The Vanished by Melinda Metz

sense of complete powerlessness, of being under DuPris’s control.
    She stopped over the spot where DuPris had kept her frozen in place.
    What a good little bunny you are, DuPris had murmured into her ear. Her terror at that moment had been overwhelming, and even recalling it now made her shiver. I wonder what thoughts bunnies are capable of having. . . .
    And then he’d plucked an image from her mind — an image of herself hoping to kiss Michael. Amused, DuPris had forced Maria to walk over to Michael and put her arms around him. It was the worst violation she’d ever experienced. At least touching Michael had allowed Maria to make a connection to him, which had broken DuPris’s hold over them.
    Now it seemed a total mystery how she’d made that deep connection with Michael. She couldn’t even think of anything to say to him anymore — never mind a union of their auras.
    Suddenly all of it — the gulf between her and Michael, DuPris getting away, Alex exiled to another galaxy — it was all too much for Maria to handle. She took a deep breath and burst into hot, uncontrollable sobs.
    This was the last place she wanted to have a meltdown. Here. In front of him.
    â€œMaria, don’t,” Michael said, his voice soft and full of concern.
    She wheeled around to face him, tears trailing down her face. She rubbed them away and struggled to get a grip, but fresh tears kept streaming down her cheeks. “How . . . how are we ever going to get . . . Alex back?” she choked out. “Everything’s against us! Nothing . . . nothing . . . nothing’s going right.”
    â€œMaria, you —”
    â€œNo!” she shouted at him. “Don’t ‘Maria’ me! You don’t even have the decency . . . the common decency . . . to look dumpy sometimes!”
    â€œWhat?” Michael demanded.
    Maria turned away. “It doesn’t matter,” she wailed. “Nothing matters. Alex is gone. DuPris has the Stone. And you . . .”
    And you don’t love me.
    But Maria couldn’t say that. She could never say that.
    Instead she spun around and ran out the door. She bolted over to the car, jumped in, and slammed the door. She just wanted to be home. She just wanted to be away from Michael. She never thought she’d feel that way, but she did.
    After a long moment Maria heard Michael climb behind the wheel. He didn’t say anything, just wrapped his arms around her. His aura wrapped around hers with all the comfort of a towel straight out of the dryer.
    â€œI just feel so awful . . . about everything,” she said, pressing her face into his shoulder.
    â€œI know,” he said. “I do, too.”
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” she asked, her voice muffled.
    Michael let out a long sigh. “I don’t know.”
    He held her for a few minutes, rocking her until her tears stopped. Then he pulled away, holding her shoulders.
    â€œYou know what I’ve got?” Michael asked.
    Maria wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Uh-uh,” she said.
    He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth satchel tied with a dark red ribbon. He waved it in front of her face. “Remember this?”
    Maria’s heart skipped a beat. It was the aroma-therapy satchel she’d made for him. She couldn’t believe he carried it with him.
    â€œTake it,” Michael said.
    Maria held the little satchel up to her nose. The smell of rose petals, eucalyptus, and pine needles filled her sinuses, clearing them with the strong fragrance. She held on to the satchel for a few moments, inhaling deeply. Those were three of her favorite scents in the world.
    â€œBetter?” Michael asked.
    Maria nodded, giving him a smile that felt like it could break into pieces any second.
    â€œThanks,” she said.
    â€œNo,” Michael said, putting his arm around her. “Thank you. Somebody’s got to let themselves feel all