Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“I don’t know baby, but that’s something we will be asking Oracle right now.” He gets out of bed moving to my side.
“You’re going to ask him now?” I ask. It’s so early and he should be resting.
“Do you have a better idea?” He doesn’t say it snidely but as an actual question. My mind races to find one but I come up empty.
“No, but he hasn’t been doing well lately. Lucy is worried about him. Maybe we shouldn’t bother him.”
“We must find out what’s going on and protect you. That’s what matters most right now.”
Seven reaches out a hand as I take it. He pulls me from the bed to my feet as I straighten my pajamas that were skewed from sleep. I worry my bottom lip with my teeth. “I don’t know.”
He leans in giving me a quick kiss, getting me to stop chewing on my lip. “I do. Now get dressed. I don’t want anyone else seeing you looking that sexy.”
“Um, I don’t think sexy is the right word,” I tell him, looking at the fuzzy shorts and tank top. “They cover everything.”
“Believe me, I’m a man, and if I tell you, it’s sexy, it most definitely is.”
I shake my head as I start to walk to the dresser. “Fine,” I grumble.
He grabs my hand spinning me back to him. “I’ve fucking missed you so much Grace.” Just before kissing me until my breath feels like it’s taken from my chest.
I walk away touching my lips. What am I going to do? I’m falling for him. I think I might actually love him.
34
#7
(STARK)
Down in the lab, I watch Oracle walk around mumbling to himself. I’ve seen him in bad shape, but this is so much worse. He keeps saying that he must save her. He has to. He says it over and over like some twisted mantra. He didn’t even notice that Grace and I walk in. Oracle hasn’t always been the fully sane one, but with his hair all mused and looking so pale under the lab lights, he’s looking worse for wear. The dark circles under his eyes have become so deep they are almost black. This is bad…
Oracle floats as he usually would, but now he’s moving back and forth so fast that my eyes are having a hard time tracking him. I’m starting to get dizzy. He’s moving from station to station with Sean just standing there watching him.
We make our way over to Sean, carefully. “What’s wrong with him?” I ask, worried to even breathe close by him. It looks like anything might set him off.
“I’m not sure. He’s been like this since last night,” Sean pauses, shaking his head. “No, he’s been worse than normal for a while, but last night he started to become almost manic.”
“Is he coherent at all?” I ask as we keep watching him stop, mutter to himself, and move to the next spot. He flips through papers erratically, moving things around, but not finding what he’s looking for. The whole lab looks like a tornado ripped through it. He’s finally slowed down enough that motion sickness isn’t imminent. But his jerky movements don’t bode well.
“I’m not sure. I’ve been afraid to approach him but also afraid to leave him alone,” Sean says as he keeps his eyes on Oracle. “He just keeps repeating himself.” I can see the worry in his face and know this is worse than it looks.
Grace frown. “I don’t see Lucy here.” Hearing his mates name pulls Oracle out of his stupor and he finally looks at us, but even now I’m not sure he’s really seeing us.
“She’s gone!” Oracle says, growling in his chest.
Grace walks over to him with me hot on her heels. I don’t trust having my mate being so close to Oracle right now. He’s way too unstable.
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Grace asks, ignoring his behavior, talking to him as she would normally.
“She told me she couldn’t continue to hurt me and that she was leaving and never coming back. I’ve got to find a way to crossover and find her.” The pain in his voice is gut wrenching. I watch Grace shake her head in denial while Sean and I keep a close eye on Oracle.
“Lucy? Lucy!” Grace yells. “Lucy! Get your ass back here right now!” She looks around the room, waiting for her friend to appear. I watch her face fall as she looks at me and I know before she says anything. “She’s not here…. All I feel is emptiness.”
Oracle roars with a pain I can’t describe. “My butterfly!” It shakes the walls, vibrating through our bodies. He drops to his knees holding his head in his hands as his finger grab at his hair, still yelling. “My mate! My mate is gone!” The desperation is understandable. I know if it were me, I would be doing the same.