Domination (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) - By Jon Lewis Page 0,7

friends over in Carlsbad? One minute we were roasting marshmallows around the bonfire, and the next you were gone. It took us an hour to find you, and do you know what you were doing?”

Colt shrugged.

“You were teaching a homeless guy how to play your guitar.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that.”

“We had to drag you away so we didn’t miss curfew, but we were still late because you had to go back and give him your last twenty dollars and a book.”

“The Hobbit.”

“Normal people don’t do stuff like that.”

“Read?”

“I’m being serious.”

“Maybe, but this is different,” Colt said. “It’s like I can feel this living thing inside of me, and it wants to take over.”

“So don’t let it.”

Colt wanted to tell her that it wasn’t that easy, but he didn’t. Danielle had always been honest with him, even when it wasn’t something he wanted to hear. And more often than not she was right.

What if it was that easy? He’d been carrying the Thule DNA in his system for ten years, and it hadn’t manifested until recently. Maybe it was triggered by fear or anger or even adrenaline. Maybe breathing exercises or yoga could stop it. Or maybe they could give him some kind of pill to keep the alien in check.

“I guess I just hated the way you looked at me back there,” he said. “I don’t want you to be scared.”

“You thought I was scared of you?”

“More like terrified, but yeah.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “That thing came out of nowhere. I honestly thought I was going to die without being able to say good-bye to my parents or you or . . .” She covered her eyes as they misted over. “I’m sorry, it’s just that Oz didn’t answer my e-mails, and I couldn’t text him because I thought his phone was disconnected.” She wiped away a tear as it streamed down her cheek. “I was scared that he was going to go out and do something stupid to prove that he isn’t like his dad. I mean, I’d hold my breath every time one of the rescue teams found a body, because I thought it was going to be him—and then he just shows up and tells us that he’s been here all the time? He’s such a jerk!”

Colt sat there, not sure what to say or if he should say anything at all. On one hand, he was relieved that she wasn’t scared of him, but then again, he hated to see her so upset. He’d known there was a spark between Oz and Danielle from the moment he first saw them together, and he figured they’d eventually announce that they were dating, but this was different. It was deeper. Real. It was love.

Danielle sniffled as she wiped her eyes and straightened her ponytail. “Just so we’re on the same page—if you tell anyone about this conversation, you’re a dead man.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“And when we get back, you’re going to see a doctor. Period.”

: :

CHAPTER 6 : :

By the time they got back to campus, Colt’s body ached and his eyes were heavy and all he wanted was to go back to his dorm room and sleep, but Danielle grabbed him by the arm and started walking him to the infirmary.

“What about my report?” he said.

“It can wait,” she said. “Besides, we already called it in. Let the investigators handle it.”

“Tell that to my commanding officer.”

A girl approached wearing one of the new Intergalactic Defense Academy uniforms. It was formfitting, like neoprene, and it had the IDA crest and orange striping that signified she was part of Jackal Squad.

“Don’t look now, but I think Miranda’s trying to get your attention,” Danielle said, rolling her eyes.

“Sure she is,” Colt said.

Miranda Patel was widely considered the most beautiful girl on campus. Whenever she was around, the male cadets stopped and stared. It didn’t matter if she was walking, running, or eating an apple; it was like she had super-powered pheromones that hypnotized the opposite sex. Then again, it could have been her enormous brown eyes, full lips, dark skin, and that long black hair that bounced with each step she took.

“Hi,” she said as she walked past them.

“Um . . . hi,” Colt said with his voice caught in his throat. She smiled, and without realizing what he was doing, Colt turned and watched her walk away.

“You might want to put your tongue back in your mouth,” Danielle said.

“What?” Colt turned back around and ran his