Page 57 of Lucie
“You mean you can change the way you see things? I mean, it’s not all jumbled up together for you to sort out?”
She snickered. “No, silly. That would be like you trying to run, walk, and jump all at the same time. No, I can change the way I see things, but don’t ask me how. It’s somethingI learned to do when I was young.”
“How many different types of sight to do you have?”
“Four, thatI know of. There could be others that I haven’t figured out yet.”
“What are the four? You said there’s ‘see in the dark’, which I’m guessing is why your eyes were reflecting the light, and ‘hot and cold’, which is how you’re able to tell a person’s body temperatureand all.”
“I also have ‘black and white’, where I remove all color from what I’m looking at, and there’s the normal way. The way everyone else sees things.”
“Do you ever use ‘black and white’?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s very useful when I’m hunting. I seem to notice shape and movement a whole lot better because I don’t get distracted by color.”
“Whatabout distance or close up?”
“I don’t think I have any advantage there.”
“Mattox does. My brother. He can see a flea scratch itself from a hundred feet away. It’s incredible.”
“Can his eyes see anything else?”
“If he can, he hasn’t told us.”Lucien chuckled. “That’s fascinating how you’re able to do that. Makes me jealous.”
“Jealous? Why?”
“Because you can do all those things. You have that advantage over people like me.”
“But you’re halfMutah, too.”
“But I don’t have a mark, and I don’t have any kind of special ability…that I’ve discovered.” His comment left her to believe he still held out some hope he’d discover one someday. She started to comment that maybehe’d eventually find out, when her body shivered violently. Immediately, he threw an arm over her waist and pulled her closer, as if to share his body heat. “You okay? Are you cold?”
Johnacontinued to stare up at him. They were almost nose-to-nose, their lips inches apart. She could smell the jerky he’d eaten on his breath. This time she didn’t stop herself from reaching up andallowing her fingertips to caress the stubble on his cheek. A cough rumbled in her chest, which she managed to stifle, but Lucien heard it.
“It’s getting worse.”
“Yeah.” Taking a raspy breath, she licked her lips. “Lucien? May I ask you for a favor?”
“Favor granted in exchange for granting mine,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers.
“What’s yours?” She didn’t dare breathe. She prayed his request was what she was anticipating.
“This,” he whispered, and closed the distance between them to kiss her.
