An Inner Darkness Book 5 Bay City paranormal

makes you think you caused the light bulb to explode?”
    Adrian shot him a look full of unspoken resentment. “ You know. You can do it too.” The simple statement told Sam all he needed to know about what Adrian had experienced lately.
Seeing no point in denying the obvious, Sam nodded. “Yes, I can. Of course I didn’t know it when I was your age. My talents started coming out a little later, and I had no idea what was really going on until last year. I always thought I was just…weird, you know? A freak.”
    Adrian was watching Sam now, dark eyes curious. Encouraged, Sam plowed on.
    “When I found out the strange things that had been happening to me were real, and were caused by an ability called psychokinesis, I didn’t know what to think. It was a relief, in a way, because it made me feel like less of a freak to know it had a real cause. But it was scary too, because I didn’t know how to control it, and I didn’t want my abilities to cause anyone I loved to get hurt.”
    “Like my dad.”

    Surprised, Sam nodded. “Yeah. Like your dad. And my friends at BCPI.” Sitting up, Adrian drew his knees to his chin and wrapped both arms around his legs.

    His expression was blank, but fear glittered in his eyes. “I don’t want my mom to get hurt,” he whispered, so softly Sam almost didn’t hear him. “Or Sean. Or my dad.” Sam didn’t mention Lee’s absence in the list, or his own. “I won’t lie to you, Adrian.

    There’s always the possibility of people around you being hurt. Most of the time that doesn’t happen, though. It can be very frightening when you hear noises, or things move or break, and you know you caused it without meaning to. But the likelihood that 60
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An Inner Darkness
    anyone’ll get hurt is low. And chances are, when you get older it’ll all just go away.” He didn’t mention the possibility of Adrian’s new ability causing one of the interdimensional portals to open. The boy was obviously frightened enough without adding to it. Sam figured he and Bo would have to discuss what to tell Adrian about the portals.
    Adrian looked at the wall. “What if it doesn’t go away?” What indeed? Sam’s pulse raced. He knew what he had to do—what he wanted to do—but God, it was a terrifying responsibility.
    “I can help you learn to control it,” Sam heard himself offer. “I learned. I can control my ability pretty well now. I can teach you, if you’ll let me.” Adrian’s gaze snapped back to study Sam’s face with a shrewdness far beyond his years. Sam waited as calmly as he could. It galled him to feel so intimidated by an eleven-year-old. But he figured all step-parents— is that what I am? —felt that way from time to time, and Adrian was hardly an average child. Plus it wasn’t every day that a guy was faced with the prospect of teaching his lover’s son to control his psychokinetic powers.
    Just when Sam thought he couldn’t stand the silence any longer, Adrian turned away and lay down again, curling on his side. “Maybe.” Sam watched the boy, trying to think of the best way to proceed. He had to tread carefully here. Agreeing to even the possibility of Sam helping him was a huge step for Adrian. Sam didn’t want to do or say anything to scare him off.
    “Okay,” Sam said. “Why don’t I let you think it over, huh? And you can tell me what you decide to do.”
Adrian didn’t answer, but Sam knew he’d heard. Pushing to his feet, Sam left the room and shut the door.
He found Bo in the kitchen, stirring milk into a cup of peppermint tea. Bo looked up when Sam walked in. “Well?”
    Sam smiled at the mingled hope and apprehension in Bo’s eyes. “He didn’t say much, but it was enough. He believes he’s responsible for what’s been happening at his mom’s house, and I think he’d like to learn to control it.” www.samhainpublishing.com 61
    Ally Blue
Bo’s eyebrows rose. “You think?”
    “Well, he said he didn’t want you or the rest of his family to get hurt because of what he can do. I offered to teach him how to control it. He didn’t accept, but he didn’t tell me no either.” Sam shrugged. “I think he might be willing to let me help him.”

    “God, that would be fantastic.” Smiling, Bo reached out and pulled Sam into his arms. “I know how hard it must’ve been for you to do that, Sam. To talk with Adrian, and offer to help him.”

    “Only because I’m still getting used to being…well,