Challenged - Skinwalker Book 2

Chapter 28

Sierra nodded her agreement then turned to face the room, her naked hands instantly attuned to the static in the atmosphere that was leaking through the door towards her. She closed her eyes as she tried to focus.

"Just breathe," Luc whispered encouragingly into her ear.

His breath reminded her of Jason, and the confidence that he, too, had in her. She realised that they were not the only ones. She'd been getting support and encouragement from different people in different ways from the first day, but she'd been too blinded by her own fear to see it. If they could see something in her, surely she should open her mind and try to see it too? She took a nervous, small step forward and felt the charge in the air increase a fraction around her exposed skin. This time she let it in instead of fighting it. It didn't take hold and pull her in as she'd always thought it would. Instead, it seemed to glide through and around her body as though she wasn't even there.

Feeling even more emboldened, she took a bigger, more decisive step forward. The electrical charge that had always sparked her craving reached out towards her and, for a moment, she balked against it as she felt the familiar clutches of its pull. Fear tried to claw its way back into her heart. She felt heat behind her back and opened her eyes to glance over her shoulder at Luc. There was not an ounce of doubt in his face. His certainty inspired her. She forced herself to let go again. In seconds, the intensity seemed to have vaporised. The charge was floating through her again as though she was nothing more than air.

That was the point where her amazement took over. Her focus moved from her fear, and the struggle that it had created within her, to the sheer wonder of having a strange natural current channel through her. She felt connected to everything around her. Her skin still tingled, but it was not unpleasant and she was not twitching involuntarily from it. She wandered a few more steps into the room, captivated by the new sensation - eager to explore it. She closed her eyes and felt the collective energy swirl all around her like some sort of magnificent rainbow, different strengths and vibrations co-existing, dissipating, merging together. She could let them flow in their natural patterns around her or... or she could drawn them towards her, almost reaching out to pluck at their delicate strings and feel their subtle notes settle on her skin at the interruption.

"Uh... Sierra?"

Luc sounded far away, like he was looking in at her from another world. Somehow that seemed fitting.

"Luc, this is incredible..." she mused in awe.

"I'd say..."

It wasn't Luc's voice. Sierra's eyes shot open with surprise. Kal had come into the room, and he was staring at her very strangely. So was everyone else for that matter.

Can't a girl catch a freaking break???

"What?" Sierra asked defensively, annoyed at having her private revelry interrupted to be gawked at like some alien in a research tank again.

Devon pointed at her, speechless. Confused, she looked at her hands and was surprised when she saw that they were virtually glowing. It was as if tiny little white pockets of energy had attached themselves to her skin, their almost invisible tentacles giving them a spidery appearance.

"What the?!?"

She wasn't sure if she should be totally freaked out or fascinated. She instinctively shook her hand to try and dislodge them, but they stuck to her like static. Devon came closer, intrigued. He looked like a kitten that was eager to swipe at the nearest feather toy. It didn't take her long to realise that 'toy' was effectively her...

"Yeeeoooowwww!" he yelled as he recoiled after prodding one of her hands with his finger.

Sierra's brow knitted in confusion. The hand seemed to have lost some of its glow, but she didn't feel any pain.