She hugged him back, laughing. “I’ve missed you. And I’ve learned a few tricks.”
Corey appeared next, crossing the room with his usual scowl. “You had me worried, sis. disappearing for days without a word? Not cool.”
Lucy smirked. “I didn't leave the country; I was just in my room. I needed to wrap my head around being a real-life alien. But I’m back now.”
Her words lightened the room instantly. Even Damian, who stayed at the far end of the table, gave a small nod.
They sat down to eat, the silence thick but not uncomfortable. At least until Barnaby piped up.
“So… what tricks can you do?”
Corey groaned. “She’ not a dog, idiot.”
Barnaby laughed. “She said tricks! I’m just using her words!”
Lucy leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. She started to explain the nagging voice she had heard in her mind; the word being repeated until finally it happened. “It’s… hard to explain. But I think when Iconnect”she made air quotes “I think I can take the abilities of others like me. I got Byron’s strength, speed, healing… even his telepathy.”
Barnaby’s eyes went wide. “Show me. Now!”
Before she even thought about it, Lucy blurred to the far side of the room, standing next to him in less than a blink. She froze. ‘Even I didn’t know I was that fast’ her thoughts echoed.
Barnaby gasped. “You’re a vampire.”
“No,” Lucy laughed. “I’m Nephilim. And honestly? I still don’t know what that really means.”
He grinned, practically bouncing in place. “What else can you do?”
Lucy’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “Corey, you know how much you hate dancing?”
Corey squinted at her. “Yeah. Why?”
Her eyes flared violet. “Dance.”
He barked a laugh. “Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna...” His body jerked, his legs stumbling into a clumsy rhythm. Within seconds, he was swaying and stomping like a newborn deer.
Barnaby howled with laughter, pulling out his phone and blasting music. Corey’s movements grew wilder.
“I swear to God, Barnaby, I’m going to kill you!” Corey yelled, still flailing.
“Lucy, make him stop!” Barnaby shouted between fits of laughter.
“You can stop now, Corey.” Lucy said through a fit of laughter.
He froze mid-step, panting. His face darkened as he rounded on Barnaby. “I know I can’t mess with you, Lucy. But Barnaby? You’re dead.”
“It was completely worth it!” he yelled hiding behind Damians protective stance.
Corey sat and leaned back in his chair, arms folded, eyes narrowing at the smirking faces around the table. “So, you’ve had your fun? Is it out of your system now?”
Barnaby was still grinning, but even he sobered at Corey’s tone. The laughter drained away until the only sound was the faint scrape of cutlery.
“Enough games” Corey’s gaze cut to Byron. “What’s the plan? What are meant to be doing”
Byron spoke after swallowing a bite of food. “We wait for the others to arrive.”
Lucy tilted her head. “Just wait?”
Byron placed, the cutlery onto the plate and began to softly explain to Lucy “I automatically felt a tether to you when you were unblocked, so will they.
