Page 122 of The Lost Ones

“Sure that would be great. Thanks guys!” He smiles his first genuine smile making a single dimple pop in his cheek.

“Dude with a smile like that it’s not surprise you get all the dick!” I joke and he lets out a startled laugh.

“You don’t really have a filter do you?”

“No she doesn’t. Don’t worry you’ll get used to it.” Erin answers before I can and I just raise my eyebrow and shrug.

“I am who I am!” I say trying to sound smart and worldly and making us all laugh.

Chapter Twelve

“Hello everybody,” Nicole says as she enters the room from a door on the back wall and interrupts our conversation.

I had no idea she’d be teaching us but it makes sense that she is, who better to teach us than a Centre.

“For those of you who are new. My name is Nicole and I’m a Centre with three Bonded mates. Now each of you will have one gift. Only the very strongest amongst us will get two and that’s very rare. Never will any Centre have more than that.” She states seriously.

Shock hits me.

Hang on a freaking second one!? We’re only supposed to have one? Two at most?

At last count, you know in the eye of the storm that I was the cause of, I had freaking five of them. I look over to Erin and scribble a quick note on a piece of paper stacked on the desk, presumably to take notes.

Me: How many do you have?

Erin: I don’t even know what I’ve got, let alone how many! We didn’t exactly get a chance to explore them last night and what with how your gifts reacted when you got hot and heavy we didn’t want to risk it, so I really don’t have any idea.

Me: Fair point. We have that meeting with Nicole after dinner but after that come to my room and we’ll test it out if you want? I want to play with mine anyway. Especially since I’m only supposed to have one so I need to keep the others hidden.

Erin: Yeah that sounds good. Mav and Dash are going to the library too so I don’t think we’ve got anything planned.

“I have two Miss Nicole.” The bitchy brunette says smugly.

“Yes we are all well aware, Rebecca.” Nicole says the patience running thin in her tone.

“Yes well I just wanted to make everyone aware. Some of us struggle to even get one to work for us.” Rebecca adds shooting a satisfied look at Cole.

I turn ready to reassure him but instead I catch him makean unaffected eye roll as his mouth kicks up into a tiny grin.

Well isn’t that interesting?

I think there might be more to Cole than there first appears. I’m quite intrigued to find out more about him and I think the guys are going to love him.

“That’s enough, Rebecca!” Nicole says sharply, “We do not talk down or make someone feel like lesser just because we THINK we have more than they do.” Nicole finishes dismissing Rebecca entirely as she gets ready to retort.

I Have to admit my respect just rose slightly for Nicole.

“Moving on. Eventually you might be able to link minds with your bonded mates when you find them, if you haven’t already,” she holds up her hand in the direction of Rebecca and sure enough she has her both open no doubt about to gloat. “I know a few of you have found them. For those of you who haven’t don’t worry it will happen. The goddess wouldn’t have made you a Centre if she didn’t have your perfect Bonded out there too. Sometimes we just have to work a bit harder to find them.” She finishes smiling softly and if I’d have to guess thinking about one of her men.

“You won’t be able to communicate with your minds down your bond unless you practice and hone your gifts. So with that in mind, that’s what we will be doing next lesson since we are running out of time to get really into it now. Especially since you have all got different gifts and I will need to go around individually to help you. For now only explore your gifts in the designated practice room in your suites. Ideally I’d like you to not use your gifts at all until we’ve been able to practice for at least a lesson or two but I am not naïve,” she chuckles. “So all I ask is that you do it in your practice rooms only and you remain safe. Do not aim magic or in the case of your Bonded their alternative forms at each other and if it gets heated in whatever way, be that through anger or sex, than walk away. Until you all have complete control, the fallout from your heightened emotions could be catastrophic.” She says looking sombre and even Rebecca takes her seriously. “In case you were unaware Centre’s don’t get Imprinted Tattoos. That is a purely human thing.” She starts explaining, I’m guessing for mine and Erin’s benefit because it shocks me, I have two. “Their Bonded however are more likely to have them and more than normal humans. We aren’t sure why this is but as we understand it, it’s because the majority of Bonded are human until they get their Supernatural sides triggered by their Centre, they effectively play by the human rules. Meaning they get Imprinted Tattoos like the humans do.”

That’s actually really interesting and I wonder if maybe the fact that Bonded tend to have more Imprinted Tattoos than the usual human is possibly even a sign that they are supposed to be Bonded. Not very many humans get more than one at such a young age.

I think I’ll ask her about it privately. I’m also guessing that since I waseffectively human for so many years because my gifts were locked down that, that is the reason why I’ve gotten my Imprint Tattoos and although I’m slightly sad that I won’t get any more I am not sad that I won’t have to go through that pain again. That was never pleasant.

For the rest of the lesson she gives us very brief information on Centres and it’s all stuff that I already know, so I tune out a bit, trying to mull over the new information she has given us. Like the fact that we shouldn’t be able to communicate through our minds yet, if ever and I shouldn’t have more than one gift and definitely not five.

Kai