in my face, in front of everyone.”
“How?”
“We’re supposed to be friends, remember? Everyone knows that except you. I waited and waited for you to ask me, but you didn’t, did you? No. I’m not good enough to be part of the Brynna Addams posse. You didn’t even bother to get the license plate number of the bus you threw me under, did you? No. Because you don’t care. It’s all about you, all the time. You couldn’t care less about anyone else.”
Brynna snapped her jaw shut and looked straight through Dina. “Have you lost every shred of sanity? Really? What are you thinking? I didn’t ask you because you hate dances with a passion. You’re always ranting and ranting about them and how lame you think they are. How you’d rather be set on fire than look like an idiot in public. No, wait, wait, wait, wait, your exact words … ‘It’s just an excuse for horny teenage boys to publicly grope girls and get away with it.’ The last thing I want is to feel one of those”—she made air quotes with her hands—“disgusting things rub up against me while I’m dressed nice. Nor do I want to bump and grind on a girl. If I want to pay homage to Sappho, I’ll write her a poem. Is that not verbatim your constant tirade?”
Now it was Dina’s turn to sputter.
But Brynna gave her no reprieve. Not while she was on a roll. “That is why I didn’t invite you. I didn’t think you’d enjoy it, and given your most voiced negative feelings about dances, I thought it would make you mad if I asked. I figured you’d think that was an insult. Excuse me for trying to save your feelings. But no, it’s not me, is it? You were looking for a reason to be angry at me, because I guarantee if I had asked, you would have been offended and you would have accused me of not paying attention to you or caring enough to really listen to your rants. Of not being a real friend because a real friend wouldn’t have asked, knowing how you felt about dances.”
As Dina became more flustered, her skin began to mottle. Her eyes turned glassy.
This wasn’t good.
Terrified for Brynna, Nick jumped up on the porch. Just as he reached her, Dina lunged for Brynna and slammed into his broken arm. The pain from it was staggering. He clenched his fist against the cast, but not even that helped. For ten seconds, he feared he might pass out from it.
But after that, something peculiar happened. He felt a charge in his powers similar to what he’d experienced in jail. It was like they went into overdrive.
Dina’s teeth elongated. Her eyes turned solid white as she snarled and hissed, trying to kill them.
From someplace deep inside, Nick tapped his inherited memories that came from his father and all the Malachai before him.