Another excerpt today!? ? This takes place at a frat party in chapter five, when Alex is still not totally sure? what’s going on with her strange impulses to help people.? I just tweaked it a little this morning, so hopefully I didn’t mess something up–but if I did, I’m sure somebody will let me know!? She’s talking to Genna and a random frat guy at first.

Happy reading!

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“So, I was just asking Stu about that party coming up.”

I nodded like I was enthusiastic, although my thoughts were still with Logan. Stupid.? I gave myself a quick mental tidy and perked up.? “Yeah, I heard it’s going to be a total blast.”

Stu smiled.? “Should be rockin’.? If you two think you’re ready for some serious fun…”

Genna clapped her hands together like a little kid, and a smile started across my face.? I opened my mouth to respond.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? And then it? nailed me.? Terror.? The emotion slammed into me so hard, my muscles spasmed and the cup slipped from my hand.? It bounced and landed with a clatter, ricocheting off the floor and spraying beer all over my new sandals.? Sticky wetness trickled between my toes.? But before I could? investigate the damage, the feeling struck me again.? Only stronger this time.? Slivers of ice slid down my spine, and I felt my heartbeat accelerate.

“O-ho, check out the party foul!”? Stu yelled, to the cheers of the three other frat guys standing nearby.

I couldn’t even answer.? ? For starters, my head pounded like I’d been? trapped in a car? blasting heavy metal for ten hours straight.? More importantly, I was suddenly experiencing an urgent compulsion to find and help the person in danger.? As in, now.

“Sorry,” I muttered finally, looking to both sides, desperate to go.? “Um…I’ve got to run to the bathroom and wipe this off.”? Genna gave me a peculiar look, but I didn’t stop to explain.? I fought back the impulse to sprint and instead took off at a speed walk down a hall to the left, letting my instinct guide me.? I hurriedly passed a bunch of open doors on each side, where guys and girls were hanging out and partying.? At the end of the hallway was a door leading to a staircase.? Without hesitation, I entered and headed down.

The panic was getting worse—much worse.? It clawed its way into my chest and squeezed, making my lungs strain to suck in air.? I shivered again and started to run, taking the steps two at a time.? I didn’t stop to consider what I might find or how I could help.? The instinct just forced me to move. Fast.

When I got downstairs, I entered another hallway.? A couple of doors led to empty rooms with long tables, kind of like board rooms.? Only dirtier and smellier.? My nose wrinkled at the sickeningly sweet stench of stale beer, mixed with the pungent aroma of urine and some other yuck that I’d just as soon not know the origins of.? Seriously–hadn’t frat boys discovered Febreeze by now?? ? But I didn’t have long to ponder the finer points of air fresheners, since my instinct was urging me past those rooms, to the very end of the hall.? I didn’t see a door, but somehow, I knew she was in there, the girl calling to me.? And her desperation skyrocketed by the second.

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Okay, all you dog-story enthusiasts out there–I PROMISE to post another naughty Ridgeback anecdote soon (and I might even keep my promise this time).? But I’ve just joined a writer’s discussion board, and so today I’m supposed to post an excerpt from my manuscript (which, by the way, is currently being read by two agents, so keep your fingers crossed).

This scene takes place in Psych class.? My heroine is an empath and Styler is a particularly nasty professor.? And my heroine is just starting to get these weird urges to help people….

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It was bad enough when Styler went after the sorority girls.? But Shelly?? She was meek and shy and a loner, and she didn’t need this.? Being somewhat exiled from normal human connection myself, I could relate to her feelings of loneliness.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? And then it hit me.? I felt like someone had opened a door into my brain and poured their suffocating stew of overpowering ingredients inside.? Embarrassment.? Anxiety.? Shame.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Talk about your party crashers.

The embarrassment flushed my cheeks instantly, while the shame and anxiety twisted my guts and made my stomach churn. ? My head throbbed something fierce, so I kept massaging my temple and glanced over at Shelly.? Her face was a mask of humiliation to match the feelings raging within her.? And something inside of me snapped.? This intense urge to protect Shelly from Styler’s blatant cruelty suddenly overwhelmed me. ? I needed, needed to do something to smack that smug look off of his face.? Something that would soothe the rampaging feelings pounding through my head.? But what?

I willed myself to get a grip.? Instead, my hand shot up into the air as if of its own accord.?

Crap.

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