Forgotten - Dawn Nicole Stevens Page 0,44

answered, not really believing what she was saying.

?It?s how I do my job. I can draw pretty good, but my sketches don?t come from the descriptions people give me. When they?re thinking hard, remembering the features of whoever I?m drawing, if I touch them, I can get a mental picture of what they?re imagining. I can see what?s inside their head.?

Dirk tensed his jaw as he thought over her explanation. ?So, the sketch you drew,? he indicated to the sketchpad on the desk, ?you drew that from what you saw in my mind??

She nodded and Dirk reasoned that she must be telling the truth. How else could she have made a sketch comparable to a photograph? ?And whatever you saw that lead you to discover what I am, you didn?t see it earlier??

?I wasn?t tryin? to see everything. Sometimes when I dig deep, I see things I don?t want to. So, I?ve learned it?s best just to look for what I need.?

Dirk steepled his fingers and stared at her, considering her words. ?You?re a witch aren?t you??

The girl?s face paled and her eyes widened again. Dirk assumed that he must be wrong in his conclusion, but he couldn?t think of any other theory.

?If I?m wrong, then what are you? Because I don?t know of many races that can do what you claim you can.?

The girl chewed at her lip and Dirk watched her shift uncomfortably. He didn?t pressure her any further, instead he watched as she explained through her body language. There was something that she wasn?t telling him, something that she didn?t want him to know. But what and why? If she wanted to hide the fact that she was a witch, she wouldn?t have admitted as much as she already had.

After a few minutes passed, he persuaded her a tad further and asked, ?Well??

She sighed and stared down at the floor. ?I don?t know what I am.?

Here we go again. Why did he keep finding women who didn?t know anything about the supernatural races? He didn?t mind helping Jane through the process; He?d do anything for her. He?d walk to the ends of the earth to help her understand all that she?d forgotten, but he didn?t have the time or the patience right now to deal with it with this girl.

?How do you not know? Didn?t your mother explain it to you??

?No!? she screamed in reply.

Apparently this was a touchy subject. ?Explain,? he said simply.

?I was adopted,? she nearly shouted again. ?My ?parents? didn?t know what was wrong with me. When I first told them that I was different, they thought I was crazy and sent me to a psychiatrist. When that didn?t give them answers, they put me on meds. I proved to them that I was able to do the things I said I could, so they upped the dose. Nobody knows what I am.?

Dirk sighed and nodded his head as he began to understand. She didn?t know that she was a witch and had been raised to think that she was strange.

When her breathing steadied and her heart rate returned closer to normal, he said, ?I wish I could give you answers, but I have none. I?ve never met a witch. But I do believe that?s what you are.?

?So do you mean that I kinda inherited this? From my birth mother??

Dirk nodded in response.

?I?ve been looking for her. For six years I?ve been looking for her and I can?t find her.?

Dirk narrowed his eyes in thought and watched her squirm under his stare. He realized the look on his face must have been frightening her and smoothed his features. He leaned forward with a sigh and rested his elbows on his thighs. ?Look, Ica, was it? You and I each have questions that need answers. I need those sketches and you need to find your mother, or at least, another witch,? he paused, watching her reaction. She was listening intently so far. ?I?ll make a deal with you. If you finish those sketches, I?ll help you look for your mother when I?m done with all this. If we can?t find her, I will at least help you find someone else like you.?

?Why should I believe you?? Ica hissed.

?You have the ability to look inside me. Have a look and judge for yourself.?

Ica looked at him warily. Dirk knew she was probably terrified to get too close but she stood, straightening her back and lifted her chin, then strode across the room toward him.

Her hand was