10. Stay away from trouble

Running could never solve anything. 

It was true. 

But I spent the rest of the day with Kai...avoiding his questions and running from him was my only option. He got caught up with some college activity and it gave me a free pass to run away from. 

I was feeling a huge weight of guilt settling on my shoulders but I wanted to figure out everything before dragging anyone else into this mess. 

Kai and I were already in the parking area when he received a text. 

Even though he asked me to wait for him here...I decided to do the exact opposite thing. I waited until I was sure he had entered the main college building. 

The parking ground was almost empty. A few vehicles were parked here and there. Most of the students had already left. 

I started walking away from Kai's car but my feet stopped on their own once my body realised I was no longer alone. 

It was surprising how my body knew before my mind about his presence. 

I licked my lips nervously but stood in my place, waiting for him. 

“You shouldn’t wander alone.”

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his familiar remark. 

"And who are you to tell me that?"

He was leaning across a car, there was amusement in his eyes as he let out a dark chuckle. 

"You don't know what you're walking into, little moon." 

I ignored the last 2 words. 

“Do you follow everyone like this?”

He raised his dark brow, "Only the ones who don’t know when to stay away.”

"Stay away from what?"

He started walking in my direction and stopped in front of me. The space started feeling smaller. 

"Bad people."

"How should I know you're not one of them?"  I ignored my heart that was beating loudly inside my chest. 

"You don't." 

His eyes were once again holding me captive under their gaze. 

"What was that in the forest?" I finally asked the question in a whisper. 

He didn't move or answer my question. 

Annoyed, I started walking past him, "If you don't want to answer my questions, I am not wasting my time here."

But I got stopped. 

His tight hold on my wrist was firm yet gentle. 

My mark once again reacted under his touch...but not how it usually reacted. The burning sensation disappeared. 

My mark was finally calm. 

His eyes shifted from my face towards my mark, like he knew. 

But that's not where my focus was. My eyes moved towards the puddle of water nearby, and the water was not sitting silently. 

There were cripples, just like earlier...and they were growing. But there was no wind to make the water move. 

"What..." I closed my eyes for a moment and freed my wrist from his hold. 

When I looked back, the water was...normal. 

I blinked a few times and tried to hide the surprise on my face but something was telling me Lucien had already seen it. 

"It's happening," he whispered, the words were more to himself. 

"What's happening?" I instantly asked. 

There was a long pause, he was standing silently in front of me. 

He was calm but I was a mess. 

My heart was beating loudly, my head was filled with questions I didn't know could even exist. 

"You think this is random?"

Silence stretched between us.

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t know how to.

His gaze didn’t leave mine.

I shook my head in a no. 

“You’re not just a human.”

For the first time, he was giving me answers and yet I was silent. 

"Stop talking like you know something. Either say it or don’t.” The questions, the unanswered responses were hitting a nerve. 

"Stay away from trouble, little moon." He didn't wait for me to answer. 

He stepped back.

Like he’d already said enough...and just like that, he turned around, leaving me standing alone. 

I didn't follow him, I didn't call him. 

The silence he left behind felt heavier than his presence.

My wrist still tingled.

The air hadn’t settled yet.

"Sorry, that took longer than I thought...hey, are you okay?"  

I gave a fake smile to Kai, who quickly scanned the area, "Yeah, I was just waiting for you."

"Were you talking to someone?" 

"No," I answered a little too instantly. 

Kai waited for a few seconds before giving a nod, "Let's go home."

I didn't say anything else.

Something else was going on inside my head.

Lucien. 

He knew something. And whatever it was… it was about me.

And for the first time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.