There had been several try-outs where vampires had been invited to partake in tests. But Sam hadn’t chosen any of the candidates for the squad. She needed three more.
She looked at the males as she said, “You can all leave if you want.” They didn’t. Sam snorted before turning back to me and the girls. “You know Luther has visions. Well, as part of his gift, he can help others have a vision. We offer for new squad members to get a glimpse of what’s ahead—it often helps prepare them for something. Only you would see the vision, not Luther. And you won’t be expected to share it with anyone. Be warned, there’s a possibility it won’t make much sense. Mine sure bloody didn’t. But the offer is open if you want to accept it.”
Paige twisted her lips. “I’d like a peek into my future.”
“Could be interesting,” said Maya.
I was about to say the same when Butch’s hand clamped around my wrist. I lifted a questioning brow at him.
“Don’t,” he said, voice low.
I frowned. “Why?’
“Sometimes it’s best not to know what’s coming.”
“Maybe. But I’m curious.” And I wasn’t good at letting things go if they intrigued me.
“Visions aren’t always pretty.”
“Yours was bad?”
“No, but I know someone who’s vision was bad and I’ve seen how it haunts him. Sometimes the future shows us something we’d rather not see.” His hold on my wrist loosened, and his thumb started to circle my pulse. “The vision could be something that’s tomorrow or centuries ahead of you. Do you want to spend all your time waiting for it to happen? It’ll influence every decision you make in the meantime. As time goes on, you’ll start wondering if it’s really going to happen; if maybe you changed the future somehow. Do you want to live like that?”
“What about you, Imani? Are you interested in a vision?”
I double-blinked at Sam. “Um…”
Her aquamarine gaze rested on Butch’s hold on my wrist. “All right, boys, time to go.” She waved a hand toward the door. Being nosy bastards, they didn’t leave happily. Evan, Salem, and Chico were rather put-out when their mates insisted they leave.
Butch lingered long enough to speak into my ear. “Say no.” Then he was gone.
As the door closed behind him, Luther gave me a pointed look. “Do not let anyone influence your decision. Many visions prove to be helpful. I think of them as warnings. They show us what will happen if we remain on our present course. Others are simply to prepare us for what’s ahead.”
Sebastian nodded. “He’s right, Imani. Butch probably means well, but this has to be your decision.”
Sam rubbed her hands together. “Right, who’s first?”
Ava raised a hand high. “Me!”
“All right, come on. All of you remember that your vision is for you and you alone. No one will ask you to share it.”
Intrigued, I watched as Ava took Luther’s hand. Her eyes closed, and then nothing. Her expression didn’t change, she didn’t tense or anything. Just stood there, very still.
Maybe twenty seconds later, Ava’s eyes flipped open and she took a long breath. “Whoa, that was freaking weird.” She smiled. “Salem is going to love this.”
Paige went next. Then Cassie, Maya, Jude, and—after a little hesitation—Alora. Paige and Maya were confused by their visions while the others seemed…not happy, but not worried. None shared exactly what they had seen.
Luther then turned to me, hand held out. Butch was gonna be disappointed, but I couldn’t miss out on this. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. No sooner had I took the offered hand than I was hit by the feeling of being sucked into something.
It was pure black for a few seconds. Then it was light, and I was surrounded by smoke. My eyes itched like hell and, fuck, I was hurting. My chest burned like a son of a bitch; something warm and wet was covering my top. I didn’t need to look to know that it was my blood. I could smell it. Just as I could scent fire, burning flesh, and the familiar scents of the rainforest that surrounded The Hollow.
Hearing a guttural growl among the shouting, roaring, and screaming, I squinted at the thing coming at me through the smoke. Then my eyes widened. Shit, that—
I was back in the conference room.
Feeling like I’d been shot out of a cannon or something, I blinked repeatedly as I took in large gulps of air. My eyes no longer stung, and I could see that I was surrounded by a group of very concerned faces.
Paige pulled me into her side. “Sweetie, you okay? You don’t look so good.”
I fought back panic, swallowing hard. “I’m okay.”
“No, you are not,” said Sebastian, frowning. “Sit down for a moment.”
I flopped into one of the seats and gratefully accepted the vanilla-flavoured NST that Paige pulled out of her purse.
Alora brushed my hair away from my face. “Wanna tell us what you saw, honey?”
Finishing the NST, I looked up at Sam. “Dragons. I saw dragons.”
CHAPTER FOUR
(Imani)
“Dragons?” repeated Jared, incredulous.
After my announcement, Sam, Luther, my squad, and I had walked out of the rear of the mansion, passed the beautiful gardens, the pool, the private beach, and to the enclosed training arena. The interior was much like a large horse paddock. Each wall was marked from A – D, which represented north, east, south, and west. It was surrounded by a large seating area which featured a VIP box on the middle tier.
Inside, Jared and the males had already begun the session. Now they were all circling me, their faces in different stages of confusion.
“That’s what I saw,” I told him.
“Tell him the rest,” urged Sam.
“We were in the rainforest. There was smoke all around us. I could hear growling, roaring, snarling, and the crackling of fire. People…people were screaming. I could smell blood and flesh burning. A dragon was coming toward me just as the vision ended.”
David, the youngest but most powerful of his squad, said, “You’re saying dragon shifters are coming to The Hollow to battle with us?”
“It would seem so,” said Luther, who was put-out that he hadn’t seen the event in a vision of his own. “I do not suppose you have any idea of when this will happen?”