Page 23 of Revenant (Spirit Realm #2)
RUE
A fter the doctor takes samples of our blood, one vial from each of the guys and a whole bag from me, he scurries from the room like a rat clutching his prize to his chest. I think he would’ve taken more, willingly drained me, if he could do it without killing me. When the doctor reached for a second bag, Gunner began growling and stalked closer. I’m not even sure if it was a conscious thought on his part or instinct, like a predator coming in for the kill.
Gunner tenses, ready to leap after the fleeing doctor and take down his prey…when I step into his path. He halts, the rumble in his chest cutting off abruptly, and blinks in surprise, as if bewildered at how I managed to materialize out of thin air. He wraps his arms around me, and I snuggle against his chest.
I would protest…but why? I’m exactly where I want to be. I run my hands over him, the impulse to inspect every inch of him and make sure he’s okay impossible to resist. The rest of the guys crowd close, each placing a hand on me…except for Hicks, who stands guard.
I reluctantly pull away, my worry spiking as I track his line of sight.
The soldiers linger in the room long after the doctor, and I don’t like the way a few of them cast looks of retribution in Hicks’ direction. Everyone knows you don’t fuck with the guards, especially when they have access to you twenty-four-seven. After they finally turn and stride from the room, something about the way Hicks watches the door has the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.
Though I know Hicks won’t hurt me, I still approach him cautiously. With the new changes due to the serum, I don’t want to startle him. I place my hand on his arm, then nearly jerk back when the heat radiating from his body is almost too hot to touch.
His startled gaze drops to mine, then he rears back when he notices I’m touching him. Not willing to let him retreat, I tighten my hold. After the initial contact, the temperature actually feels like slipping into a hot bath. When I don’t burst into flames, the tension eases out of his spine. He shuffles closer, watching me as he curls his arms around me, as if not used to showing affection and worried about how I will react.
I don’t hesitate to press myself against his front, melting against him. He remains stiff for a moment before I’m crushed against his chest. My brows furrow when I swear that his torso was harder than granite just a second ago, but I brush it off as a figment of my imagination.
Maybe I should still be leery after the way Hicks treated me last time, but I’m determined to start fresh. That he came for me when I disappeared earns him a second chance. In truth, I’m surprised he’s not pissed at me for dragging him and the others into this mess.
Because of me, they are no longer human.
It’s not lost on me that Hicks never admitted to how my blood has changed him, and I find that worrisome. I rest my forehead against his chest, then yank back when it feels like he is running a fever. I glare up at him, cringing when concern turns my voice harsh. “Why didn’t you tell me you are sick?”
“I’m not.” Hicks pulls back, his eyebrows rising in surprise.
I eye him suspiciously, slipping my hand around the back of his neck and jerking him down so I can slap my hand against his forehead. “You have a fever.” The accusation comes out as a snarl.
He captures my wrist, pulling my hand down until I’m cupping his face. His expression softens, and I swear his pupils narrow into vertical slits, splinters of yellow displacing the green color, until I’m staring at something not exactly human. “Hicks?”
He pulls back sharply, dropping my hand as though I burned him. He runs his palm down the front of his shirt, as if to straighten the wrinkles, avoiding my questioning gaze. When I step toward him, his head snaps up, and he hastily backs away. “Don’t.”
I halt when he recoils, curling my hand against my chest, not realizing I was reaching for him. I didn’t pull back in fear that he would hurt me, it’s the rejection that stings. When I retreat, his eyes widen in panic, and he holds a beseeching hand out toward me. “I’m not sick, I promise.”
I tilt my head and survey him with narrowed eyes. “You’re hiding something. What abilities did you manifest?”
“I’m not sure what I am,” he admits with a grimace, never once breaking eye contact with me. He takes a minuscule step in my direction, as if expecting me to bolt.
My scowl darkens, and I place my hand on my hips. “So let me see if I can understand this…it’s okay for me to?—”
A hand slaps over my mouth, and I still when Jameson practically shouts in my ear. “Ixnay on the secrets, pookie. We’re being watched,” he whisper shouts, his eyebrows wiggling manically as he nods toward the cameras in the corners.
I flush, wanting to smack myself for my own stupidity. Of course we are being watched. I can’t believe I forgot that for even a second. I tap my fingers against the back of Jameson’s hand, signaling for him to release me, but he pulls me closer, a furrow between his brows as he pouts.
“No can do, pookie,” he murmurs, shaking his head as he snuggles against me. “What’s the password?”
Confusion distracts me for a moment, and I purse my lips, trying to work out this conundrum. When my lips inadvertently brush against his palm, adoration brightens his blue eyes. He yanks his hand off, then swoops down and smacks a kiss against my lips before humming happily. “Password accepted.”
Bemused, I watch him saunter off with a sexy swagger. It’s only when Ellis slips his hand into mine, threading our fingers together, that I snap out of my daze.
Who knew kisses could be potent enough to scramble all rational thoughts?
It takes a concentrated effort for me to focus on Ellis.
“Don’t worry,” he murmurs, drawing me against his side and kissing my temple. “Though I wasn’t able to shut off the cameras, I could turn their audio feed to static. They didn’t hear anything.”
My shoulders slump in relief, hating that I almost screwed up so completely. To my credit, I spent most of my life held in captivity, so who can blame me for forgetting when I am used to being watched every second of the day?
“Thank you.” I snuggle into his side, frowning when I see grooves carved around his eyes and mouth. “Are you okay?”
He winces, then rubs his temple. “It’s just a headache. Nothing to be concerned about.”
But that’s just it—I am worried.
Who knows what kind of side effects the serum will have on them?
Before I can demand to look him over, the dinner alarm rings, and he tugs on my hand. “We should eat. It wouldn’t do for us to be late. I suspect they will use any excuse to punish us.”
The rest of the guys quickly follow. When we exit the labs, we merge with the other occupants leaving the training cavern. The guys tighten their circle around me, glaring at anyone stupid enough to invade our space.
The thud of feet on metal stairs echoes throughout the stairwell, the contraption swaying alarmingly, but no one seems the least bit concerned about their safety. As we trudge toward the courtyard for lunch, everyone shuffles along like a bunch of zombies. The patients seem to fall into three categories—those who don’t seem to be aware of us, those who peer at us warily from the corner of their eyes, and those who openly stare.
Gordan sneers in our direction, while Crystal glares at me and ogles my men at the same time. Thankfully, she doesn’t have telekinesis, or the boys might be stripped naked from her will alone. I lean toward Jaceson, never taking my eyes off the threat. “What ability does Crystal wield?”
Jaceson’s expression is blank, his brows scrunching up as he searches through his memories for answers. Before he can reply, Sue—the goth pixie girl—pipes up from behind us. “Persuasion. If you can hear her voice, she can force you to do things.”
The guys exchange worried glances, and I don’t take my eyes off Jaceson. Did he honestly not know, or was he told not to remember? What else might she have ordered him to do without him being aware of it?
Jaceson runs a finger down the side of my face, his touch so featherlight that I barely feel it. The adoration in his eyes steals my breath, and he leans down to bump his nose with mine. “You are thinking so hard that I can practically hear you. She didn’t do anything to me. I was never alone with her.”
“That you remember,” I say, my stomach twisting at the thought of that slut touching him without his consent. The bitch could do whatever she wanted to him, and he would never remember.
Uncaring that I’m still holding hands with Ellis, Jaceson leans down and kisses me hard, never closing his eyes. His stormy blue eyes are strong and steady, and I find myself reassured by his total lack of concern.
He pulls away slowly, his breathing rough, and he licks his lips as if to savor the taste of me. “Funny, but I don’t remember anyone else but you. If she did touch me, she was so inconsequential that I must have forgotten it.”
My eyes widen at his smooth charm, something I didn’t expect from him. He flashes me a roguish wink, then wraps his arms around my shoulder, dragging me with him as he stands in line for lunch, his cocky swagger sexy as fuck. He manages to befuddle me so much that any worry I might have had about the other girl vanishes.
For now.
Later, I plan to beat the shit out of her for daring to touch what is mine.
The guys reluctantly release me to grab our food. Gunner forces his way in line so he’s standing next to me. When he sees the trays and the meager, unappetizing food, he glares at the people behind the counter, every inch of him oozing menace.
The servers hastily slop more food on both of our trays, and I barely hold back a grimace. I peer up at him, leaning against his side, and his aggression immediately dials back. A little coo comes from his chest, and I’m not sure which one of us is more startled. A flush darkens my cheeks, but something about the tiny sound has me melting against him like the bones in my body have turned to jelly.
Instead of embarrassment, his chest puffs up in pride. He grabs both of our trays and guides me toward a table, like I’m a little duckling that might wander off at any moment. I head toward my normal seat, and he dutifully follows.
It doesn’t take long for the rest of the guys to join us, everyone crowding around the one table. Gunner sits at the end of the bench seat, and I’m not sure if it’s because that’s the only spot he will fit or if he’s just prepared to spring into action. He tucks into his food like someone who has been starved at one point in his life, not even bothering to chew most of it.
Jameson takes a seat next to the big guy, and I find it slightly disturbing that he is behaving so well. It’s almost odd not to see him charming someone or causing mischief. I’m not sure I like the change. Ellis sits between us so silently his presence is almost unnoticed. He’s distracted, and I suspect he’s doing something with his abilities. I want to tell him to take it easy, not push himself, but I know he won’t, not until we’re all safe.
With his leg pressed against mine, I allow the chill of the afterlife to soak into him. Jameson shifts, pressing against Ellis as well, and I can sense he’s doing the same, sending healing waves into our resident nerd. His skill isn’t as precise, more flooding him with power like a tidal wave instead of a trickle to search out the injury.
After a moment, Jameson’s power pauses as it watches me work, and he adapts so quickly that I’m in awe. It’s like he has an innate sense of how to use his abilities. It’s not long before I pull back and just watch him heal the headache threatening to crush Ellis’ skull under the pressure. Ellis sags between us when the pain in his head eases, the lines on his face melt away, and he sighs in relief.
To my surprise, Hicks sits on my other side, glaring at anyone who dares to look in our direction for too long. When I don’t immediately start eating, he nudges my tray, pushing the mangled chocolate brownie from his dish onto mine. I didn’t think he was even paying attention, but that’s foolish. Hicks notices everything.
Jaceson takes the remaining seat at the end of the table, and I don’t miss that he pockets an extra set of silverware. He does it so naturally that if I hadn’t been looking, I would’ve missed it.
Half of the guys watch the room for threats, while the other half hovers over me. Most girls might find their actions suffocating, but I’ve been starved for attention for most of my life and relish their care.
Not to mention, they are the perfect buffer for the rest of the room.
Sue and her two men pause at our table, and I smile at her. “You should sit with us.”
The goth pixie with black-tipped golden hair assesses me with shrewd green eyes, quickly picking up that it’s not an invitation. Though she could protest, curiosity piques her interest, and she takes a seat across from me. Her two men follow suit while eyeing the rest of the men at our table suspiciously.
“We are thinking of switching our accommodations later tonight. I thought you might want to know in case you want to join us,” I say cryptically, not daring to say anything else out loud.
Brad nearly pokes out his eye with his straw when he misses his mouth, then catches himself and slurps up a mixture of something lumpy and red from a jumbo-sized cup. DJ hardly pauses in his quest to shove his food into his face as fast as possible, the bloody meat so raw that it barely has a sear on it.
Sue is cool as a cucumber, just cocking her head to the side, absently moving food around her tray as she gazes at me speculatively. “Others have tried the same, failed, and suffered the consequences. Why do you think you will be any different?”
“Hershamn considers her valuable,” Hicks answers for me, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “We have to leave before he takes any more interest in her and takes things too far.”
Sue snorts in amusement, then her green eyes harden when she realizes he is dead serious. After lowering her fork to her tray, she leans back and crosses her arms. “What do you want from us for this invitation?”
I look away at her blunt question, unable to answer why it’s so imperative they join us. “Common decency?”
Sue snorts and rolls her eyes at the absurdity, but her tone is amused when she speaks. “Coming from you, I almost believe it.”
She takes a couple of bites of food, her expression contemplative. Then her eyes lock on mine, a ruthlessness in them revealing that she would be a dangerous enemy if crossed. “Brad, Dillon, and I are a packaged deal.”
“Of course,” I reply without hesitation, already assuming she wouldn’t leave them behind.
“If you want our help, I have terms of my own.” Sue crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. Unsure what to expect, I reluctantly nod and wait for her to continue. Sue leans forward, her expression hardening. “I won’t leave without my sister.”
It’s both a warning and a plea. As much as I want to help, I won’t make her a vow that I might not be able to keep. “I can’t work miracles, but I promise to look for her on our way out.”
It’s the best I can do.
Her shoulders relax slightly, then her eyes flick to something over my head, and her expression hardens. “Incoming.”
She doesn’t wait, just picks up her tray, her two companions following her lead, and they leave the table without another word. They dump their trays and exit without interacting with anyone else. No doubt she is off plotting. Even if we don’t succeed, I wouldn’t put it past her to use us as a distraction to escape herself.
Maybe I should be worried, but I don’t think she would betray us.
I don’t have time to overthink anything when Crystal and Gordan reach our table, their haughty expressions rubbing me wrong. Gordan dismisses the guys, glaring menacingly at me, still pissed that I didn’t buckle under his superiority during our last fight. Crystal barely spares me a glance as she eye fucks my guys.
When she reaches out to put her grubby hands on Jaceson, I snap. Before she can touch him, I launch to my feet and knock her hand away, shoving my way between them. “Touch them, and I will fuck you up.”
“Is that a threat?” Crystal smirks, cocking out her hip, not the least bit intimidated.
My eyebrows rise, and I slowly shake my head. “A promise.”
She purses her lips, sashaying toward me until only inches separate us. “We have a way of settling things in the asylum—we work out our differences on the training mats.”
It’s then I realize she’s set a trap, and I fell right into it.
Crystal’s smile widens, malicious glee shining in her eyes. “Better eat up, freaks. You’re going to need it.”
Gordan crosses his arms, the smug fucker confident of his victory. “This place is only big enough for one of us. You and your boy toys will learn your place soon enough.”
“I’ll see you after lunch.” Crystal winks at the guys, then leans toward me, speaking under her breath. “When I take you out, your boys will be mine. I can’t wait.”
When she whirls on her heels, I nearly tackle her on the spot, the need to remove the threat almost impossible to ignore. Sure, I’ve been keeping myself in shape, training nightly since I was taken. Unfortunately, none of that matters if what I suspect is true.
The fight is rigged.
Crystal wouldn’t be so confident unless she already knew the outcome.
I don’t care what happens to me, but I refuse to allow anything to happen to the guys. The stakes have never been higher. If I have to reveal my secrets to protect them, then I will do it in a heartbeat.