{ Mia }
"Cole!" I gasped, heart still hammering in my chest. "What the hell was that?!"
He sat up, rubbing his head. "Okay, so, in my defense… the bookshelf attacked me."
I blinked. "The bookshelf?"
Ace sighed dramatically, walking over. "No, genius. You grabbed it for balance, and it fell because shocker it's a shelf, not a life-saving device."
Cole muttered something about "poor craftsmanship" while I just buried my face in my hands. So much for the life-or-death moment.
Then, suddenly a thought struck me.
" What bookshelf ? I didn't see one in the bathroom."
Ace looked at me equally concerned.
Then, I felt it an odd shift in the air. A small vibration under my feet. Like a pulse, almost.
I frowned. Was that just my imagination… or was something actually wrong?
Slowly I turned to face Ace. "Do you feel that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ace's expression darkened. "Yeah. We're not alone."
"W-what d-do we do ?" I mumbled gripping Ace's sleeve tightly.
My hair started glowing and tears stung my eyes. This new energy was overwhelming a strong pressure formed in my head and I struggled to stay strong.
Ace looked at me his eyes holding a look of concern.
" Breathe Mia, just breathe."
Slowly but surely I took deep breaths.
" In.... And out....." Slowly I calmed down and my hair settled back into place as if nothing had happened.
" What do we do ?" I asked firmly.
" Alright, I need you to scan for any lifeforms with your watch."He said pointing at Scarlett.
For a moment I had forgotten about Scarlett with everything going on...
I quickly shook my head and focused.
" Scarlett scan for any other lifeforms in this room." I stated firmly.
" Scanning....."
* A few minutes later *
" Scarlett what's taking so long?" I asked frustration clawing at my insides.
" I'm sorry Mia but there seems to be a lifeform but it keeps disappearing and reappearing randomly, there must be a glitch."
All of a sudden my hands started to shake and my knees went weak.
I turned to Ace. " What do we do ?" I asked before my vision started to blur and I blacked out.
{ Ace }
I caught Mia just before she hit the ground, her weight limp in my arms.
Damn it.
"Scarlett, give me a vitals report. Now." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't have time for glitches or delays.
"Heart rate elevated. Neural activity spiking. She appears to be experiencing an energy overload."
No kidding.
I gritted my teeth and hoisted Mia up, barely sparing Cole a glance. He had stopped muttering about his bookshelf tragedy and now looked at Mia with wide, uncertain eyes.
"She's okay, right?" he asked.
"Yeah," I muttered, though I wasn't entirely sure.
Because here's the thing: people like us people with abilities didn't just black out for no reason. Whatever was screwing with Scarlett's scanners, whatever was shifting the air like static before a storm, was still here.
I set Mia down gently on the couch, brushing a few strands of glowing hair out of her face. Then I stood, cracking my knuckles.
"Alright," I exhaled. "Whoever's playing hide and seek with us? You've got five seconds to show yourself before I make you."
Cole took an instinctive step back. The air thickened again, that pulse of energy thrumming under my feet.
Four seconds.
Three.
A shadow flickered in the corner of the room.
Two.
One.
The lights cut out.
And just like that, the game changed.
I glanced at Cole . " Go and hide!' I barked.
Cole bolted, letting out a shriek that could rival a horror movie scream.
" Where is she?" A dark voice asked from behind.
" Where is who?" I asked hoping that he wasn't talking about Mia."
" Where is the girl?" He asked again.
A golden glow erupted around Mia, pulsing like a heartbeat. The air crackled with energy, making my skin prickle.
The man's face twisted into a predatory grin as he neared Mia, the air growing colder with each step. His eyes gleamed with dark intent, and I could feel the energy in the room shift, thickening as if it, too, were holding its breath. The golden light that had surrounded Mia flickered, its warmth quickly fading.
Then, he reached out, fingers elongated, with sharp, glinting nails. His hand hovered above her face for a moment, the space between them charged with malice. Mia's glowing hair seemed to recoil, as if it recognized the danger. My heart pounded in my chest, but before I could move, the man's hand descended.
His nails scraped across her skin with a sickening screech, the sound echoing in my ears. Mia gasped, her body jerking slightly as deep, crimson lines formed on her cheek. Blood beaded, then trickled down her face, mingling with the golden light.
"Stay away from her!" I roared, my voice raw with fury. I launched myself forward, every muscle in my body coiling to protect her, but the man's smile only widened as he took another slow step toward her.
" Say bye bye..." He held Mia's hand waving goodbye.
And suddenly they both disappeared in a puff of black smoke.
"What have I done?!" I bellowed, my fist colliding with the wall. The lights buzzed back to life, but the room felt darker, emptier. Mia was gone.