Chapter 1
Ishake my hands to dispel the static charge, which is making my fingers feel numb. I’ve been working on controlling my abilities for the past two weeks, two long ass weeks, and I’ve hardly made any progress.
“Remind me why I need to do this every day, you guys barely even use your powers.” I’m hot, sweaty, and annoyed with myself. We do the same thing daily with the same results.
“We’re doing this, so you don’t turn into a human sparkler at school, and so you can learncontrol,” Milo tells me. I take a deep breath. He doesn’t deserve my snark, I’m mostly mad at myself.
“Why can’t I get the hang of it?” I’m more tired now than I was when I was going to school and working five days a week.
“You’ll get it Laura, ittakes time,” he promises. “Now, try closing your eyes and thinking about which ability you want to call forward.”
I sigh but close my eyes anyway. “No more electricity, I feel like my insides are vibrating,” I address Milo, peeking at him with one eye slit open.
“Do you want to try shifting?”
My eyes snap open and I glare at him. “No, I don’t want to try shifting. Who knows if I can really shift, and what if I do and I can’t figure out how to get back? No.” This has been a sore topic with us ever since I realized the itching feeling I’ve had since I bonded with Dante is another ability trying to manifest.
Milo lifts his palms in surrender. “Okay, not today. Butyou will have todo it soon.”
“Not if I can help it,” I mutter under my breath, already closing my eyes again. I reach for the darkness I associate with Ares. I let the cool tendrils of inky smoke wrap around my center, taking a deep breath and sucking in my stomach as the power coils within me. Ares’s ability comes the easiest, since it never really leaves me. I think it’s because we’re already bonded. It feels almost natural to seekoutthe shadows dancing in the corners of the room, hidden in all the crevasses. Coaxing the shades from their resting spots, I call them to me. Even with my eyes closed, I can tell the light shining from the chandelier above is dimmer. I haven’tmanaged to shadow walk, but if I’m practicing with Ares or he’s near enough, I can astral project.
After a few seconds of holding the darkness, I release it and my breath. I wipe away the new sweat beading on my upper lip and at my temples.
“That wasfantastic Laura, you called the shadows right to you,” Milo praises, sounding pleased. “I think you’re done for today.” He hands me an icy bottle of water. Before cracking the lid, I run the cold plastic over my forehead.
“How did you draw the short straw? You worked with me yesterday.” I bump my shoulder into Milo. He’s solid as a rock, but I don’t mind. Milo is the most reserved of my guys, so any chance I get to touch him is okay with me.
“I volunteered.” He looks down at me while we’re making our way down the hall from the downstairs gym.
“You did?” I can’t keep the surprise from my voice.
“Why wouldn’t I?” He stops before reaching the stairs and tilts his head at an angle.
“Because even I don’t like myself when I have to train.” I know I can be a pouty brat.
Milo rolls his eyes, but a smirk lifts his lips. “You’re not that bad.” I give him a side-eyed look, letting him know I think he’s full of shit.
“I’m going to grab a shower,” I inform him once we make it to the top of the stairs.
“Okay, I’ll let the guys know.” Milo stops near the entrance of the kitchen. I can hear Ollie and Dante, their voices mingling with the television.
I almost just walk past him, but at the last minute Idecide tolean up on my toes and give him a peck on the side of his jaw. “Thanks Milo.” I don’t stick around to see his reaction, instead I rush down the hall heading toward our room.
* * *
In thesolitude of the shower, Ifind myself thinking about how much has changed since I moved to Canton. In some ways, my life was so much simpler before I came here, when I was clueless about who and what I was. When Ihad no idea my mom’s crazy, paranoid behavior wasn’t anything more than her own brand of insanity.
Finding outI wasn’t the normal girl I’d been living as my entire life—well, as normal as I could be with a reclusive mother who insisted that I be invisible—hasn’t exactly been easy. Finding out my mom reallydid have reasons to move us around every three months, and to hide us like she was on the most-wanted list, was even more of a shock.
We’ve been running from the man who should have protected her my entire life. A man who decided he wanted my mother to himself and all the power that came with her. A man that might be dead.
Being a Synergist toan Infinity is supposed to be a blessing. We are the catalyst that bolsters our pairs’ powers, and tempers their abilities when they become more than they can handle on their own.
Synergist don’t develop powers of their own. Instead, weare made to act almost as a filter for our pairs’ abilities. Once we meet the men of our group, our power manifests. Typically, a Synergist will only have one ability, but I, however, have two—so far.
Dante finding and introducing me to my three other pairs has been the only thing in these last few months that has kept me from losing my mind. Without them, I still wouldn’t even know what I was, nor would I have any chance of figuring out what happened to my mom. Despite my mom never telling me what I was, I have to wonder if she brought me here so Iwould be able to discover my destiny.
“Hey Muenster, you almost done?” Ollie calls into the bathroom.
