Rina stopped and gazed out at the sea. Waves came and went, spraying foam as they crashed their way onto the beach then swirled in their retreat, building up for the next attack.
“You have been practicing and have become stronger,” Rina finally said. “Do you feel it?”
“I think so. I mean, I can identify every mind signature of everyone at the mansion—all of us, the staff . . . I can tell when Charlotte comes on the grounds for training.”
“How far out can you go?”
I shrugged. “I sense when Charlotte’s in the gym before we leave the mansion. But I haven’t sensed anyone beyond that. I don’t know if I can’t or if there just isn’t anyone to sense . . . if there’s anyone else farther out.”
Rina nodded. “You have been confined, I understand. It has been good practice for you, but I believe it is time for you to be among new people, new mind signatures.”
Yes! Finally.
“The council?” I clarified before my hopes rose too high.
“I believe so. Do you think you are ready?”
I didn’t know, but I wasn’t about to tell her that. This was the moment I’d been waiting for—excitement crackled through my veins. “Yes.”
“I will bring only one in at a time, as they are available,” she said. I tried to hide my relief. All of them as a group would probably still be too much for me. Rina broke her gaze from the ocean, turned to me, and took my hands into hers. Her eyes pierced into mine. “Alexis, you will be among people with whom you are unfamiliar.”
“I think I’ll be okay. You said my shield was strong, and I haven’t had any problems controlling that part.”
Rina’s lips pressed into a thin line. “No, you have not. I am actually concerned about that. I thought you would have relinquished that shield by now.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean? I thought it was good.”
“Just now, with the others, you had a difficult time listening to more than one, no?”
“Yes,” I admitted. “I had Dorian, Tristan, and Owen, but all together, all at once, it became too much, and I panicked.”
“You closed them off without meaning to, yes?”
My eyes widened. “Yes. How—? Were you in my head?”
Rina shook her head. “No, darling. You would not let me in. You were surrounded by people you know and love, and still, you would not loosen your hold.”
“So why is that bad?”
“It means you are not comfortable with your gift yet. You cannot relax enough to use it properly, not even when surrounded by those closest to you. The tight control you keep on it prevents you from using the real power it contains.” She freed one of my hands while holding the other as she turned back down the path toward the party. “Do you remember during the battle many years ago, when we were in the cellar of the safe house, and I shared what I saw through others’ minds?”
I nodded. How could I forget? It had been the worst day of my life, watching through Rina’s mind, which saw through soldiers’ eyes, people destroying each other on the battlefield outside the safe house. Tristan even probed straight through one soldier’s mind, past Rina’s and right into mine to say his last goodbye. Rina had used her gift far beyond any capabilities I had. Oh! That’s it! The thought hit me as though Rina had actually slapped me. That was the only way to convince her of what I heard from the council—I needed to be able to share with her, let her hear it for herself.
“How do I do that?” I asked.
“It is not too difficult. If you are at ease with your gift, that is. Not only one-on-one with those closest to you, but comfortable in various situations. With strangers, especially in groups, in any kind or size of crowd.” We’d returned to the lawn and the barbecue. She stopped walking and made her next words slow and deliberate to ensure I understood. “Comfortable enough to let your shield down without losing control. You will have to allow it, Alexis. It is up to you.”
With that, Rina slid off her heels, hiked up her sequined gown, and ran for the football game.
“You are going down, big man!” she yelled as she plowed into Solomon, who chased Dorian, the ball carrier. Rina tackled the vampire to the ground, but right before they hit, he swung her around so his body would take the impact