Dr. Gray rested his hand on the side of his face, the pen poking out between his fingers. “How can I help you if I have to wade through half-truths and lies?”
He glanced down at his feet, hoping he appeared properly shamed. “I won’t do it again.”
“See that you don’t. But why did you do it this time?”
He shrugged, no answer jumping out at him.
“All right. Well, why don’t you tell me why you let the voices return to you once they’re out? Because I know you were telling the truth about the voices leaving, not about it being a joke. You’re in control, remember?”
No way out of this one. He had to cop to the truth. At least some of it. “They’re bound to me like…” His head tilted to the side as he considered his next words. “Like pets on a leash. I can’t keep them out.”
That earned him an Ouch from Julian and an I’ll make you pay for calling us pets. I hope you know that from Caleb.
Oh, he knew he’d pay, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that. “See, they’re people, like you and me, only they weren’t given bodies of their own. They were somehow sucked into mine, forcing me to share my head with them.”
Dr. Gray took the admission in stride, surprisingly unfazed. “A few days ago, you mentioned that there are four different voices. Or rather, people. Still only four?”
“Yes.”
“And they are…” The doctor flipped a page in the notebook. “Your age? All of them?”
“No. I don’t know how old they are.”
“I see,” he muttered and Aden didn’t think he knew he’d spoken aloud. “Tell me about them. What they’re like.”
And while you’re at it, Eve said, ask about his daughter.
Soon. He didn’t want the doctor to have a reason to change the subject back to therapy again. “They’re nice. For the most part,” he added for their benefit.
That earned him several snorts and another threat from Caleb.
“And do they have names?” Dr. Gray asked.
Aden rattled them off.
His eyes lit with interest at the mention of Eve. “Eve is a female, I’m guessing.”
“Yeah. A girl.” There was enough disgust in his voice to make the doctor fight a grin.
Oh, hush, Eve said. You’re the luckiest boy on the planet, to have my guidance.
“I’m most curious about her,” the doctor said.
Of course he is, Caleb said, clearly offended. What am I, dog food? Why doesn’t he want to know about me?
“Aden. I lost you again.”
Aden jerked to attention, his head clearing, Caleb and Eve’s voices fading as he refocused. “I’m sorry. What?”
“I had asked you a question.” Frowning, the doctor eased back in his chair. “What was going on inside your head just then?”
“Nothing,” he hedged.
An eyebrow arched. “I thought you weren’t going to lie to me anymore.”
Aden rubbed his temples and considered his options. He could admit the truth, but at this rate, Dr. Gray would never stop questioning him and he’d never be able to steer the conversation back to Mary Ann. And what if he was whisked away before he even got the chance?
The thought of being whisked away was what finally propelled him into action.
Now or never. “You’re most curious about Eve,” he said. “Well, she can time travel into younger versions of me. If you’d check my file, you’d see that I’ve disappeared a few times. From locked rooms. You’ll see I’ve reappeared in places I shouldn’t have been able to get inside of. The doctors treating me at the time claimed I was just a great lock picker, that I liked confusing people. The truth is, I traveled into a younger version of myself, like I said, and accidentally changed the future.”
Dr. Gray blinked at him. “I know I told you I wanted you to open up, but I meant I wanted honesty. I believe I mentioned that, as well.”
“And that’s what I’m giving you. The ability I mentioned is how a sixteen-year-old boy is sitting in front of you now, rather than an eleven-year-old. It’s how a sixteen-year-old who knows your—”
“Aden. That’s enough.”
He gulped, but once again, he didn’t allow the doctor to deter him. “You didn’t let me finish. I’m really a sixteen-year-old boy who knows your daughter, Mary Ann. We—”
“Aden!” Dr. Gray pinched the bridge of his nose. “You have to stop this. It’s not helping your case.”
“Just listen to me.” What could he say to make this man believe him? “More than time travel, I can raise the dead. Take me to a cemetery and I’ll prove it. Just don’t bring Mary Ann. She negates my abilities. Corpses will rise. You’ll see.”
“For the last time, enough!” Dr. Gray was pale, blue veins throbbing under the surface of his skin. He cleared his throat in an effort to collect himself. “I shouldn’t have indulged your question about my daughter earlier. I won’t tolerate a patient, even a child, dragging my family into a session. Do you understand me?”
“If you won’t take me out of this building, fine. I can prove it another way.” The words left him in a desperate rush. “Mary Ann has a best friend named Penny. One day she will date a boy named Tucker.” Maybe telling the doctor about the future would change it as irrevocably as altering the past. But he was already on this path and couldn’t stop himself. “Tucker’s a jerk, by the way, and you should put a stop to that before it ever starts. Or maybe she’s supposed to date him. I don’t know. She will—”
“Okay. I’ve had it. I want you to leave, Aden. Right now.” Dr. Gray pointed to the door. “Clearly you’ve been through my personal files. Clearly you’re trying to compare your life to hers. Well, it’s not going to work. I want you out of this office before I do something I’ll regret.”
Compare his life to whose? Mary Ann’s? Or someone else’s? Someone equally close to the doctor? “I don’t understand. Who are you talking about?”
“I told you to go.”
Aden pushed to his feet. His legs were shaky, but he didn’t tumble back into his seat. “Tell me who you meant and I will. You’ll never have to meet with me again.” Well, not here. “Please.”
Before the doctor could reply, Aden’s mind began fading to black. No. No, no, no. He wasn’t ready, had more to say, more to hear. His struggles increased. “For God’s sake, just tell…”
Too late.
The tunnel sucked him back in, spinning him round and round, down…down…
The last thought to drift through his mind was a question. Would Mary Ann still be a part of his life when he returned?
We’re about to find out, Elijah said grimly.
CHAPTER 15
“Aden. Aden, wake up!”
“Oh, thank God, he’s here.”
“He popped out of nowhere. Didn’t he? Did I imagine that?”
“Aden, can you hear me?”
Aden fought his way out of that long, dark tunnel a second time, afraid of what he’d find. His temples throbbed and blood rushed through his veins too quickly. His muscles were stiff, heavy. At least his companions were quiet as they, too, struggled to orient themselves.
He pried his lashes apart. Muted sunlight streamed in from a large bay window, throwing spots in his line of vision. Subdued though that light was, it still proved to be too bright and his eyes teared.
“Give him space,” a deep male voice said. Riley.
Riley was still part of his life, then. That had to mean Victoria was, as well. Please, please let it mean that she was.
Two sets of footsteps shuffled. A girl said, “I can’t,” then white-hot, trembling hands pressed to his cheeks. He turned his head, sinking into the heat. Victoria loomed over him, dark ponytail falling over her shoulder and tickling his neck.
Thank God.