Just relax and let me in.”
I snorted as she closed her eyes. “That’s what they all say.”
“What?” Dharma’s eyes snapped back open.
“Nothing.”
Sighing with reluctance, I closed my eyes and brought forward a memory that wouldn’t scar poor Dharma for life. Not anymore than it did me in any case.
The memory I chose was one of the only birthdays from my childhood that I enjoyed. It was a bit hard to have birthday parties when none of the other students wanted anything to do with you. Nikki hardly counted for a full house as much as I loved her to hell and back.
My mom had rented out the carousel for an hour for me and my friends. Except the only person who showed up was Nikki and me. So, we rode the carousel for the whole hour just the three of us. Over and over again just so my mom felt like she got her monies worth. I barfed up all the cake I’d eaten right before hand too. All over the pretty brown horse I’d chosen and the floor beneath. My mom rushed to my side and ended up slipping in my mess, making her feet fly up in the air in the most hilarious manner.
“Wow, your family is so fucked up.” Dharma commented.
My eyes flipped open to glare at the disgusted look on her face. “Screw you.”
“Shh, I’m trying to concentrate.”
Lifting my gaze to the ceiling, I huffed and closed them once more. I pushed the memory back to the front of my mind, feeling a little tingle, an itch really, in the back of my brain.
Something was wrong.
Dharma wasn’t going for the memory I’d provided for her. I didn’t know much of well anything about psychic abilities, but shouldn’t she have come in closer to the memory? Why do I feel her in the back of my mind and far too close for comfort to the metal box?
“What are you doing?” I tried to pull my hands away from her, but Dharma dug her nails into my skin keeping me from wrenching my hands away and breaking her connection.
“Just relax.” Dharma pushed further inside, this time that little itch was more of a twang. “I’m almost there.”
“Stop it.” I tried to envision a wall, forcing it up between the metal box and Dharma’s mind. But no matter how many walls I put up the tiresome bitch kept getting through. Out of all the mentals I’d met I would not have pegged Dharma as the one with the real power. In any case, that real power was about to bite off more than she could chew.
“I’m warning you.” I bit out, fighting against the prodding. It was giving me a headache and I was losing ground and fast.
“Almost there.” Dharma murmured, not even paying attention to my threats.
“You’re going to regret this.” I told her before finally giving her exactly what she wanted. I relaxed.
“There we go.” Dharma cooed, her mind waltzing into the depths of my mind and caressing the metal box. She tapped the locks and demanded, “Open it.”
My lips ticked up. “Fine.”
If Dharma had been smart, she would have realized that I was letting her into my mind far too easily. That the secrets she was trying to get her greedy little hands were being hand delivered.
The chains fell and the door creaked open. I braced myself for the onslaught of images and feelings that were about to pour out. Poor Dharma didn’t have a chance.
Her screams filled the room. The hands that had latched onto me tried to pry themselves away, but I held on tight. In the distance, through the roar of the screams and cries of pain and terror, I could hear someone calling our names. A hand on my shoulder only brought a new image. A new death to the down pour that rushed right into Dharma.
“Eleanor.” A deep penetrating voice reached through the noise. “Elle. Let go.”
My head angled to the side toward the sound. Then a warm coarse hand touched the back of my hand. I braced myself for the next onslaught of pain but the sensations going through my body caused an unexpected moan of pleasure. Lips captured mine. Fingers trailed along my skin, leaving hot rivets of need in their place. A gasp ripped from my throat startling me so much that I released Dharma’s hands.
My eyes flew open and met Dex’s dark brown eyes. I swallowed thickly and backed away from him and the sight of Dharma