Mom guides me to the small alcove with uncomfortable-looking seats. The space is decorated with soft pastel colors and fake plants—clearly trying to bring as much calm to the waiting process as possible, but it falls flat.
“Sit down, Autumn,” Mom says, pointing to a seat near the window.
I shake my head, walking out of her grasp as she takes her own seat. Instead, I pace in front of her, unable to shake the anxiety rolling through me.
“No, I need to call Dominic,” I say, turning from her and pulling out my phone again.
Mom’s eyes widen, but her mouth snaps shut as I place the phone to my ear.
Again, the phone rings a couple of times before Dominic answers. “Let me guess, Autumn’s in trouble again.” He chuckles softly under his breath for a moment.
My throat goes dry as I try to form the words to relay the importance in this mission. I know I suck already. I don’t need to be reminded that I only call when I need help.
Dominic waits for me to respond, not even offering to search the future to see why I’m calling.
“Dominic, something has happened to Wade. Diana can’t help me,” I finally say.
“So you thought you’d call me,” he says. “I love being a last resort. It makes me feel super special.”
I roll my eyes, walking away from Mom and looking out the window on the opposite end of the waiting room. “Wade could be dying and there’s something supernatural going on with him. Diana thinks you’ll be the best one to help with this. That’s why I’m calling you. I hate that it seems like I only call when I need something—”
“Because it’s true?” Dominic interjects.
“Even if it’s true, it doesn’t make this any less important. Wade’s mark—the one his father gave him—is infected or something. We’re at the hospital now. He’s in the ER and I…” I break off, fighting the tears and the quiver in my voice.
Dominic sighs. After a long pause, he says, “Okay, I’ll help you figure out what’s going on with loverboy. But you’ll have to do me a favor first.”
Chapter 12
Life, Death, & Metamorphosis
My mouth drops open in utter incredulousness. “You have got to be kidding me?”
I tell Dominic my boyfriend is in the actual emergency room, possibly dying for all I know, and the only thing he can think about is what he can get out of it? Unreal.
“Nope, that’s the deal or no dice,” he says, his voice like cold steel. “I’m sick of being the gopher and last resort in your little world. I have needs, too, and you can help with those needs.”
My stomach rolls at the way he says the words and my mind automatically goes to a worst-case scenario. “What are you talking about? What needs?” I hiss, clutching the phone close and praying my mom doesn’t have supersonic hearing or something.
“I know you’re not big on the whole Windhaven Academy thing anymore, but I’m trying to level up. The new semester starts in a couple of weeks and I want to go into it as powerful as possible,” he states matter-of-factly.
I shake my head, unable to process a thing he’s asking about. I’m talking life and death and he’s talking leveling up his abilities. Why am I even surprised?
“You are the most ridiculous, self-centered—” I spit.
“Cut the crap, Autumn. You’re the only one who can help me with this,” he says, cutting off my tirade. “It’s fortuitous timing you should come to me right now.”
“What in the hell do you need?” I snap, unable to hide the venom in my words.
For a long, silent moment, I hold my breath, waiting for him to explain himself.
“I need you to bring me back,” he finally says, his words barely louder than a whisper.
“What?” I say, narrowing my eyes and glaring at the fake hibiscus plant in the corner.
“Look, here’s the thing. I need to level up my psychic powers. As great as they seem to everyone else, they’re nothing more than parlor tricks, really. But in order to trigger a metamorphosis like this… I need to face death,” he says calmly.
“Level up? Metamorphosis? What kind of bullshit is this? You’re not a damn butterfly, Dominic. You better not be pulling my chain. This is not the time for that if you are…” I warn.
“If I can trigger the metamorphosis, it means my abilities extend further, into the realms of the ancients. It’ll help not just me, but you, too, by the sounds of it,” he says. “It’s not really all that complicated to understand.”
I gape at the wall, walking away from where I was standing to pace again. “That’s the most ridiculous reason to die. You realize that’s what this is, right? Haven’t you seen Flatliners?”
“I know what it sounds like,” he retorts. “But it’s not a game.”
I roll my eyes. “Pretty sure it wasn’t a game in the film, either…”
Dominic grunts. “Look, you have your thing and I have mine, dammit. Every time you’ve needed me, I’ve been there and helped, haven’t I? Why is it so hard to believe that maybe I have something you can help with? What’s the deal, Autumn? You can take, but you can’t give? Or do you only help the Gilberts or that angel boyfriend of yours? Is that it?” he fires back.
I cringe at his words, but let them sink in. He’s right. He may be reluctant at times, but he’s always helped when we needed him. It’s just that his timing sucks ass.
“Fine,” I say, dropping my shoulders in defeat. “I’ll help you.”
What other choice do I have? I don’t know if the doctors will be able to locate the source of Wade’s infection fast enough and I’m not about to wait around for him to die.
“Excellent. How soon can you be here?” Dominic asks, his tone brightening.
My eyes widen and I look around the waiting room. My mom’s
