Page 248 of Incompatible

But suddenly Bay rubs his chin, and something in his energy shifts, his face becomes pensive.

"You know, there’s something I’ve been struggling with lately."

I tense immediately. What does he mean by that?

"I mentioned that Snow’s Twin Soul is living with us now. Summer. And I see him in this… weird way. Like he’s slightly blurred, almost like there’s a swirl of energy around him bending his shape."

I listen, unsure how to respond. There’s no easy answer to something like that.

Bay sighs, running his fingers through his hair, which looks kinda sexy and is rather distracting.

"It’s probably nothing. He’s a powerful sorcerer. But there’s something from my past that keeps bothering me. I met Summer’s brother once. His name is Moon."

"Wait, Moon Ferro?"

Bay turns to me, eyebrows rising.

"You know him?"

I quickly tell him about what happened a few years ago, when Moon pointed at me and called me a revenant. Bay listens, and his face shifts into something more serious, more concerned.

"Moon freaked out when he saw me too," he says quietly. "He went into this strange rambling trance about saving people, and that I was… a fallen angel sent to save ‘us’, whatever it means." Bay darts me a glance. "I’d ignore it if not for the details. He called the danger a ‘swirl.’ And he started to say ‘my broth…’ before I cut him off. I think he meant Summer, hinting he’s some kind of imminent threat."

I stay quiet, not sure what to say.

"Is Moon some kind of seer?"

"He is, but not like Snow. His visions are supposedly more chaotic, with less information and coherence, but they’re broader, almost omniscient. Snow tends to see things only related to himself and our family, and subtly influence them. Moon is more of a classic clairvoyant."

For a moment I try to find some useful thing to say but come empty handed. "I wish I could give you some helpful advice, something that would solve this, but one thing is certain. Moon correctly recognized that I have a… skill. Something tied to taking people’s energy. So his talent can’t be dismissed completely."

"And that’s exactly what worries me," Bay says gloomily, turning his head toward the window and staring at the glow of the streetlights, his expression dark and heavy.

We sit like this for a while, both lost in our own thoughts.

Since I do not want us to end on a gloomy note, I decide to offer,

"Do you want to come inside? You could meet Tommy, Jared’s son."

"I don’t know if that’s a good idea right now," Bay says quietly as he turns toward me, his dark, unreadable eyes studying me for a moment.

"But maybe very soon. I do believe there will be a breakthrough in your therapy," he adds softly. "And maybe we will be on the… right path again?"

I take a deep breath. What he said makes it seem like he’s open to exploring this new path… but I’d rather ask directly.

"You never answer my question, and I know I ask you not to, but now I want to know if you’re considering that when the desensitization process is over, you and I will be together?"

Bay exhales.

"How can you even doubt that, Alex?" His expression darkens, almost shadows. "How could you think I would ever tell you no? Ever since you told me about this therapy, I think about it every single day. I’m waiting for the moment you’re ready."

"Really? You seemed so… cautious."

"I’ll admit that at first it didn’t fully register. I guess I got used to living in permanent pessimism, with no hope at all. The energy of optimism feels like an alien force inside me. But Blue is a genius, everyone knows that. If not him, no one can pull this off. So I consciously choose hope. But I don’t have to choose you anymore. My heart chose you a long time ago, Alex."

I feel my pulse spike and I press my hands to my face to stop the tears from spilling over.

"Really? I’m so scared you wouldn’t want me, not after—"