Genesis (The Evolutioneers Book 1), page 4
“Why? I told you that mailman was selling heroin along his route. I gave you information about which houses were his clients. You just confirmed I was right. You’re welcome.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Putting bad guys away is not the point? That’s your job.”
“Exactly,” he said. “That’s my job. Your job is to serve coffee.”
“Ouch.” She drew back and placed her hand on her chest. “That’s low, Detective.”
“It’s the truth. Look, Crystal, you can’t keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. Two nights ago my captain recognized you at the scene of that shooting on Dearborn. What were you doing there?”
“Not killing people.”
He raised a dark brow. Clearly, he wasn’t amused.
“I had a vision, obviously. Like the other times. I saw the shooting before it happened.” Her throat closed with frustration at being helpless to stop the tragedy. “I saw the shooter walk down the street and stop in front of that crowd gathered outside the bar and start shooting. He was angry. He wanted revenge. The woman he shot was a former girlfriend, right? The crowd was dressed in blue and green, so I knew it was a game night. I went to the bar to try to stop him, warn her. But I didn’t know what time he would be there. By the time I arrived…”
Chaos had erupted. Shots had been fired. People were screaming and running away from the scene. Police sirens wailed as patrol cars flew past her as she ran down the street toward the madness. A barricade was erected as she got closer, and past the officers she saw the bodies on the ground. More people she failed to save because her powers were too weak.
“If I’d just been a few minutes earlier—”
“Crystal. Stop.” For the first time the cop expression left Detective Sanchez’s face and the same compassion he had shown her the first time they met years before softened his features. “If you only knew how many times I’ve said those exact words myself. Look, honey, I know losing your family was hard on you. But you running into dangerous situations because you claim to have a vision is not going to bring them back. And if you’re not careful, you may end up beside them.”
Ha. Like that would ever happen. She had been nineteen when her parents had died, and she hadn’t the money for a proper burial. She had barely been able to scrape together what she could for cremation and scattered her mother’s ashes on the wind over the falls. Her father’s she told the crematorium to do with what they wished. However, she figured he wasn’t speaking literally.
“I’m not claiming anything. Everything I’ve ever told you has come true. You just need to follow the leads I’ve given you.”
“That’s just it, Crystal. There is a little thing called probable cause. I can’t launch an investigation based on your hunches. The only reason I was able to look into the postal worker was because one of the homes along the route that you indicated housed a pedophile who was violating their parole by living too close to a school.”
“And what about that Amber Alert a few months ago? I told you where to find the car.”
“Lucky guess. Crystal, people are innocent until proven guilty.”
But in her visions, they were always guilty. Once, just once, she would have liked to stop the crime before it was committed. Or have the vision change because something or someone made a positive impact on the person and the crime was averted.
That someone could be her, if she was just given the proper chance.
“I can’t ignore the visions,” she said as tears burned her eyes. “If I can save one person, it will all be worth it.”
“If you don’t stop, then you’ll have to face the consequences.” He held his hands palms out. “I’ve said my piece. I can’t protect you anymore, Crystal. If I hear about you being involved in a crime scene again, I’ll arrest you personally.” The corners of his mouth turned down and sadness filled his dark eyes. “Don’t make me arrest you. I like you, kid. And you won’t do well in jail. You’re too sweet.”
“You have made your opinion known, Detective. I thank you for the warning.” She held out her hand. “Can we at least part as friends?”
“I figured you’d say something to that affect,” he grumbled but took her offered hand.
At the first touch, Crystal activated her second power. Not only was she able to see glimpses of the future, but direct contact with another person allowed her to scan the memories of their past.
With stops and starts of blurred imagery, she watched the past events of Detective Sanchez play out. He lived a life of monotonous routine with brief bouts of intrigue. He enjoyed his work, treated his coworkers as family, and loved nothing more than catching the bad guy.
But he was lonely. Through his eyes, Crystal saw the toll his job had taken on his marriage. Witnessed his wife demanding more of his time and the disappointment in his son’s eyes when he failed to follow through on another promise. Since his divorce and his ex-wife’s remarriage, he had thrown himself into his work, seeking solace in the very thing that led to his marriage’s downfall all while wearing a smile and cracking a joke when at times he felt like doing anything but.
A sad, solitary existence indeed. However, she saw one bright spot, if the detective was brave enough to go for it.
“Who is the blonde woman?” she asked, tightening her hold on his hand when he tried to pull away.
“What?” he asked.
“The blonde woman. I see her standing with your son and another boy. And soccer balls.”
Sanchez gasped and pulled away. This time, she released his hand.
“You do know of whom I’m talking about,” Crystal exclaimed with a delighted clap of her hands. She closed her eyes to focus on the image. “Why do you never talk to her? Whenever I see her, she smiles and tosses her hair. She even asked you where you stop for coffee. Dude, she’s interested. And you’d have had a lot better evening last Friday going on a date than you did reheating Thai food and bingeing episodes of The Walking Dead.”
“Tiffany?” He rubbed his palm against his chest as if he had heartburn. “She, uh… What does she have to do with anything?”
“You like her. And she gives me a good vibe. The next time she smiles at you, ask her out. It’ll do you some good.”
“I-I couldn’t. She’s my son’s friend’s mom. I just… It could be…”
“The start of something spectacular.”
“Spectacular disaster, you mean.” He shook his head and grimaced before turning and heading for the door. Under his breath she heard him mumble, “The world keeps getting weirder and weirder.”
True. So true. She smoothed her palms down her hair as she blew out a breath, but the butterflies in her stomach would not stop fluttering.
The world was getting weirder. And if her hunch was correct, tall, dark, and brooding waiting for her out in the hallway was going to bring about an apocalyptic event not just in her life, but the entire world as they knew it.
CHAPTER FOUR
It didn’t take a psychic to know Max would be waiting for her outside of her little office.
Sure enough, there he was, leaning against the wall alongside the door with his arms folded and a scowl pinching his features.
Detective Sanchez and Max exchanged curious glances as the policeman passed on his way out of the cafe. Then Max turned that brilliant blue gaze on her and her heart slammed to a stop.
Max in the flesh was way more potent than he was in her dreams. He was a beautiful man, much too pretty than any man had a right to be, but the square cut of his jaw kept him from appearing too feminine.
She laughed to herself. There was no way anyone would mistake him for a woman, not with those large shoulders that stretched the leather coat at the seams. Although he was tall and lean, his strength was palpable, and she knew from her visions that he welded it with power and authority. Energy surrounded him like electricity. It was a warm hum that buzzed and sent goose bumps racing across her skin. The sensation was entirely too pleasant, encouraging her to brush up against him and feel it seep into her bones.
Between the fringe of his long black bangs, his piercing eyes were filled with silent questions. The blue matched the radiant glow that surrounded him like an aura and made his skin appear ethereal.
That effervescent light, more than his sudden appearance, was what shocked Crystal more than anything. Max literally glowed as if he were plugged into a light socket. The only other person she saw with a glow like that was herself when she looked in a mirror. They had to be connected. But how?
“You’re a clairvoyant? A real one,” Max added, getting right to the point.
She replied with a sharp nod.
“Is that how you know about…me?”
Crystal nodded again and swept a glance around the coffee shop. In the middle of the cozy Victorian décor, Max, in his black leather, looked like an S&M fantasy run amok. Whatever they were to discuss needed to remain private.
“Hey, Hailey.” Crystal waved to the other waitress on duty. “I have a last-minute appointment. I’ll be awhile yet.”
“Okay,” Hailey replied as if she hadn’t a care, then behind Max’s back waved her hand like a fan while mouthing, “Oh my God. You go, girl.”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “Come with me,” she told Max before walking back through the beaded curtain. When she turned again, she collided with his chest and jumped startled. “Whoa.”
Usually her cozy reading room was a place of peace and comfort, but with Max and his dominating aura overwhelming the tiny space, she was reminded of the power he wielded.
Golden light bathed his skin in and effervescent glow that did nothing to soften his stern appearance as he looked around, taking note of every nook and cranny. So attuned was she to him that she swore she could sense him rating the level of danger she presented, almost as if it tickled her bare arms like the bristles on a wire brush.
“I guess we should start with a proper introduction.” She held out her hand, hoping her palm wasn’t sweaty. “I’m Crystal Evans.”
“Max Madden. But you knew that,” he replied in a voice that was smooth and fiery, like her favorite whiskey.
His palm was hot against hers, hard and strong. It was a capable hand that held many talents.
A perverse part of her brain wondered just what magical abilities of the sexy kind he might possess. She wasn’t blind, the man was hot. And there was that vibration still ringing inside her, buzzing along her blood stream from her fingers to her nipples and everywhere in between. Since it was still undetermined if this man was friend or foe, she’d do best to keep her wits about her.
“Are you all right?” she could hear him ask through the sexual haze clouding her mind.
“Yeah,” she breathed out in as firm a voice as she could manage before diving into his memories.
Holy crap. The power of his mind astounded her. There was so much activity, so much knowledge, she couldn’t process the images fast enough. Flying objects, computers, large buildings and classrooms, always changing. A woman, dark like him, beautiful and haunted. Alive one minute, dead the next by her own hand. A man, someone close, shot in the back. A ball of flame lit up a rainy night sky.
Crystal broke the link and drew a shaky breath. So much sadness, so much isolation in his life. Was this why they were destined to meet? Was she supposed to help him somehow?
She choked back a snort of disbelief. Right. As if he was going to allow her to grill him about the images she saw. And it wouldn’t do her any good to make him think she was a stalker. At least not yet. Depending on the next few minutes, it might be in her best interest to have him believe she was batshit crazy, but for now she needed him to be willing to talk.
“What exactly do you know about me and how?” he asked.
“Well…” She considered just how much she should reveal. “Besides the obvious information that’s on the internet, I know you’re telekinetic. A real telekinetic. You see, for the last month, I’ve been having dreams about you. Saw you manipulate your environment at will. I also knew our paths would cross. I just don’t know why.” Yet.
“Why not?” He frowned and crossed his arms.
“My power is limited. I can only see the next step. It isn’t until the vision comes to fruition, or something happens to change it, that I see the outcome.” She gestured to the stack of cards on the table. “That’s where the tarot cards come in. I use them to get a direction on what I’m seeing.”
The furrows between his brows deepened. “That man earlier—I heard you. You knew details about his past. Not his future. How did you do that?”
Crystal sucked in a breath. Well. He was an observant one, wasn’t he? With excellent hearing, too.
“I…had a vision he was coming and read the cards this morning for more information about his visit,” she lied, not ready to spill all her secrets.
Tha-thunk, tha-thunk, tha-thunk. The longer he stared her down, the harder her heart pounded. Her eyeballs grew dry and itchy as she held his gaze. Unable to hold completely still, she swallowed against the tightness in her throat.
His sharp gaze caught the fluttering movement. He shook his head as his eyes narrowed. “No. You knew specifics about his day. Things that happened in the past. Psychics foretell the future. How did you know?”
She concentrated on keeping her breathing even and hoped the sweat she felt on her forehead didn’t show. “What makes you an expert on psychics? I’m the first one you’ve ever met.”
“A-ha,” he barked and pointed his finger at her nose. “That’s something specific about my past. What are you hiding?” He took a step closer, then another, backing her up until her butt hit the tiny table behind her, rocking it on its legs.
“Hey!” She shoved against his chest. “Stop crowding me.”
The scent of leather and the outdoors filled her head and muddled her thinking. She didn’t believe he would physically harm her, but he definitely wouldn’t be happy if he found out she knew the darkest moments in his life.
“Stop lying to me,” he demanded. “How did you know?”
“Back off.” She punctuated the command by shoving again against the solid wall of his chest. The fact that her efforts to move him were completely ineffectual was more annoying than frightening.
“The truth, Crystal,” he said with a hard glint in his eyes. The firm set of his jaw told her that he wasn’t going to budge.
She glared at him, realizing that this was a no-win situation. “Step back three paces or I’m not saying another word.”
He squinted at her and his nostrils flared in annoyance. His lashes were so thick they looked like coal as they shaded the blazing blue of his irises. He issued a silent sigh before he took one step backward.
She pointed at him. “Keep going.”
His nostrils flared again, but he stepped back until he was across the room. He was still too close for comfort, but the tiny space only allowed for so much maneuverability.
She licked her lips. “With skin to skin contact, I can see a person’s past.”
Those long lashes batted once, then twice. “You can see someone’s past?”
She nodded.
“So when you shook my hand…” he trailed off. His breathing quickened. “What did you see?” When she didn’t answer immediately, he got right back in her face. His lips pulled over his teeth as he snarled, “What did you see?”
She lifted her chin. “Enough.”
“How much?” he growled.
“All of it.”
“All of it?” He began to sway. “No. That’s impossible.”
“Says the man who can move objects with his mind,” she reminded him. “And I’m sorry for your loss.”
“No. No.” He shook his head, but when she held his gaze, he snarled and turned away.
As he tried to back and forth in the alcove, his lips rolled and pinched as if he wanted to say a thousand things but he didn’t know where to start. His hands alternated between tightening into fists and repeatedly brushing his hair out of his eyes.
“How dare you!” he grunted. “Do you understand anything of what you claim to know? About what I’ve been through? How dare you read my mind?”
“I didn’t read your mind. Like, I don’t know what you were thinking as events happened, and if I touched you now, I still won’t know what you’re thinking at the time. I only see what happens like it was a movie.”
“That’s semantics. You still had no right.”
“I understand why you would feel that way,” she said. “It might seem intrusive.”
His eyes bulged. “Are you kidding me?”
“Can you look at it from my perspective, please? I’ve been having visions of encountering a man with unheard-of telekinetic powers that would turn my world upside down. You cannot stand there and tell me that you wouldn’t use every ability you have to keep the advantage for your own safety.”
He grunted and backed away as his lips drew into a thin line. Ha. She was right and he knew it.
“Look, Max,” she began and held her hand out in a silent plea for trust. “I believe there is a reason we met. Maybe we were drawn together because we both have powers. Maybe there are others like us.”
“Others?” He stared at her in genuine surprise.
“Yes, others.” The corner of her lip ticked up. “What, are you such a special snowflake that you thought you were the only one?”
“Well…yeah.” He shrugged.
“Why would you think that?”
“It wasn’t like I heard of anyone else with powers. I thought… I mean…”
For some reason the defensiveness in his tone and the uncertainty on his face amused her. From what she had seen, Max had never been wrong, and the chance to open his mind to different possibilities gave her the courage to press her case. If she was ever going to get out of this nowhere existence and make a difference in the world, she had to make him listen.
“Think about it. Once upon a time people used to be covered with hair and they were four feet tall. It’s evolution. The world is becoming increasingly unstable, and nature will do all she can to adapt to the environment. Maybe that’s where we come in.”
