HIDDEN (Hide Or Die)

Chapter 52

KYLE'S P.O.V.

“Ma, how about this one?” I asked, holding up yet another jacket and pair of jeans. It was the eighth outfit I’d dragged out of my closet and paraded in front of her. My mom, who was sitting on my bed, chuckled at me, shaking her head.

“Kyle, you’re not seriously nervous about Andrew coming over, are you?” she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Do you still get butterflies after all this time?”

I felt my face heat up. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop having butterflies when I’m around him, Ma,” I admitted, shuffling my feet. “I just... I love him too much.” The words felt small compared to the tidal wave of feelings inside me, but they were the only ones that fit.

My mom smiled warmly. “Oh, my sweet boy. Love is a beautiful thing. But maybe leave some clothes in the closet for the rest of the week?” She got up and came over to me, eyeing the mountain of clothes I had dumped on the floor. “Here, let me help you.”

After a few minutes of sorting through the chaos, we settled on a snug black hoodie that hid my wings without making me look like Quasimodo, and a pair of dark jeans that made my legs look longer. My mom said they made me look “handsome and mysterious,” which I was pretty sure was mom-code for “you’re my son, so I’ll tell you you look great no matter what.” But I was too excited to care.

“Perfect!” I said, beaming. I raced into my bathroom to get dressed, nearly tripping over my foot in my excitement. Once I was ready, I looked in the mirror. The hoodie fit nicely over my wings, and my blond hair was tousled just the right way to look cool without seeming like I’d tried too hard. My blue eyes were bright with anticipation.

“I look good,” I whispered to my reflection, grinning like a dork. I could hardly wait for Andrew to get here. He lived right next door, so it wouldn’t be long now. I sprinted back downstairs, two steps at a time, ready to wait by the door like an eager puppy.

But before I could reach the bottom, I heard Andrew’s voice in my head.

"Kyle, he said, his voice trembling. "Kyle, I’m scared."

The panic in his tone made my heart stop. I skidded to a halt, nearly tumbling down the last few steps. “Andrew?” I called out loud, forgetting for a moment that we were mind-linked. "What’s happening? Are you okay?"

"I’m not okay, Kyle," he said, his mental voice cracking with fear. "I was on my way over, right? I told my parents I’d be at your house. And then this man—he just... appeared in front of me. Out of nowhere!"

My blood ran cold. "A man? Who? What did he want?"

"I don’t know!" Andrew’s thoughts were a jumble of panic. "He grabbed my shoulder, and then we... we teleported or something. Now I’m locked in this room, Kyle. I don’t know where I am!" He started to cry, his sobs echoing in my mind. "They’re saying something about using me to get to ‘Olivia and her son.’ Kyle, they know about us. They know about your mom, and they also know I’m dating you!"

"James," I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking with anger. It had to be him. James, my mom's ex-fiancé. Ever since he saw me accidentally lose control and hurt my mom, his hatred for me was obvious. But I sensed there was another reason behind it, something he never cared to explain. Now, he was using Andrew as a pawn to get to us.

Rage flared hot and wild inside me. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms, and I felt something shift. My vision blurred, turning red around the edges. My teeth ached, fangs pushing out. I barely noticed my mom walking into the room until I heard her gasp.