Austin flattened his hands on the table. “I want you to take responsibility. From what I understand, a Creator is like a father to their progeny. You have a duty to follow through with what you started. I don’t know the first damn thing about her gifts or your laws. Is she supposed to go to the Mageri? Do I need to worry about juicers every time we go out?”
Charlie played with a saltshaker on the table. “By law, I have to present her to the Mageri Council in this territory to explain the situation and get her officially listed in their books. I didn’t follow protocol, but she’s been a trusted human in our world, and I’ll just get a slap on the wrist. They’ll measure her abilities and record any rare gifts—whatever they are. Every Mage has common gifts we all can do—like flashing, the ability to tell direction, healing, that kind of thing. But we also have at least one rare talent—a genetic ace. Sometimes we discover it right away, and other times it takes years. It’s best to conceal what makes you powerful, or your enemies will use it against you,” he said, turning his attention to April.
“How am I supposed to know what they are? I can’t even run across the kitchen.”
He leaned forward, humor in his voice. “Well, you’re doing it all wrong then.”
“Maybe you should teach her,” I suggested. “Living with you is obviously out of the question since she’s Reno’s mate, but you need to stick around and properly educate her.”
April looked over her shoulder at me and whispered, “Lexi, I have a shop to run.”
“April, I’m the boss, and the shop is something I can handle.”
She cast a critical eye at my flat stomach. “Oh? Because for the next nine months, I think the only thing you’ll be handling is a carton of ice cream.”
Austin snorted and sat back in his chair, rocking in silent laughter.
“Laugh it up,” I said. “I know where you hid those fringed gloves, and I’ve got a shiny pair of scissors.”
Charlie held out his hands—palms up—and tiny threads of blue light floated from his fingertips.
April gasped and clenched her fists, mesmerized.
Reno scooted away and made a reflexive move for the gun he wasn’t wearing this morning.
“You have core energy,” Charlie began. “It’s a well that holds the very essence of what keeps you immortal. A fountain of youth. It’s also like a power plant, and if you don’t learn to control it, then it will control you.”
The light dissipated, and he flattened his hands on the table.
April brushed a swath of hair away from her eyes. “I can’t do it.”
“It takes focus.”
Reno leaned in real tight. “You sayin’ my girl can’t focus?”
“It requires concentrating a strong emotion and funneling that energy. But she also has to learn to put it back.”
April stared at her hands with such intensity that we all quieted. A few sparks of blue light came out, and she let go of a breath.
“Very good.” Charlie smiled approvingly. “Now pull it back. The most dangerous thing for a young Learner is not knowing how to temper that energy. If you let it go too far, it’ll consume you—knock you to your knees and make you sleep for hours, kind of like a reverse energy vacuum. You can’t use your energy against another Mage because all it does is give them more power. If you’re ever in a fight with one, then you’ll have to harness that energy so it won’t put you in danger. Now focus.”
April squeezed her hands into fists, and while the light had dissipated, it looked like she was struggling with something.
“I think I did it,” she said on an exhale. “It’s not there anymore.”
Reno rubbed his face with both hands, murmuring quietly.
I blinked hard, suddenly feeling out of breath. Faster than I could track. Austin was out of his chair and kneeling to my left. “Lexi, what’s wrong?”
“I just got dizzy for a second.”
“That wasn’t me, was it?” April asked worriedly.
Charlie shook his head. “No, April. Unless you touch someone, your light can’t hurt them.”
“It’s not that. I’m fine,” I said, waving my hand.
Austin took hold of my chin and turned me to face him. He studied me with those beautiful ice-blue eyes. Then he slid his arm beneath my knees and lifted me up. “No, you’re not fine. You’re going to bed.”
He hurried out of the room, leaving our guest at the mercy of Reno.
“You take such good care of me,” I said, nuzzling against him.
He crossed the living room, where Denver was asleep on the couch. “How’s your arm? Maybe the salve has something to do with it.”
I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders as he hiked up the stairs. “Don’t let anyone see me like this,” I whispered.
“Like what?”
“Weak.”
“Is something wrong?” Naya asked, standing in the hall in her fuzzy red slippers.
“Out of the way,” Austin boomed. “I’m making love to my woman.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear,” she purred.
“Nice cover,” I whispered, pinching the small cleft in his chin.
He shouldered the door open and kicked it shut with his heel. Austin set me down on the bed and suddenly pulled my shirt up.
“I’m not in the mood.”