Tremors of the Past © 2018 by Jamie A. Waters
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover Art © 2018 by Deranged Doctor Designs
Editors: Beyond DEF Lit
ISBN: 978-0-9996647-2-8 (Paperback Edition)
ISBN: 978-0-9996647-6-6 (eBook Edition)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018907713
First Edition *September 2018
Contents
The Omni Towers Series
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Sneak Peek
Drop of Hope
About the Author
The Omni Towers Series
Tremors of the Past
Beneath the Fallen City
Shadow of the Coalition
Tremors of the Past
Drop of Hope
Flames of Redemption
Spirit of the Towers
Chapter One
Kayla shimmied across a beam spanning the length of the storage room ceiling, pausing about halfway to peer over the side. Three OmniLab security officers searched behind a wide assortment of crates and equipment, and she raised an eyebrow. Did they really think she was a beginner when it came to evading authority figures?
“I know you’re in here,” a voice called out.
Kayla narrowed her eyes as Brant Mason, the dark-haired security officer from the special sect known as the Inner Circle Shadows, scanned the room below her. He’d been hounding her ever since Alec assigned him to watch over her. He was taking these babysitting duties a little too seriously for her taste. Sure, someone might try to hurt her again, but Lars and the Coalition were on the surface and not in the towers. It was far more likely she’d accidentally cause another earthquake. As long as she didn’t actively use her energy abilities, and no one pissed her off, they’d all be just fine. She hoped.
Kayla rested her head against the tie beam for a moment. Okay, so maybe it was a good idea to stick close to the man in case the ground started shaking, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The nonstop scrutiny was grating on her nerves, and she needed a break. Every instinct screamed out for her to flee. When they’d followed her to the bathroom again just a few minutes ago, she’d thought she might lose her mind.
Hence her decision to climb into the rafters of one of OmniLab’s basement storerooms to escape from security’s watchful eyes. It might not have been the smartest decision, but even a short break was a welcome relief.
One of the officers muttered his frustration and made a disparaging remark about Inner Circle members, but Brant silenced him with a sharp look. “Watch your mouth. And no, I can sense her. Keep looking.”
Kayla wrinkled her nose. How does he do that? She didn’t even realize she was using her energy most of the time and tried to concentrate, clamping down on her energy usage. Brant had explained she had a tendency to leak energy when she wasn’t concentrating on it. It was an exercise in constant frustration to keep it suppressed.
Brant’s gaze darted around the room as though he sensed her trying to control the energy. He snapped his fingers at the guards, ordering them to look faster. Kayla draped herself over the beam to get into a more comfortable position, prepared to wait them out. The minute they moved on in their search, she’d backtrack and hide out in the Research and Development Lab, where an irate scientist had chased her out of earlier. Apparently, he didn’t appreciate her taking one of their latest prototypes apart, which was a shame because she would have drastically improved his design after a few tweaks.
Her commlink vibrated in her pocket. Shifting her body enough to pull it out, she disabled video and audio. No need to advertise her whereabouts to either the caller or searchers. A message from Carl displayed on the screen when she pressed a button.
Where are you?
She hesitated before answering. Carl would curse up a storm when he found out what she was doing. They’d only released her from the medical ward yesterday, and her injuries hadn’t fully healed. Apparently, crashing a speeder, dislocating her shoulder, being shot with a stun gun and then stabbed wasn’t the healthiest of lifestyle choices. Go figure. She considered her options in replying and then tapped out a brief response.
Playing hide-and-seek with Brant in the basement. I can meet you back in Seara’s quarters in an hour.
When he didn’t respond, Kayla slid her commlink back into her pocket. Brant and his team had finally given up on their current location and were moving toward the next room. Kayla waited, poised to make her escape once they crossed the threshold. If she hopped on the next beam, she could then slide down to reach the other side of the room. They’d never have a clue.
A tingling in the air was the first sign something wasn’t right. She reached out with her energy senses, trying to decide what was different. Before she could figure it out, a sharp wind kicked up, upsetting her balance and causing her foot to slip. Her instincts took hold, and she hooked an arm over the beam to prevent falling. She gasped in pain as the sharp movement pulled at the injury in her side. She couldn’t do anything except hang on.
Shouts echoed from below, followed by the pounding of approaching footsteps. There was a loud, metal clang and then more footsteps running in the opposite direction.
“Don’t move!” Brant shouted below her.
Seriously, that’s all the advice he has?
She blew her dark hair out of her face and tried to figure out how to get out of this predicament. In her current position, she couldn’t tell if there was a nearby ledge or crate to use as a springboard. The pain in her side was excruciating, and she was almost positive she’d torn open her injury again.
Forcing herself to focus beyond the pain, Kayla tried to maneuver one of her legs back over the side of the beam. Suddenly, a powerful wind gave her a small boost and lifted her enough to secure herself. The warm embrace of Alec’s energy surrounded her, and she glanced down to find Alec and Carl standing below.
Kayla grimaced, squeezed her eyes shut, and thumped her head against the beam. Great. She was in for it now. She opened her eyes again to take another peek, hoping she’d been wrong, but no such luck. They were still there, and neither one looked happy. Both men were standing side by side with mirrored expressions of disapproval on their faces, but that’s where the similarities ended. Carl and Alec were as different as night and day.
Carl’s dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck, exposing his powerful jawline. He had a more athletic build, with broader shoulders and a chiseled physique. The man’s body was mouth-watering, and she still got butterflies in her stomach whenever she looked at him. He was devious, resourceful, and more than a little cocky and self-assured—all traits she deeply admired. It was his understanding and compassionate nature, though, that had overcome all her resistances and made her fall in love with him. Although, right now, it was clear his thoughts weren’t warm and fuzzy. He crossed his arms over his chest as he gazed up at her with his penetrating brown eyes.
Yep. She was definitely screwed.
Kayla glanced over at Alec and blew out a breath when she realized he was equally perturbed. Where Carl was more rugged and could pass for a ruin rat, there was no mistaking Alec’s position within the towers. There was something almost regal in his bearing. He wore the mantle of High Council leader as though born to it, which wasn’t far from the truth. From the elaborate clothing to the expensive jewelry he wore, Alec carried an air of unmistakable privilege. With his piercing blue eyes and blond hair falling neatly to his shoulders, he was every bit the golden boy of the towers. Kayla couldn’t deny he was attractive, but there was more to it. He was unlike anyone she’d ever known, and it was those differences that made him intriguing. Like a moth to a flame, he captivated her. And like the proverbial moth, Kayla suspected she was about to find herself in a very uncomfortable situation.
At her scrutiny, Alec arched one of his eyebrows, and she blew out a breath. Oh well. She’d had a good run. Time to face the music.
“Brant tattled on me, didn’t he?” she accused from her perch.
Alec clasped his hands behind his back. He didn’t answer her. Instead, he turned to Carl. “I don’t know how you managed to catch her on the surface. She’s been out of the medical ward for less than a day and my security team has already lost her twice.”
Kayla lifted her shoulder in a half-shrug and then shimmied back across the beam. Carl was pretty good at staying one step ahead of her. Apparently, Alec was taking notes. That didn’t bode well for her.
As she reached the end of the beam, she hooked her abdomen over the bar and swung her lower body upward to dismount in an underswing that would make any gymnast proud. The landing jarred her, and she winced as the movement pulled at the injury even more.
Cursing under her breath, she gingerly touched her side. When she removed her hand, it came away wet with blood. Crap. She glanced up to see if they’d noticed.
They had. She groaned as Carl crossed the room in a handful of steps.
“Dammit, Kayla. You just got released from medical.” He yanked up the bottom of her shirt to inspect the injury and let out a low hiss at the sight. “Shit. You pulled it open again.”
“Hey!” she protested at his abrupt handling but glanced down to see the damage. Ouch. He was right. Her careless acrobatics had reopened the wound. She wrinkled her nose as she examined her side. It wasn’t any prettier the second time around either.
Carl lifted his head, and his worried gaze met hers. The depth of love, concern, and raw emotion in his eyes was staggering, and her objections melted away. With a sigh, he trailed his fingers across her cheek and then tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.
“You’ve got to be more careful, sweetheart. If you had received an injury like that when you were on the surface, it would have laid you up for weeks. You’re lucky to be out of medical so soon. The doctors can only speed up your healing so much. You still need to give your body time to recuperate the rest of the way. I don’t want to lose you,” he said in a low voice.
Carl cupped her cheek in his hand, and she leaned into him, relishing the contact. It was hard to argue with him when he was right, especially considering she’d almost lost him a short time ago. The thought of losing the man she loved had been more than she’d been able to handle. In her grief, she’d nearly pulled a building down on top of them.
Fortunately, Carl had only been stunned. The experience, however, had only reinforced what she knew from the past. Each moment they had together needed to be treasured because there was no way to know how long it would last. She’d been in the medical wing for nearly a week recovering from her injuries. The medics had made it clear she might not have survived if Alec hadn’t gotten her back to OmniLab so quickly for treatment. For that, she’d always be grateful to the High Council leader.
She glanced up at Alec to find several emotions tracing over his features. He’d been keeping a tighter clamp on their energy bond ever since she’d admitted how she felt about him, and it made it more difficult to read his feelings. It was a little easier to relax around Alec without the fear of being inundated with the allure of his energy, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss the closeness of their shared connection.
Alec took a deep breath and called to Brant over his shoulder. The security officer jogged over, bent down, and assessed Kayla’s injury with a critical eye. He spoke into his wrist unit, ordering a medic to their location.
Kayla wrinkled her nose at their overprotective hovering. “Come on, guys. It’s not that bad. If we slap a bandage on it, it’ll be fine.”
Carl frowned and lowered her shirt. His fingers brushed against her skin and, despite her injury, she shivered. She turned into putty every time the man put his hands on her. He pressed a kiss against her forehead and shook his head in exasperation.
“Do you want to explain why you were hanging from the ceiling?”
Not really. She shifted her weight and tried to decide on a plausible explanation. Since she still planned to escape the guards at the earliest opportunity, she didn’t want to volunteer her future plans. Luckily, she didn’t have to get inventive because one of the security officers came rushing over. After expressing an out-of-breath apology, the officer announced, “I couldn’t catch them. They had too much of a head start. I think they slipped down one of the side halls.”
Alec’s eyes narrowed on Brant. “What happened?”
“We were attempting to locate Kayla when I sensed someone channeling energy. Next thing I knew, she was about to fall. One of my men attempted to track down the suspect when they fled. We’ve sealed the floor and are bringing in another team to search. If they backtracked to the service side of the floor, they may have already escaped. This area isn’t secure.”
Kayla bunched up her shirt, pushing it against the wound to wipe up the blood. Damn. Maybe she did need more than just a bandage. Her side was throbbing.
“I didn’t fall. I felt a tingle and then a gust of wind tried to knock me off the beam.”
Carl and Alec exchanged a look but didn’t reply. They’d been doing that a lot over the past two days, and it was getting annoying.
Brant frowned. “I’ll have someone review the surveillance system footage right away.”
Kayla shifted from foot to foot and bit her lip. “Um, about that…”
Carl groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t disable the surveillance.”
She released her shirt and threw up her hands. “I didn’t know someone planned to tornado me off the ceiling. You guys have people watching me every second. Between Brant and his band of merry men following me and the cameras tracking my every move, I don’t get a break.” She slapped her hands on Carl’s chest, grabbed his shirt, and stared him down. “It’s making me crazy. I can’t handle it.”
Carl’s mouth twitched. He lifted his hands, wrapping them around her wrists, and kissed the tip of her nose. “We’ll figure something out.”
Kayla let out a breath and relaxed against him. He draped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side.
Alec turned to Brant. “Check the outlying cameras and see who was in the general vicinity when the incident occurred. Were you able to pick up a signature from the energy channeling?”
Brant shook his head. “They were too far away. As soon as I approached, they stopped and ran. The only thing we have to go on is their ability to channel air energy.”
Footsteps interrupted the conversation. Carl’s arm fell away, and Kayla looked up, her shoulders stiffening at the sight of the approaching medic. She glanced toward the exit, calculating her chances of successfully escaping before they started poking at her.
As though sensing her intention, Carl moved to block her exit. She scowled at him, but he merely shook his head. In a low voice, he whispered, “Behave.”
The medic, accustomed to dealing with difficult patients, appeared unfazed by her reluctance. He pulled an imaging wand out of his bag, ran it over her abdomen,
and studied the display.
“The surface mending is torn. The deeper reconstruction still appears to be intact though.” He glanced up at her, disapproval etched in the lines of his stern expression. “You’re fortunate this wasn’t more serious. The original wound was deep, and even though it’s patched on the surface, it needs more time to heal internally. We should admit you to the medical ward for observation.”
Kayla’s eyes widened as she took a step backward. No way. Not going to happen.
Alec put his hand behind her back, halting her retreat. “That’s not feasible. What are the other alternatives?”
The medic pursed his lips but didn’t argue. He studied her side again, prodding the injury. “I suppose we can reseal the wound and give her another metabolic booster to speed up the healing. It’s sooner than I’d recommend, so there may be a few side effects.”
“Sure. Sounds great. Let’s go with that option,” she readily agreed, eager to get this done. After spending days being poked and prodded by the doctors in the medical ward, she’d had enough of Omni medicine to last a lifetime.
Carl frowned in concern and took a step closer. “Wait. What side effects?”
“A racing heartbeat and insomnia are most common. Nothing too serious, but the side effects may last a few days. I’ll give her a lower dosage, but if the side effects are troublesome, we can give her something to help her sleep.”
At Alec’s nod, the medic cleaned the wound. When he brought out a compact device and pressed it against her side, Kayla flinched at the sensation of her skin being pulled together. It didn’t hurt, but it was far from pleasant. The smell was worse. Her stomach lurched at the acrid odor of the resealing device fusing her skin back together. When he finished, he gave her the injection and dropped his tools back into the kit.
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