Incipient A Dark Paranormal Romance - Bianca Scardoni Page 0,33

You’re going to make yourself hyperventilate.”

I shot up straight and glared at him. “You’re not going to do it, right? I mean, you do realize what could happen if he remembered, right? I know you’re not that stupid, Caleb. Right?”

“First of all, ouch, and second of all, of course I’m not going to do it.”

I puffed out a breath of relief. “So, what did you tell him?”

“I told him I’d look into it.”

My face twisted with confusion. “But you just said—”

“If I told him I couldn’t do it, he’d either not believe me and get suspicious, or he’d just ask someone else.”

“Right!” I said, pointing at him and nodding. “Good thinking. So, what do we do in the meantime?”

He shrugged again. “Nothing really. I’m going to waste a bunch of time ‘looking into it’,” he said, using air quotes, “and basically try to string him along as long as possible.”

My nose wrinkled at that. I hated the idea of lying to him and stringing him along, but what else could we do? Trace remembering the past was dangerous because we had no idea how that might affect him or the wall around his memories that was currently keeping him safe and sane.

“What should I do?” I asked, feeling as though this entire thing was getting ready to spin right out of my control. I needed to be doing something proactive.

“Just keep an eye on him. Maybe try to distract him so he forgets about the past altogether.” He paused and then narrowed his desert-colored eyes on me. “Actually, never mind that last part,” he said with a sly grin.

“Very cute,” I said as I spun toward the supply closet door and then turned around to face him once last time. “If he mentions anything else or asks you for another favor, I want to be the first to know. Got it?”

“Aye, Aye, Blackburn. You have my word.”

As soon as the lunch bell rang later that day, I headed straight for the Quad to meet with Morgan, not even bothering to pick up a lunch at the cafeteria first. After the day I’d had, I hardly had an appetite anyway, and I was sure that whatever Morgan was going to tell me was only going to make the matter worse.

I pushed open the exit doors and spotted her fiery red ponytail of hair against the gray backdrop almost immediately. She was sitting on a bench under an oak tree with her phone in hand as plumes of fog kicked up from the grounds like steam. Pulling in a deep breath, I centered myself and then made my way over to her.

“Alright, I’m here. What did you want to talk about?” I asked, standing beside her with my arms crossed against my chest. I wasn’t in the mood for phony greetings or small talk, so I didn’t bother with either.

“Sit down,” she said without looking up from her phone.

I scoffed at her command. I most certainly did not take orders from Morgan Sinclair.

Her eyes slid up to mine with irritation. “Please?” she added, exaggerating the word in order to appease me. “This is a sensitive topic.”

I peered around the almost empty Quad and then rolled my eyes at her before stalking to the bench and plopping down onto it. “Happy?”

“Thrilled.” She shut her phone off and slipped it into her purse before angling her body toward me. “By the way, what’s going on with you and Trace? He looks really pissed off today.”

I skewed my face at her. “None of your damn business. I thought you had something important to tell me?”

“You know he’s one of my best friends, so it kind of is my business. If something happened—”

“I’m leaving in three seconds,” I warned.

“Jeez, so touchy,” she said, irritated, as though I were being the nosy one. Crossing her legs under her pleaded skirt, she met my eyes and announced, “I’ve been having visions again.”

“And?” I replied, unimpressed, because, well, she was a Seer. Having visions was what she was supposed to do.

“I’ve been having visions about Nikki,” she amended and then glanced around the courtyard to make sure we were alone before dropping her voice. “I’m pretty sure she’s…with child, if you catch my meaning.”

I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to act surprised or whether it was better to just come out and tell her that I’d already heard the good news. I didn’t see the harm in telling the truth…if for no other reason than it being one