Destiny Gift (The Everlast Trilogy) - By Juliana Haygert Page 0,53

and let’s try to save ourselves.”

Leave Victor behind? Even if he wasn’t exactly my Victor? I looked between them, my mouth open, words absent. “We can’t just leave him behind.”

“What if I want to be left behind?” Victor asked, his eyes raging.

“But—”

I didn’t need to continue. Putting his hands to his temple, he gritted his teeth as the enigmatic pain assaulted him. He started shaking and his breathing became erratic. He fell on his knees and lowered his head, gripping his chest like he could take the pain away with his hand.

But it wasn’t his touch that could take the pain away. It was mine.

I knelt beside him, my hands on his face. Instantly, warmth from my palms spread through his smooth skin, saving him from losing consciousness. Victor inhaled and his cheeks flushed; he stared at me, his eyes revealing the frustration that consumed him.

“You may find a way of surviving the bats and other creatures that might come for you,” Micah said. “But you won’t survive that.”

“He’s right,” I whispered, trying to put all my charm and hope into my eyes to move him into agreeing. “We don’t know what’s happening, but you need my touch. We should stay together until we find out more about it.”

Either my charm worked, or the relief from the pain was too attractive.

Victor nodded and stood up with me. “What now?” he asked, eyeing Micah.

“Now, I don’t know.” Micah shrugged. “We keep moving? I try to sense someone else like us?”

My stomach growled. “How about we eat something while we think,” I suggested, glancing at my wristwatch. It was almost three in the morning, and I had barely finished my snack the previous evening.

“I’m in,” he said, offering me his arm.

I felt the urge to glance at Victor, but instead, linked my arm with Micah’s, turning toward the diner.

There was a colorful neon sign in the window, advertising snacks and drinks, and listing prices. Each letter or number was a different color. There were two number eights among the listed prices, and it was a relief to see they were not glowing or sparkling or anything else weird.

“That’s new,” I said, frowning.

“What?” Micah asked, following my gaze and examining the sign.

“The eights aren’t shining,” I said. The fives were pink, the ones were blue, and the eights were lit by white neon light. “No more than the other numbers.”

Micah chuckled. “Of course they aren’t. The two eights are burned out.”

What?

The eights were shining after all.

We took a table near the window. Micah sat by my side, and Victor sat across the table from us. The waitress came soon after, and we ordered a mochaccino and a cinnamon roll for me, a Pepsi and a chocolate doughnut for Victor, and beer and French fries for Micah.

Victor turned to me. “What was that about the number eight?”

I sighed, considering if I should tell them. Well, I was up to my neck in things I didn’t understand. Telling them one more bizarre thing couldn’t hurt. “Since my visions started, every number eight I see shines. In magazines, painted on walls, in books, on shirts, wherever. It’s like they have a white backlight.”

“Do you know what it means?” Micah asked.

“I wish,” I muttered.

Victor tapped his fingers on the table. “Forget glowing numbers. We have to think about what to do. We can’t just wander around trying to find whoever can help us. If that’s the case, then I would rather go home until Micah senses someone. Or something.”

God, his pessimism and rudeness was starting to irritate me.

“Are you always this much of a naysayer?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Most of the time, I’m worse,” he snapped, leaning closer.

“All right, children,” Micah chided. “We do have to think about what to do. I’m certain we shouldn’t remain in one place for too long though. Together, our auras are intense flares for anyone who might be after us.”

Anyone? Besides the bats, who could be after us? Even so, I wanted to know why the bats were after us.

Their voices grew dim and the world around me swirled. I closed my eyes against the rushing dizziness and saw in my mind’s eye a large, beige-colored stone room. Multiple white flags popped out on top of stone pillars, lit candles spread throughout the perimeter, and an altar stood at the back, where a poster I couldn’t clearly see was on display. Descending the altar stairs, a blond man, about average height and dressed in white robes, appeared before