The Enlightened (Mind Dimensions #3)(48)

Even that day on the Brooklyn Bridge, the day I mistakenly thought Sam had killed Mira, my hate for that f*cker wasn’t this strong. It was a momentary rage, and what I’m feeling now is qualitatively different. It’s something cold and calculating. Something dark. I feel it becoming a need, like the need to breathe or eat. This rage must be coming from a more savage part of my brain, a part I hadn’t realized I possess. But I don’t care where it’s coming from. All I care about is feeding it what it wants—a sacrifice of Kyle’s blood.

I need to get out of Mom’s head. I need to start planning my revenge.

First, though, I have a decision to make. What do I let Lucy remember? It’s clear she had genuine amnesia about killing my parents, as most people do when they’re Guided to do something so out of character. She may never remember the rape for similar reasons. But when it comes to her baby, Kyle f*cked up. She’ll likely remember something, now or in the near future, without Kyle’s regular memory wipes.

On top of that, what should she think of her suicide attempt? She won’t remember it either, but she’s a detective. One look at their house, combined with the injury to her wrist, and she’ll put it all together. Then, for the rest of her life, she’ll think she went crazy. I don’t want her to live with that.

You will forget about your baby, I instruct. Forget him or her until I’m ready to tell you everything. You were cutting open a package, slipped, and cut your wrist. You will not question the stupidity of this explanation. Not until I’m ready to explain this too.

Will she buy it? I believe so. Bert believed worse bullshit after Hillary’s treatment.

I exit my mom’s head with just one thought, one soothing mantra.

Kyle will die.





Chapter 18





As I wait for Sara to arrive, I step out into the hallway and make another phone call.

“Bert, buddy. I’m going to be in your debt forever,” I say instead of hello.

“What’s up, dude?” Bert says. I hear worry in his voice. “You sound strange.”

I don’t blame Bert for thinking I don’t sound like myself, since I don’t feel like myself either.

“It’s my mom,” I say, trying to normalize my voice. “It’s Lucy. She’s in the hospital.”

“Oh my God, Darren. What happened?”

“It’s not a conversation for over the phone,” I say. “We’re at the Staten Island University Hospital.”

“Okay. My cab just got out of traffic on Belt Parkway. We’re still driving through Brooklyn. I can have him go to Staten Island.”

“Do it. Thanks, man.”

“See you soon,” my friend says and hangs up.

I’ve never needed my friends so much in my life—especially Mira—but they’re all stuck midair between New York and Miami. If Kyle learns that his attempt failed, he’ll come here to finish the job, or send someone else to do it. That means I need the help of someone who knows how to protect people.

Someone who works in security.

For a second, I consider calling Caleb and making a deal where I agree to f*ck anyone my grandparents wish me to in exchange for Caleb helping me out. But seeing as Caleb’s under arrest in Miami, he couldn’t help me even if he wanted to. Maybe he knows other people in his line of work in New York?

No. Before I resort to something like that, I need to weigh all my options. As I think, I get the epiphany I should’ve had right away. I know someone who might be even better suited for this than Caleb.

I browse through the contacts on my phone, press call, and wait.

“Hello,” Thomas answers.

“Thomas. I’m so glad I reached you.”

“Darren? What a pleasant surprise.”

“Are you in town?” I ask. When we last spoke, he was planning on taking a vacation too.

“Got back two days ago,” he says. “Unlike you, I didn’t have a good reason to stay away.”

“In that case, I could really use your help. My mom is in the hospital and needs protection. It’s related to that matter we spoke about when we first met...”

“You mean that unfinished business with one of us?”

“Right.”

“Where are you?”

“Staten Island University Hospital,” I tell him.

“I’ll have a few Secret Service agents there shortly, and someone to Guide the operation, if you know what I mean.”

“I do.” I try not to sob with relief. “Thank you. You have no idea how grateful I am.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Thomas says and hangs up.

Feeling more hopeful, I go back into the room to check on Lucy.

Disregarding the oxygen tube, the monitors, and all the other scary hospital equipment, she looks good. At this point, she has some of her color back in her cheeks, as much as her pale Asian complexion allows for, anyway. Her breathing is even smoother now. All her vitals on the monitors look good. She’s basically sleeping, and sleeping pretty peacefully at that.

I step outside the room again, phase in, catch a nurse, and Guide her to get me a sandwich from the cafeteria. I’m starved, but I don’t want to risk leaving Mom alone for even a few minutes.

In a weird way, I’m grateful to my Enlightened grandparents for asking Caleb to abduct me. It led to me meeting Mimir—the demigod-like being I spoke with during the Joining with the Enlightened. Thanks to that incident, my mom is alive. If Mimir hadn’t warned me, I’d probably still be figuring out how to deal with the Julia situation. Without the threat of something happening to Lucy, I never would’ve left the Enlightened compound so boldly. Worse, if they hadn’t kidnapped me at all, I’d be on the beach in Miami, oblivious to everything I now know. Lucy would be dead, and I’d never know it was Kyle who was responsible.