Manipulating Mikey (First Wave Book 8) by Mikayla Lane Page A

hair. She hadn’t moved from where
she stood under his balcony, and Mikey wondered if she was trapped in that
spot. Like a recording or something. At least he thought that’s what it might
be, until she spoke.
    “I wondered if you would come
down,” she said, her voice clear and strong.
    Mikey’s feet took him half the
distance to the girl before he stopped again.
    “What are you?” he whispered.
    Her soft, tinkling laughter sent
shivers down his spine, and he had to fight the desire to run.
    “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to
frighten you. I won’t hurt you. I can’t . . . I don’t think,” she said, her
brows drawn together in thought. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t though,” she
rushed to assure him.
    Mikey took a few steps closer as he
completely drove out the voice in his head.
    “Who are you?” he asked, taking
another step closer to the apparition.
    The girl sighed heavily and smiled.
    “I’m Emily, but that doesn’t matter
and isn’t why I’m here. I need help,” she said.
    Mikey stepped close enough to reach
his hand out and wave it through her body. His hand felt frozen when it had
passed through her form, and he jerked back as he stared at her.
    “That’s really rude and
uncomfortable. Please don’t do that again,” Emily said as she shivered from the
contact.
    “You’re a ghost,” Mikey whispered
as he stared at her.
    Emily shook her head emphatically.
    “No. I’m not. I’m as alive as you
are. This is,” she said gesturing to her body. “just my mind or something. I’ve
come here since I was a child when I need help. Sometimes the angel sees me and
he helps me. That’s why I’m here now. I need help really bad this time.”
    Mikey just stared, trying to
understand what she was saying.
    “You’re not a ghost? You’re alive?
Where?” he asked.
    “I live in the United States.
Aren’t you an angel? Shouldn’t you know that?” she countered.
    Mikey shook his head, trying to
make sense of what was going on.
    “No. I’m not an angel. I don’t know
any angels. Who are the angels you usually talk to?” he asked, wondering if he
could help her find who she was looking for.
    He was assuming that the angels she
thought she was seeing were the hybrids. If that was the case, he could
probably find one of them to help her.
    “Do you know Indrid?” she asked,
unable to keep the hope from her voice.
    Mikey nodded; he knew that name.
    “Mikey, who are you talking to?”
    Mikey jerked his head up and saw
Lauren leaning over the balcony.
    He looked at Emily, then back up at
Lauren. He knew that she should be able to see the girl standing right in front
of him.
    “She can’t see me,” Emily said,
looking up at Lauren.
    “Why?” Mikey asked.
    Emily shrugged her shoulders and
looked back at Mikey.
    “I don’t know. Only the angel can
see me like this. And you. I need . . .” she began before she looked behind her
shoulder.
    “What’s wrong?” he asked, somehow
knowing that something wasn’t right.
    Emily turned back to him, her face
paler than it was before.
    “I need to go! If you see Indrid,
tell him I need him!” Emily said before she disappeared without even a wisp
remaining where she’d stood moments earlier.
    Mikey walked around the area,
trying to feel a cold spot or anything to note that she may still be there, but
he found nothing.
    “Mikey? Are you OK?”
    Mikey swung around to see Lauren
approaching him slowly. He turned back around where Emily had stood and shook
his head to clear it of her before turning back to face Lauren.
    “Yeah, yeah . . . I’m good. Just ah
. . . a little wired with all the information and stuff. It’s all a little
overwhelming,” he said, forcing himself not to turn back around to see if Emily
had come back.
    Lauren sighed in relief before
looking at him quizzically.
    “Who were you talking to? I heard
you clearly,” Lauren said.
    Mikey forced a laugh.
    “I was talking to myself to be
honest,” he said as he gestured to the