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could be seen invading her eyes. She lifted her hands to the sky and thanked somebody I had never heard of.
    “Nicole, is it really you?” She sprinted toward me with her arms open wide, and I backed myself into the fence I had forgotten was there. An uneasiness enveloped my senses. As a frantic caged animal, I tried to climb up the chain-link sideways, keeping my gaze on the poacher that had found me. She stopped short and gently patted her knees—trying to calm the frightened beast.
    “My poor Nicole.” She shook her head. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
    “Don’t come any closer!” My voice was shaky and lacked the intended threatening tone. “You have me confused with someone else.”
    “Oh no, my dear. I might not have been able to pick you out from a crowd, but Samuel here knows you as well as the daylight itself. He’s been watching you, darlin’.”
    I glanced behind her where Samuel was standing. He had been watching me? That explained why I had dreamed about him, at least. I must have seen him countless times without even noticing, and my subconscious picked on up it. I eyed him from top to bottom and casually asked myself how I could have missed such a magnificent male specimen. Terror crept into my thoughts. Was he the one who was trying to kill me all this time? Did he kill my parents? He wasn’t much older than I was, twenty-eight at best. There was no way he was the one who’d killed my biological parents. But maybe he was part of an elaborate group and he was just the next in line to take over the duty of making sure that I didn’t see another day. The thought was too much.
    I turned to continue my ascent up the fence. I only got about halfway up before Samuel took hold of my shirt and plucked me off as easily as I could pluck the petal off a flower. I wanted to scream, but his hand closed down onto my mouth. Tears sprang into my eyes from the impact.
    “Don’t be so rough, Samuel!” Vivian snapped. “Nicole, it’s me. Your Auntie Vivian.”
    Samuel released my mouth so I could respond. I wouldn’t dare scream again as long as he had me. I didn’t have to say as much—he could read my mind.
    “Ms. Vivian.” I breathed heavy. “My name is Eliza, not Nicole. I don’t even know a Nicole, so please. Please let me go. I promise I won’t breathe a word about Samuel being telepathic to anyone.”
    She laughed heartily. “Eliza, dear, don’t be silly. Samuel isn’t telepathic. He’s just connected to you, that’s all.”
    “Right, how silly of me,” I mocked.
    “I don’t care what you call yourself, darlin’.” Vivian swatted at the air. “You’re my Nicole.”
    I tried to remember if Richie had given me my aunt’s name, but I didn’t think he ever did. I wished to God he was here right now and hadn’t taken off like a little coward. I hoped he really was a private detective and not secretly an agent. My country’s fate in his hands was a scary thought.
    “Oh get over here!” She threw herself at me in a great big hug.
    I held my breath and closed my eyes in anticipation of the pain. But when her arms wrapped around me and her cheek pressed against mine, there was none at all. She giggled in my ear, and I could not hold back the sobs.
    For the first time ever, I could enjoy the touch of another human being, and it filled me with so much joy I couldn’t contain it. I brought my arms around her shoulders and squeezed, thinking about all the times I had wished so badly I could enjoy this simple pleasure as easily as everyone else. Even my own parents could not hold me.
    After a long embrace, I finally let her go and looked at her through tearful eyes, desperately imploring her for answers.
    “Why didn’t that hurt?” I asked.
    “Your powers don’t work on your kin, dear. You can’t heal me any more than I can heal you.”
    I looked at the woman in front of me. Was it possible she really was my aunt? My skin was a dark olive color that resembled a full-blooded