I sighed. It was definitely time to leave. I turned around, and then stumbled backward because standing right in front of me was a very obnoxious faerie with golden eyes and sandy hair.
“Well, I have to say that this is not where I pictured us meeting up again,” Nicholas said, glancing around the Women’s Restroom. “Although it’ll do, I guess.”
I backed away from him, knowing full well that I was cornered. “Stay the heck away from me.”
He moved for me, a sneaky smirk spreading across his face. “You seem afraid of me Gemma.”
My back hit the tiled wall. “I know why you’re here. I know you’re working with Stephan.”
“You do, do you?”
“You were at the City of Crystal with the Death Walkers,” I said heatedly. “And I heard you talking to them…how can you talk to them?”
“I can’t,” he said and I shook my head. Let the running around in circles begin.
“Yes you can,” I snapped. “I heard. And I heard you talking about capturing me for Stephan. Why would you do that? Don’t you know what he wants to do with me?”
I was hoping he would say that he did, and then we would have one of those moments where the villain unleashes all his evil plans.
“Why would you think I was helping Stephan? I can’t stand him as much as I can’t stand his son.” He moved in front of me, leaning in close. “And honestly, if I captured you, I’d rather keep you for myself. There’s so much…” He sniffed me. Yes, actually sniffed me, like he was smelling a flower or something. “Power flowing off you.”
My mouth dropped. He could feel the electricity.
“Your Foreseer gift…it’s absolutely breathtaking,” he said, moving back a little.
Oh, he was talking about that power.
“That’s great,” I said, looking for a way out of here. I could try to dodge around him, but I didn’t see myself making it that far. The only thing I could think of to do was use my “breathtaking” Foreseer ability to move myself from the bathroom to the SUV. But could I do it quickly enough?
All I could do was try.
“Tell me Gemma.” Nicholas was so close to me that the flowery, rain smell that was always radiating off him was strong enough to make me almost pass out. “Why are you so afraid of me?”
“Besides the fact that you’re working with the man who wants to hurt me?” I asked, trying to picture in my head the massive black Chevy Tahoe parked outside next to the gas pumps.
“You’ve never liked me from the first time you met me,” he remarked, in a playful way, like this was all a game to him, which it probably was.
I shrugged, still focusing on the SUV. Come on. Come on. Come on. “I don’t know…I guess you just rubbed me the wrong way.”
He said something else. But I didn’t hear him. I was going…fading…almost there. Then I was being shoved up against the hard tiled wall of the bathroom. The muscles on my back burned in protest, and I let out a whimper.
“Don’t even think about it,” Nicholas snapped angrily. “You’re coming with me.” Then he hit me over the head with something.
My ears rang, and my eyes shifted out of focus. I saw spots. Then I was falling toward the floor.
Chapter 27
The next thing I was aware of was that I had a killer headache. My head was throbbing so badly I swear my skull had to be cracked. I also noticed my wrists were restrained by something cold and metal.
My eyelids whipped open. I was in an unfamiliar room, and wrapped around each of my wrists was a metal cuff, connected to a chain that extended to hooks secured into a dark green wall behind me.
Crap.
This was bad.
This was very, very bad.
The first thing I did was try to Foresee my way out of this place. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the gas station, but I wasn’t feeling it. I wasn’t feeling anything, except worry and fear, and that fact that I was in some serious trouble.
What had that crazy faerie boy done to me? Why couldn’t I use my Foreseer power? I tried again, concentrating harder, willing myself away from this place.
“There’s no use trying.” The taunting voice belonged to Nicholas.
I opened my eyes again and found him standing right in front of me. I scooted back to the wall, dragging the chains with me, the metal clinking against