“So where do we get the picture? Like, from the internet? Because we’d have to find a computer since my phone hasn’t been working for over a week now.”
“Yeah, mine, either. But we can’t go back to the house,” he says. “It’s too dangerous.”
“What about the library that was back by your college?” Nicholas interrupts, stepping between us. “They’ve got a ton of computers there, and they let the public use them. Plus, you spend a lot of time there, so you should be able to Foresee to the place without any problems.”
I shove aside the fact that he somehow knows that about me and eye him over skeptically. “Did you just offer up something useful? Because it seems weird and makes me wonder what you’re up to.”
“There’s a first for everything,” he replies, but I know there has to be more to it than that, something in it for him.
“What’s he saying?” Alex asks, glancing around.
“He said we should try the library . . .” I trail off as Nicholas strolls away, whistling. Yep, something’s definitely up. “I haven’t been to town since all hell broke loose, so I’m not sure if anyone’s still running things like libraries. Although, Laylen picked up groceries from somewhere, and Aislin picked up the . . .” I clear my throat, gesturing at my stomach. “ Well, you know.”
His eyes flit to my stomach, but thankfully, he doesn’t look as freaked out as when he first found out. In fact, he seems oddly calm at the moment.
“We’ll try the library, but we’re going to be careful.” He points a finger at me. “And I’m stressing the careful part. If anything goes bad, you have to promise you’ll leave, even if it’s without me.”
It takes a lot of effort, but I manage a nod then extend my hand, preparing to take us back to the university I briefly attended.
Before we leave, I look over at Nicholas. “You never said what happens after I free the lost souls.”
“Then the world returns to normal, you two go to the lake and sacrifice your lives, and everything is exactly how it’s supposed to be,” he says with honesty.
I press my hand to my stomach. “What about . . . ?”
He shrugs. “If you want to save your child, you’ll have to figure something out.”
“What’d he say?” Alex asks, a worry line forming between his brows
The heartbeat roars inside my eardrums as I blink at Alex. “He said . . . He doesn’t know.”
Alex presses his lips together as I reach for his hand, electricity surging from the contact. As I shut my eyes, I make a promise to myself that, no matter what happens, I’m going to make sure our child survives this.
ALEX
I can tell she is lying. Whatever Nicholas said to her is really, really bad. Getting her to fess up is going to be challenging, though, considering how stubborn she can be sometimes.
We land in an alley that runs right to the back of the entrance to the library. Snow is drifting from the grey sky, making the ground a sheet of ice and a death trap for Gemma. I run my hand across the hood that’s over her head, sweeping away some of the snowflakes before threading my fingers through hers.
“I don’t want you to fall,” I explain, giving her hand a squeeze.
She surprisingly doesn’t argue as we head to the back door. There are no windows around, so I can’t see what is going on inside, but the area is almost too silent.
“You think it’s open?” she asks, bouncing up and down on her toes, trying to warm herself.
I grab the door handle and give it a tug. “Nope.”
She stops bouncing, staring at me with concern. “Alex, your skin’s turning blue.”
“I’m just a little cold,” I lie. I’m not just cold. I’m freezing to death, and I don’t think it’s only from the cold. The longer I’m around her, the more I can feel myself fading as I fall more . . . well, in love with her. I don’t want to admit it—know I can’t—but apparently, love doesn’t come from just announcing the word aloud.
Gemma reaches for the zipper of the jacket, but I grab her hand.
“Stop trying to give me the damn jacket back. I’m not going to take it.”
Her worry magnifies as she encloses her hands around my wrist, her pulse slamming against her fingertips. She chews on her lip as