Free The Mind Games by Lori Brighton

Was this karma coming back to kick me in the butt?
    “You think you’re so qualified,” Aaron sneered. “Can you keep me out?”
    I barely had time to reinforce my mental wall when I felt him come after me. The force of his mental invasion sent me stumbling back, although he hadn’t physically touched me. For a brief moment everything went black and I fell onto my butt into the cold sand.
    I stared unblinkingly up at the dark sky, the voices of my Mother and Sierra a muffled murmur. As I lay there, stunned, I knew I had to regain control and fast. I had to prove to them that I was capable of helping Lewis.
    I clawed my way through the darkness, forced myself to feel the strength of my body, the strength of my energy. Gritting my teeth, I jumped to my feet and reinforced my mental wall that had crumbled so easily. The world came roaring back, leaving behind a dull ache in the back of my skull. The firelight danced and blurred before me. My mom was arguing with Aaron, their voices overly harsh. Sierra stood to the side, merely watching.
    Aaron, who had hurt me with ease, no reservations. A man who I swore took delight in torturing others and abusing his power. He hadn’t even bothered to glance my way to make sure I was all right. It would be his mistake.
    With a mental roar, I threw my energy forward, directed the source right at him. I took perverse satisfaction in watching Aaron cry out and fall to his knees. When he gripped his head in his hands, I only grew more delighted.
    “Cameron, stop!” my mom was suddenly in front of me. “You don’t understand your own strength! Now stop!”
    When I didn’t immediately cease, she gripped my shoulder and shook me. I pulled back my energy and jerked away from her, my giddiness turning to anger. “Why? He wanted to see what I could do; I showed him.”
    Aaron was breathing harshly as he regained his feet. A trickle of blood trailed from the corner of his mouth and glistened in the moonlight. The sight of that blood made me ill. I looked away, realizing what I’d done, the same thing my father had me do to his prisoners. What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I stop myself?
    “I see you’ve learned something new since you left Maine.” He swiped the blood with the back of his hand, smearing it across his pale skin.
    Left him? As if I’d had a choice. The anger I thought I could control had returned.
    “More than one thing.” I swiped my arm through the air, sending my energy toward the fire pit. A log lifted. I jerked my arm left and the log took off toward Aaron, twirling and spinning through the air like a baton on fire.
    Aaron gasped, stumbling out of the way.
    The log fell harmlessly to the sand, embers bursting into the air like fireworks.
    Aaron’s attention snapped to me. “Anything else you want to share?”
    “I am ready. As ready as I can be.”
    My mom sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. “Do you understand how secure their compound is?”
    “I’m touched you care,” I said wryly.
    The cool breeze shifted as a dark cloud rolled over the moon. It was as if the weather matched our moods.
    “I do care,” Mom insisted.
    I dismissed her comment. The weight of her words meant nothing, at least that’s what I told myself. “I was there; I know the lay of the land.”
    Mom kicked sand over the fire pit, extinguishing the flames and throwing the beach into darkness. “Whatever you saw was the basics. There’s more. There is no way to get in and out without being seen. Tara can’t help you; you’ll be on your own.” Mom shook her head. “I’m sorry Cameron. We can’t risk it. We can’t lose you again. You’re not going.”
    She turned and started for the house, Aaron following. Just like that, they thought they could actually tell me what to do? I was eighteen, for God’s sake. She didn’t have the right to control me, not after she’d abandoned me.
    For one long moment, Sierra and I merely stood there, the soft murmur of the