Chapter 18

**Nova**


Adly sits beside me on my bed but doesn't say anything while I try to work through everything that happened.

This doesn't make sense. How could I dream all that? It was so real.

"Nova?" She gently rests her hand on my arm and I nearly jump off the bed from that small contact.

She looks at me wide-eyed and I immediately feel guilty.

"I'm so sorry. I'm just so confused. The dream I was in...seemed so real." I tell her and start to feel this emptiness inside me.

It feels as if I lost something important.

"What sort of dream was it?" She asks tucking her legs under her and scooting closer.

"We were going through one of the tests and something happened. All I know is that when I woke up I was buried alive. I dug myself out and several men showed up saying they were my mates. A dragon shifter, wolf shifter, Incubus, and a Mage." I tell her.

Her forehead tightens and she glances away as if she's remembering something.

"What?" I ask.

When she looks back at me I see confusion but also fear.

"I'm not sure if this is related, but one of the others said they heard the next test was going to be the worst yet. The first group who went through it...died." I blink at her stunned.

"Are we next for the test?" I ask her.

She nods.

Oh my...had I seen a vision of some kind? How though? Foresight is not an ability I have heard any of our kind having. None of us have abilities other than what we are naturally born with. Vampire abilities are not like that either.

So I couldn't have a vision...

"Did they say what the test was?" I ask her.

She hesitates. "They want to move up the tests by pushing everything. The person who overheard them said that there has been a shift in power among the wolves. The packs are becoming impatient."

Impatient for soldiers.

"Our blood should have been enough, so what more can they possibly do to us?" I think I know the answer if my dream has some truth to it.

Combining our blood with those of other powerful creatures and races they could create the ultimate weapon. Yet how can they guarantee that the recipients of our supercharged blood will accept the transfer? They may not react well to it and an army of people could die because of it.

As much as I want these men to fail, I don't want it to come at the cost of others.

"Nova!" Adly's panicked voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I ask her.

She blinks wide-eyed at me. "Adly what is it?"

"Y-your eyes." Her voice shakes and my heart picks up at how scared she looks.

I jump to my feet and rush over to the small mirror next to the door. My breath is caught in my lungs when I see my normally red eyes have been stained with gold, fire orange, and my pupils are melting outward and swirling with the other colors.

What is happening?

I squeeze my eyes shut and when I open them I'm no longer in the bunk room. I'm not looking at myself in a mirror anymore. I'm standing in Chase's apartment. My chest aches at the familiar room and the backs that are turned to me.

"Why won't she wake up?" I hear Chase ask.

"I do not know. It does not make sense but she seems to have fallen into a coma again, but not by my doing." Charles says.

I move toward them and stop when I'm standing next to Charles. Being so close to him makes my eyes burn with the urge to cry. I push that urge away and look down at where all their attention is focused, and gasp. Laying on the couch is me. Open-eyed and unmoving me.

"Can't you wake her up?" Asher asks Charles.

"To do that I would have to be able to access her energy. She has none. It is as if her body is an empty vessel." Charles explains.

What does he mean?

"What does that mean?" Asher snaps. "Is she...dead?"

Eli lets out a low bone-chilling growl. "Do not say that!"

Asher narrows his eyes at the bigger man. "I don't want it to be true! I was just asking! I want to know what the fuck happened to our mate!"

"Guys, this isn't helping anything," Chase says.

He doesn't look like the Chase I have come to know. There isn't that mischievous look in his eyes or that permanent smile in the corner of his lips.

"What do we do then?" Asher growls at him now.

"I don't know!" Chase's voice cracks and my chest aches at the sound. "I don't know, okay, but we can't fight among ourselves. That won't change anything."

"He is correct. Fractures among us will only hurt our mate when she returns to us." Charles adds.

Asher blows out a breath and moves back to drop onto the nearest chair. Chase carefully moves my legs so he can sit beside me. Eli pushes the small table away and settles on the ground next to the couch. He faces me and keeps his eyes fixed on me. Charles stands over me with his concentration clear on his forehead.

I want to tell him not to hurt himself more trying to figure this out. I want to yell at them to tell them I'm right here, but I can't. They wouldn't be able to hear me. If this is another dream it wouldn't matter if I tried to speak to them anyway.

Instead, I step closer and slide my hand into Charle's. His head snaps to me and he blinks at me.

"Nova?" Oh my gosh! He can see me!

"Charles! Can you see me?" I ask desperately.

He nods and I could cry in relief.

"How? I can not...I can not feel you." He says and I realize he isn't moving his lips.

He's speaking in my mind.

"I don't know. I don't know what's happening. I woke up at the compound where I was kept. It was as if nothing had happened. My friend was there...it was more like a memory but real. I don't know how to explain it. I remember it as the day before the test that killed me." I don't know if I'm making any sense but I'm too excited that he can hear me...feel me.

"Your mind traveled back to the day before you died?" He asks.

"I think so, but it can't be real because I'm right here. Unless...this is a dream." I don't know what to think.

Which part of this is a dream and what is real?

"It is not a dream. You are here with us. Only your conscious mind has left, but why did you not return to your body? Why are you in this form?" He doesn't seem to be asking me.

More like he's thinking out loud.

"How is this even possible?" I ask him.

He has to know something. He seems to know so much, so he has to know what's going on.

"There are some who claim to have the ability to project themselves while their body remains intact. I have not known of someone who has had this ability. It is more of a legend among my people." He explains.

"Do you know more about them?" I ask feeling hopeful.

My Mage mate is very smart. He has to know what to do.

"I can not remember where I read about it, but I will search for it. I can not promise it will be quick." He looks at me as though he can see me.

He can't, but he seems to be able to feel me. I lift my hand and brush my fingers along his cheek.

"I'm scared that none of this is real. That I imagined you." I swallow down the emotions building inside me.

His stoic face shifts slightly and I get a look at his concern for me.

"I will bring you back, my love. I promise." He says and I can't hold back the sob that stumbles out of my lips.

My love...

How can he call me that when we are so new to this? How can he know he loves me so soon?

"I know. Every part of me knows that I can not live without you. That I would die if it meant living eternity with you even after our mortal life." He says.

His words make me cry even more. I want to wrap my arms around him and never let go.

"I don't know how long I'll stay here, but...I miss you guys. It feels like a part of me is broken without you." I admit honestly.

Even if this is a dream I want to say it.

"Nov-" His voice cuts out and I blink.

I'm in front of the mirror again.