Page 5 of Revenant (Spirit Realm #2)

RUE

G unner is real.

He’s here, standing right in front of me.

No matter how many times I reach out and touch him, he doesn’t vanish.

I can’t wrap my head around it.

They came for me.

It’s all I can do not to burst into tears and throw myself into his arms. As much as I had secretly wished they would rescue me, I didn’t honestly think they would bother.

Unfortunately, it’s much too late.

While I tried to keep this part of my life separate from them, I failed miserably. Because of that, I’m now officially a lab rat. If I don’t escape, I will die within the walls of this asylum. Things just got infinitely more complicated, now that the guys are here as well. Part of me wants to curse them for coming so late, but that would be my fear talking. The only thing I can do now is protect them the best I can…by making them leave before it’s too late.

“Gunner, you must?—”

“I’m sorry it took us so long to find you.” Gunner’s voice deepens to a throaty rasp. “Every time we got close, it was like they sensed it and transferred you. It’s only by pure luck that we were able to locate this facility. It’s like you vanished off the face of the planet.”

His expression is so pained, I slip my arms around his waist and press my head against his chest. A tiny sigh escapes me when the comforting smell of grease, body wash, and man rises from his skin. My soul feels like it’s finally come home, and I can’t force myself to make him leave. Not yet. Just five more minutes, then I’ll be strong. “How did you find me?”

Gunner snorts, and my lips curl a little at the familiar sound. A tiny spark warms my chest, the sensation almost painful after being cold for so long. I’ve never had anyone in my life I could rely on. It’s an addicting sensation, and I’m almost afraid to trust it.

“It was the others—Ellis, Hicks, and the twins.” A dark expression crosses his face, his eyes lowering in shame, and he releases a shuddering breath. “I wanted to march into your father’s office and force him to give you back by any means necessary. Stepping back and letting the others do the work was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

His hands clench into fists, his muscles tremble in rage, and I can’t resist the urge to run my palms down his chest, needing the reassurance that he’s okay. The thought of the guys anywhere near my father sends a shaft of near paralyzing fear through me. “He wouldn’t have told you anything. To be an even bigger ass, he probably would have taken pleasure in denying you, even with his dying breath.”

A growl rumbles under my touch, and I find myself crushed against his chest. A contented sigh escapes me, the heat of him leaving me feeling boneless, and I melt against him. For the first time since I was taken, I feel warm. Unfortunately, as much as I want to stay in his arms forever, our time is limited. The longer I remain missing from the cameras, the more suspicion it will draw. It won’t be long before people come searching for me, and I refuse to put Gunner in any more danger.

“So, how are we getting out of here? Because the sooner we leave, the better.” Something sinister lurks in this underground bunker. I fear if it sinks its claws into me, I might never leave this tomb.

If Gunner learns the truth and discovers the danger surrounding me, he will act recklessly. So I tilt my head back and keep my mouth shut. Knowing I have to let him go soon, I shuffle closer, unable to be separated from him just yet.

Gunner runs a hand across his jaw at my question, the muscles of his forearm flexing, and I’m female enough to admit the sight of him is distracting as hell. Though he has always had a sharp edge, there is now a feral quality to him that was missing before.

He looks bigger and even more intimidating, if that were possible. I swear his shoulders are broader and his waist trimmer, like he’s been spending too much time in the gym. His messy brown hair has been cut almost military short, and I find myself missing the messy locks he could never really subdue, much like a child unable to tame his unruly cowlick. His face is all hard angles and edges, and I bite my lip to keep from fussing over him for not taking care of himself.

One thing stops me.

He is no longer the boy I left behind, and I’m both excited and nervous about the changes.

It’s been three months since I laid eyes on him.

What if we’ve grown apart?

Now that I know he didn’t abandon me, that he chose me, I’m afraid my heart will break if he pulls away from me now.

“Our main priority was to find you,” he admits a bit sheepishly in response to my question. “We’re in some sort of research facility, but we couldn’t find anything about it online. The guards are retired military personnel, which means it’s either run by the military or someone with connections. Ellis is trying to hack into the different government agencies for more information.”

My eyes widen in surprise that they went through so much effort to get me back, and my insides turn gooey as I realize they really do care…maybe even as much as I care for them. I find myself petting his chest, unable to be near and not touch him. “Just make sure you’re careful. There is something dark and sinister woven into this place. The last thing I want is for the people in charge to target any of you. For now, I’m valuable to them. If they discover you digging into their secrets, they might decide you’re expendable.”

My heart threatens to implode at the thought, and my control slips for a second. An icy chill engulfs my soul, something that tends to happen when I draw power from the other side of the veil. When Gunner shivers, then snatches me close and peers warily around the dark corners of the room, I take a deep breath and pull it back.

After a moment, the temperature gradually returns to normal. When I open my eyes, I find Gunner glancing down at me. Instead of fear, a sad smile curls his lips. “You have been learning how to control your abilities.”

It isn’t a question, but I nod anyway and shrug. “Not much else to do these last few months.”

I stand a little taller that he noticed. I put a lot of fucking effort into learning about myself, and it’s finally paying off. Then my brows furrow when I realize something important. “Since they moved me to my new room, I haven’t seen one ghost.”

It’s only now that I realize my mind is also eerily silent.

Sure, I can block them now after weeks of trial and error, but I can usually still sense them on the fringes of my awareness.

It’s like I’ve entered a dead zone.

Even the smallest traces of them have vanished.

Logically, I know I should be thrilled—I’ve wished to be normal for years—but now that the ghosts are gone, I only feel profoundly uneasy.

“Are you safe?” Gunner immediately asks, his shoulders flexing as if he’s seconds away from tossing me over his shoulders and walking out the front door, consequences be damned.

To answer his question…

Fuck if I know.

At this point, I’m more worried about Dr. Hershamn than the dead, but I don’t dare admit that out loud. For his safety, I lie my ass off. “For now.”

I hold up my hand when Gunner opens his mouth to protest, his arms tightening possessively around me. “We can’t act rashly. We need to have a plan, or none of us will be able to escape this fortress. I’m a new toy right now. They’ll want my cooperation, so we’ll have some time. We need to use it wisely.”

He blows out a heavy breath, but his dark blue eyes are stormy at the thought of anything happening to me. “You said you just moved into your room? What changed?”

I shiver at being the center of his very focused attention, my response so visceral that it’s all I can do not to crawl up his body and demand he give me another orgasm. One wasn’t enough. Just being near him makes me feel special, and I can understand why people find sexual attraction so addicting.

Tangling my fingers together to keep from reaching for him, I’m more than happy to switch to a subject that has nothing to do with my abilities. “I was being housed in the main part of the asylum. It’s only when I met with the doctor this morning that my accommodations changed.”

I feel foolish for not putting things together sooner. “My guess is, they had me transferred to this building to keep an eye on me. They must be observing other hospitals for people with special abilities. When I met with the doctor, I must have passed some sort of test. I was immediately sent underground. The others upstairs are potential candidates that must have failed their exams.”

I take a deep breath and glance away from him, licking my lips nervously. “There is something different about this institution, something dark and wrong lurking in the halls. I believe they’re hunting for people like me, people with gifts, and collecting us all in one place.”

As much as I want to beg the guys to leave while they still can, I’m a selfish bitch. I want to see them one more time—one last memory to keep me sane. I won’t survive without them, but I don’t wish this life on anyone else.

Before the men came into my life, my thoughts were so dark that I imagined what it would be like not to constantly struggle to just survive. I didn’t care if I lived or died, as long as I escaped my father.

That changed when I met my men.

They opened my eyes to a whole new world.

Now, I don’t want to die before I’ve had a chance to even live.

Just knowing they came for me is enough to bolster my confidence.

They didn’t abandon me.

They’re risking everything to fight for me.

How can I do any less?

“I want you to promise me something.” The softness in his expression turns harsh, like he already knows what I’m going to ask, and I quickly forge ahead before he can interrupt. “If things go wrong, I want you to promise me that you will grab Jaceson and get out.”

A massive scowl darkens his face, and I swear his body looks like it’s bulking up as he stalks toward me. I would normally cringe if anyone else glowered at me in such a way. Gunner is different. He would die before he ever lifted a hand to hurt me. Before he can protest, I push up on my toes, slip my hands behind his head, and drag his mouth to mine.

The taste of him has me groaning, and I deepen the kiss, starving for more, like I didn’t have an orgasm not ten minutes ago. Apparently, just like with the guys, one isn’t enough. As I reach for him, wanting more, he tears himself away with a curse.

Panting hard, he buries his face in the crook of my neck, his body shaking. “I’ll do anything for you, but please don’t ask me to make a promise I can’t keep.” His grip tightens around me, and my feet leave the floor as he drags me closer. “I won’t survive leaving you again.”

Heart breaking, I wrap my arms and legs around his large frame as much as I can physically reach. Tears burn my eyes as I force words past my tight throat. “Even if getting captured means they’ll use you against me? Even if leaving me means you will survive and get another chance to come back for me?”

Before he can answer, a chime fills the hallway, and he reluctantly releases me, sliding my body down his front. “That’s the bell for lunch. They take attendance, so you have to go.”

His hands flex on my hips, as if he’s struggling to release his hold. Then he sighs heavily, his body deflating, and he takes a minuscule step back. “You leave first. I’ll wait here for a moment, then follow.”

A lump forms in my throat at the idea of leaving him, and I am suddenly terrified that once he’s out of my sight, I’ll wake up and realize this has all been a dream. With a shaky breath, I force myself to shuffle toward the door. It’s only when my hand lands on the knob that I realize he never answered.

I look at him over my shoulder, not caring that I’m pleading. “Promise me.”

Hardness glints in his blue eyes, and he snorts, shaking his head almost pityingly. “Princess, maybe you are crazy. There is no way in heaven or hell that we would ever leave you again. We either leave together as a family or stay and fight.”

Damn if my heart doesn’t jolt against my ribs at his fierce promise.

I nod hesitantly, almost giddy at the idea of being part of their family. Before I lose my nerve, worried I won’t be able to leave him if I stay longer, I yank the door open and dash into the hall. Forcing one foot in front of the other, it doesn’t take long for me to find my way down to the dining hall.

The only thing stopping me from rushing back to Gunner is the thought of seeing Jaceson again. Tiny carnivorous butterflies have taken up residence in my stomach, swirling and dipping until I’m worried about being sick, both excited and nervous to see him again.

The way we left things still haunts my nightmares, and I can’t help but obsess over what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been taken. I remember the police shoving their way into my house, I want to say it’s the same kind officer who rescued me from my father, but my memories of that time are blurred. I remember the orderlies forcing me to strip out of my shoes and jewelry.

My mind rebels at no longer being treated as a person but a thing. I thought I had put that life behind me, and I’m infuriated and mortified at the way they looked through me, like I’ve ceased to exist as a person. I didn’t realize how much my life has changed in the last few weeks. Before leaving my father, I didn’t understand that there was a difference.

The blinders are off, and I can’t go back to that way of thinking. As the orderlies march me down the stairs, I struggle to banish the sickening dread churning in my stomach.

The sight of the gurney in the kitchen has panic spasming in my chest. Before I can protest, a sharp pinch in my neck turns the world around me blurry. Harsh words fill my ears, but they’re muted, like I’m hearing everything from underwater.

Then there are only dark shapes moving in shadows.

I swear I heard the guys calling for me, but I’m trapped in my own mind, the whispers of the spirits filling my ears with their madness and drowning out everything else.

Now, three months later, my cheeks heat at the thought of the guys witnessing my humiliation. If they didn’t think I was crazy before, nothing shouts insanity more than being strapped to a gurney and carted away.

I’ve worked hard the last few months to master my abilities. I’m getting better, but my control isn’t perfect. Since my abilities continue to evolve, I doubt I’ll ever master them completely. While part of me wants to distance myself from the guys for their sake, I’m honest enough to admit that without the guys to keep me focused on the living, my hold on my sanity will eventually slip until I turn as batshit crazy as my psychotic mother.

As I approach the courtyard, the sounds of voices increase, and my steps automatically slow. Nothing like throwing me to the wolves on my first day. I’ve never met others with special abilities like mine. I fear it will be like trying to stick two feral dogs in a kennel and expecting them to get along because they’re canines.

If the doctor has been treating the other patients as test subjects, ingratiating myself with them will be like trying to pet a porcupine without getting stabbed. The best I can hope for is to be ignored. If they really do have special abilities, I’m fucked. The doctors won’t ever let me go without prying every last secret from my head. Once they learn what I can do, I’ll either be brainwashed into becoming one of their little minions or dead on some slab.

I edge into the room, quickly scanning the area, mentally noting the exits and the guards—and trying to be as subtle as possible as I search for Jaceson. I still can’t believe they came for me after all this time. Though Jaceson might be quiet, he’s as wild as his brother, just in different ways. He loves the outdoors, the freedom of speeding down the winding highways with the wind tearing at him. He’s not constrained by polite society.

He’s unapologetically himself, and I love that about him.

He makes me feel brave, like it’s okay to be different.

The back of my throat aches from the realization that he would willingly give up his freedom for this underground hellscape.

There are around two dozen patients, and I stop dead in shock. For some reason, I just assumed I was a freak of nature. One of a kind. I’m not sure how I feel, knowing there are others like me in the world.

While part of me is relieved not to be alone, a bigger part feels threatened.

Humans are predictable. I know what to expect from them. Each of the twenty or so people trapped here could lash out and seriously hurt me in ways that I won’t see coming. How do you protect yourself against something you can’t see or touch? Fists are easy to dodge…invisible assailants would be impossible.

I scan the patients, trying to decipher what abilities they might wield…and come up with fucking nothing.

I like to think I would be able to tell if anyone has the same ability to communicate with the dead, but I can’t pick up anything. I’m not sure if I should be relieved or disappointed. The ages of the patients range from kids as young as fifteen or sixteen to some who are older than my nan.

One or two have a slight golden glow around them, but the shimmer is tarnished. More than a few are surrounded by a murky cloud, much like muck you would find underwater after the silt is stirred up. Tiny dark specs float around them, looking like parasites when a few of them wiggle and squirm, and I turn away when my stomach churns in warning.

That’s when my eyes lock on Jaceson.

I’m not even aware I’ve been unconsciously—or maybe not so unconsciously—looking for him. Not wanting to give away that we know each other, I purposefully didn’t seek him out right away.

Everything around me ceases to exist when I see him sitting at the far table, his broad shoulders achingly familiar. My fingers ache to sink into the messy blond strands of his hair, the darker roots making the tips even brighter. I swear I can smell sunshine and outdoors by looking at him, and my throat tightens painfully.

Just as I take a step toward him, drawn to him like a moth to a flame, a girlish laugh echoes across the near silent room, drawing my attention to a pretty, dark-haired girl around my age. She’s sitting on the tabletop, facing the room, her elbows on her knees, her playful expression so focused on Jaceson that she might as well stamp her claim on his forehead. What’s worse—she’s touching Jaceson, her fingers curling around his arm possessively.

A man who doesn’t even notice women is looking up at the girl…and he doesn’t brush away her hand.

No, he fucking smirks at her.

Something in my chest pinches and writhes uncomfortably, a monster seeking escape with only one thought—to destroy the threat. The oxygen in my lungs turns bitterly cold, my breath fogging the air, and I force myself to turn away before I accidentally lash out.

Jaceson isn’t mine, and I have no right to feel jealous.

I repeat that mantra over and over in my head, but the very thought tastes bitter.

Despite doing my best to put them out of my mind, the image of them is seared into my soul, and I walk blindly to the nearest table. The three people at the table stiffen when I sit, two guys and a girl, each looking at me with narrowed eyes.

I’m glad for the distraction.

It takes extra effort to shove Jaceson out of my thoughts and focus on the here and now.

Focus on the danger.

One of the guys is so skinny, it looks painful, his whole body appearing stretched, resembling a skeleton covered with an ashy layer of dark skin. His muted green eyes, combined with his dark complexion, give him a zombie-like appearance. Though he is a few years younger than me, one of the youngest in the room, his eyes contain an equal mixture of madness and despair that makes him feel ancient.

He looks so familiar that it takes my brain a few seconds to recognize him.

It’s Dallas…if he’d died at the age of sixteen, before he had a chance to fill out, and no one had bothered to bury him and just let him wander the earth.

No wonder Dallas has never felt like he fit in with the rest of the employees at the asylum. If what I suspect is true, the people who are admitted to the dungeon are reported as missing or dead. Dallas either gave his brother over to the asylum, thinking it would help him, which I find unlikely, or he’s working undercover to discover information about his brother.

I’m not sure which is more troublesome.

Either way, the warning he passed me about the doctor not being a good man before he disappeared is even more ominous.

The other man at the table is a good ten years older, his face haggard, his eyes a pit of pure darkness. It clashes alarmingly with his silver hair—not gray but a silky curtain of silver. Despite looking human, the air around him hums with tension, telling me he is something other.

What? I have no fucking clue, but he’s no longer completely human.

A tiny girl is tucked between them. Not that she needs the protection. Though she may look small and delicate, her bright green eyes contain a ruthless glimmer that warns a person to stay the fuck away. Her gold hair—not blonde, but pure gold—is tipped with what resembles black ink, like the strands were dipped in the darkest midnight. The wild curls give her a pixy look that invites a person to touch, but I suspect she wouldn’t hesitate to gnaw off anyone’s hand if they dared it.

It’s only when she smiles, her teeth looking very pointy and sharp, that I know I’m right. Menace oozes from her pores, something cold and dark that haunts the shadows. Though she might look all innocent and nice, she would bathe in the blood of her enemies and enjoy it.

To show my respect, I nod, a silent promise that I have no interest in fucking with them. The girl’s eyes widen slightly in surprise, then she purses her lips. “So, new girl, what did you do to earn your spot in the dungeon?”

As much as I want to watch Jaceson, I can’t afford to split my focus. Any hint of weakness, and I’ll find myself a target. The weak don’t survive in a place like this for long. I sigh and tap my lip as I contemplate my answer. “It could be that after getting kicked out of three different asylums, they decided to put me somewhere where I can’t terrorize the staff anymore. Or it could be that I refuse to bow to their rules, even when they drug and beat me. Or maybe it’s because I freak them out when they discover I know their deepest, darkest secrets, things that they’ve never told anyone else.”

The older man doesn’t look away from me, but the younger two exchange glances. I didn’t exactly tell them the truth, but I didn’t lie either. The last thing I want is for people to discover the full extent of my abilities. More than a few people in the room are listening—people who would sell me out in a heartbeat.

“What am I thinking?” The girl leans forward, her expression intrigued.

I grimace and shake my head with a laugh, unwilling to let my secrets go so easily. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you don’t think I’ll last here more than a week.”

The girl snorts and rolls her eyes, a hint of a smile playing about her lips as she leans back into her guys. I can’t help but be a little curious about her relationship with them, but I don’t have long to think about it when her image shimmers like looking into a warped mirror.

The air around the table cools, and I spot a woman who looks eerily similar to the pixie. The ghostly form leans across the table toward me, her shape fuzzy around the edges, wispier, like the smoke of a candle as she wavers in and out of existence. Instead of being full of color, she is barely visible, more a trick of the light if I didn’t know what I was seeing. The spirit doesn’t stop creeping closer until she’s only inches away from me, studying my face intently, then she vanishes in a puff of smoke that disappears in seconds.

I blink in surprise, not only because it’s the first ghost I’ve seen in the dungeons, but also because I’m not sure the girl I saw was a ghost. “Do you have a twin?”

The question escapes me before I can bite it back. The pixie rears back, then stills like a snake seconds away from striking. I wince at my lack of tact. I’m usually better at not blurting out shit, but seeing Gunner and Jaceson has thrown me for a loop.

Before she can lunge for me, a second alarm blares through the room. No one moves as they watch our table. Tension breaks a minute later when I don’t end up in a pool of my own blood. People reluctantly climb to their feet, and I’m not sure if they are more relieved or disappointed that I survived. I dutifully follow everyone else, not taking my eyes off the trio as I trail the rest of the residents, and I find myself in some sort of line.

The three of them follow me closely, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at having them at my exposed back. When I can’t shake off the vulnerable sensation, I turn and glare at them over my shoulder.

And find the gaunt skeleton hovering so close that the sour stench of death wafts from his breath. Tiny fangs peek out from between his lips, and if I didn’t know vampires aren’t real, I would swear he was one of the undead.

Maybe he’s just that unhealthy, but I can’t dismiss the impression that my hunch is closer to the truth than I would like.

“You might want to back up a step, DJ.” I do my best not to cringe away from him. “People around me have a habit of getting hurt.”

He draws himself up to his full height and scowls down at me. “Are you threatening me?”

My eyebrows shoot up, and I shake my head, answering him honestly. “I am no threat to you. As far as I’m concerned, we have bigger problems to worry about than each other.”

I’m glad he’s so tall that I can’t look behind him and search for Jaceson like some stalker. I feel him in the room like a separate heartbeat, but the longer he remains with the other girl, the more erratic it beats.

“Not in this place,” DJ mutters, drawing my attention back to him. Some of his aggression is dialed back slightly as we shuffle down the line. “If you want to survive, you would be smart to view everyone here as the enemy.”

I can’t fault his logic. He has been locked up here for months, if not longer. He’s in survivor mode. Since I spent most of my life locked away and used by one person or another, my perspective is different. I shrug and give him a crooked smile. “Maybe you just haven’t met the right people yet?”

A snort escapes him, and he looks at me with pity. “After a week or two, you’ll change your mind. This place will change you. The people here would sell their grandmothers if it meant receiving extra liberties. And my name is Dillon, not DJ.”

Before I can retort, the line moves, and a tray of food is shoved in my direction. My eyebrows hitch up in surprise to see actual food and not a glob of indecipherable paste. My stomach growls, and I automatically take the tray, my fingers locked around it in a death grip.

Resuming my seat back at the table, I’m shocked when actual silverware clatters on the tray. Either they don’t care if you try to shank someone else…or it’s a test to see if you can be trusted. While my fingers twitch to pocket the metal, I ignore it and focus on stuffing my face.

I’m surprised when the pixie returns to the same table and sits across from me. Her resting bitch face is impressive, but since I’m not used to people being pleasant, I easily ignore it and continue to eat.

Her two companions join us less than a minute later, sitting on either side of the girl. DJ digs into his food like he hasn’t eaten in a decade, and I’m surprised he eats at all given his thin frame.

Then I get a look at what’s on his plate.

It’s a bloodbath of raw meat. I immediately look away, swallowing hard to keep my lunch down…and catch the older man peering up at me from under his lashes. It takes all my control not to flinch at finding his pitch-black eyes on me. He could almost pass for normal, if not for those dark orbs. Without the white sclera, his gaze is very alien, the predatory sensation crawling along my senses.

“What did you mean about my sister?” The pixie glares at me, and I don’t miss the sharp, blackened nails that tip her fingertips as she drums them menacingly on the table. “My sister is gone.”

“Gone maybe, but not dead.” Of that, I’m sure. The image of the ghost replays in my mind, her form so insubstantial that it reminds me of the comatose patients in the medical wards at the other asylums. Not alive, but not dead either.

Sharp nails screech across the table as she drags her hands into her lap. She looks torn between pleading for answers and lunging across the table to demand them for herself. “You’ve seen her?”

Well, shit.

A tray clatters down next to mine, not giving me a chance to answer. When I glance up, I barely catch a glimpse of Jaceson’s harsh expression…before his lips crash into mine. The taste of sunshine and the outdoors explodes across my senses, and the rest of the world disappears.

His kiss is different from the others’, raw and demanding everything. His hands cup the back of my neck, catching me when I tip backward from the force of his attention. He cradles me close until he steals every last thought in my head.

Humming in satisfaction, he pulls back an inch, like he relishes breathing the same air as me after so long. His straight hair is slightly unkempt, the fringe cut giving him a sexy, just fucked look. His long, dark lashes make his blue eyes even more intense than I remember.

I’m breathing roughly as I scan his lean frame. Up close, his shoulders are broader than I remember, his muscles bulkier, giving him a slightly menacing mien. Maybe I should be more wary of the changes, but it’s his eyes that capture me.

He looks at me like I’m his whole world, the reason for his existence, and it’s addicting as fuck.

Almost enough for me to forget that another woman was touching him…if she wasn’t standing behind him, glaring at me like she was contemplating the many ways she would like to murder me.