Kayla didn’t like the idea of a babysitter, but until she learned more, she wouldn’t object. In the meantime, she wanted another sort of answer. “Brant told me he was able to temporarily stop energy from being channeled. If so, can he permanently stop my ability to channel energy?”
Alec’s eyes flashed with anger. Without answering Kayla, he spun around to confront the security officer. Brant’s face visibly paled, but he managed to maintain his composure. He shook his head and said, “It’s not the way it sounds, Master Tal’Vayr. I briefly explained some of my training. She asked for a demonstration. I refused. With regard to her question, I deferred to you.”
Kayla’s eyes darted back and forth between Alec and Brant. Alec looked as though he were ready to pummel the man. Not good. At least, not until she got some answers. She tugged on Alec’s sleeve to divert his attention back to her. “Wait, does that mean it’s possible? If I wanted to get rid of my ability to channel energy, could I do that?”
“No,” he snapped. She flinched and dropped her hand, astonished by his uncharacteristic harsh tone. When she concentrated on their shared connection, she realized he was struggling to get his emotions under control. Okay, this is definitely a touchy subject.
After a long moment and several deep breaths, his shoulders relaxed a fraction and he turned away from Brant to look at her. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I know you’re inexperienced and your curiosity is natural. It’s just… a rather sensitive and upsetting subject.”
Kayla could sense his tension, anger, and an incredible sadness through their shared connection. She bit her lip and took a small step forward, resting her hand on his arm. Feeling someone else’s emotions as acutely as her own still made her uncomfortable. Even so, she had an intense urge to try to ease his pain. She focused on gathering some of the energy around them and wove it in a comforting embrace.
Alec’s eyes softened at her attempt to soothe him, and he murmured her name in a reverent whisper. Tightening his hand around hers, he pressed his lips against her forehead in a chaste kiss.
“Thank you, my love. It’s all right though,” he said quietly and gave her a small smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “When the ability to channel energy is removed temporarily, it causes confusion and extreme discomfort. Other times, it can render someone unconscious. Brant uses it as part of his training to subdue an individual or stop them from harming themselves or someone else. Depending on the nature of someone’s talents, ordinary methods to contain them may not work. He only uses this ability as a last resort.”
Kayla nodded. That made sense, especially if Alec was concerned about her ability to generate another earthquake. She didn’t want to risk another incident either.
Alec took both of her hands in his, and this time, she didn’t pull away. Whatever was going on with him was serious, and he seemed to need the reassurance of her touch. He took another deep breath and said, “To answer the other part of your question, no. If you were separated permanently from your ability to channel energy, it would either drive you insane or kill you. It’s part of who you are. You can’t separate one from the other.”
“Oh,” Kayla said quietly as realization dawned on her. “It’s the same thing as when people tried to remove the bracelets on their own.”
“Yes. It’s a similar concept.” Silently, he added, ”It can be used as a weapon too. It’s how my father killed Keith, and how I killed my father. The ability requires a great deal of energy, but it’s a powerful weapon. My father was only able to do it with the assistance of the bracelets, and I was only able to do it with the help of several other Inner Circle members.”
Kayla blanched. Now Alec’s tumultuous emotions made sense to her. Guilt flooded through her. She hadn’t meant to make him relive such a painful memory.
“It’s all right,” Alec said more gently, sensing her thoughts. “I know this is difficult for you, but I want you to trust me. You have my word that I won’t ever hurt you, and I’ll do my best to answer all of your questions. It’ll take time though. I hope you’ll give that to me.”
She looked away, unsettled by the events of the evening. The weight of their emotions still filled her mind. He was right though. She knew deep down that he’d never hurt her intentionally. Why was it so hard to trust him?
Kayla managed to nod. She wouldn’t make any promises, but she’d give him what she could. “I’ll try.”
He gave her hands a gentle squeeze before releasing them. “Thank you. Why don’t you head inside and get some rest? I’ll see you in the morning.”
She nodded again, and he leaned close to her. His mysterious scent enveloped her as he kissed her cheek lightly. “Goodnight, my love. Sleep well.”
Alec turned away and approached Brant. Kayla watched him issue some last-minute instruction to the other man before heading back inside. When she entered the common room, Seara looked up. “Alec left?”
“Yeah. He’s going to come by in the morning to start my training.”
Seara stood and gave Kayla and Carl a smile. “All right. I’ll let you two get some rest then. I’m so glad to have you back, Kayla.”
They said their goodnights before the older woman headed down the hallway toward her room. Once she was alone with Carl, Kayla let out a long sigh and slumped against the wall. “Well, this has been a screwed-up day.”
Carl nodded and slowly approached her. “I want to apologize for not telling you earlier about the engagement. Alec mentioned it while you were getting dressed.”
She held up her hand to stop him. “I figured. You were fine until I left you alone with Alec. I had wondered why you were acting strange.” She crossed the distance between them so they were standing inches apart. Lifting her hands, she cupped his face and let her fingers trail over the light stubble on his jaw. “Seara said there’s been some trouble in the towers and asked me to keep the engagement ongoing for political reasons. I don’t particularly like being part of this, but as long as you’re okay with it and I don’t have to marry anyone, I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Carl frowned and lowered his forehead against hers. “I wouldn’t say I’m okay with it, but I understand the necessity of keeping stability in the towers.”
Kayla pulled back to search his gaze and saw the storm brewing in his brown eyes. “It bothers you a lot,” she stated, already knowing the answer.
He swore and took a step away from her, running his hands over his face. “Of course it bothers me. Even if you have no intention of marrying him, everyone in the towers believes it and I’m supposed to help purport this ruse. That’s bad enough, but he’s bound and determined to try to talk you into it too.”
She shook her head, immediately rejecting his concerns. It wasn’t even a matter of her feelings for him. Ruin rats simply didn’t do marriage. Of course, they knew what it was, but such a convention was archaic and just led to inevitable heartache. It might be okay for the people living in the towers, but the surface was too dangerous to forge that sort of permanent ties. Leo, her former camp leader, had always advised against creating too many emotional bonds.
“No way. That’s not going to happen. I’m not going to marry Alec.”
Carl turned back to study her. “I’m glad to hear it, but that’s not going to stop him from trying to convince you. I saw the effect the bond has on you. You’re having trouble being around him, aren’t you?”
Kayla groaned and kicked at the edge of the couch. He was right about the bond, but there wasn’t much she could do about it while she was in the towers. She just had to keep reminding herself this was temporary. Once the water samples came back, they could leave and focus on mapping the cavern. It was easier to resist Alec’s influence when she wasn’t face to face with him. She’d just have to deal with the discomfort of being separated from him.
“I’ll handle it. It’s just for a few more days at most and then we’ll go back.”
Carl raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. He took a step
closer and lifted her chin with his forefinger to look into her eyes. “You don’t have to do any of this, sweetheart. If it becomes too much, say the word and we’ll leave immediately. I don’t give a damn about the audit or anything else. I’ll be here for you no matter what you decide.”
Raw emotion flooded through her at his words, and she melted against him. Once again, Carl knew exactly what she needed to hear. The fact he was willing to support her regardless of her decision filled her with unwavering gratitude and love. Curling her fingers around his collar, Kayla pulled him closer. She pressed her lips against his, letting him feel everything she wasn’t able to put into words.
His instant reaction scorched her. As his mouth took possession of hers, his hands dropped down to cup her backside. He lifted her upward, letting her body slide against his. The hard evidence of his passion brushing against her ignited her further. Without breaking their kiss, she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Desperate, raw need filled her. She needed the connection and intimacy he offered, wanting to reassure both herself and him that they wouldn’t lose this precious gift they had found in one another. Her fingers impatiently worked at his buttons, needing to feel the press of his skin against hers.
Kayla was dimly aware of him moving them in the direction of the bedroom. When he stumbled through the door and pressed her up against the wall, she whimpered into his mouth. “Now, Carl. I need you,” she urged on a gasp, unable to wait any longer. Desire became a blinding need, and she clutched him tighter, knowing his needs were as great as her own. When he finally lifted her dress and took possession of all she offered, Kayla no longer knew who was reassuring whom and simply surrendered to the passion of the moment.
Chapter Eight
Kayla woke up the next morning with Carl’s arm wrapped around her. She didn’t move right away, content to enjoy his warmth and comfort. After their initial explosive union the previous night, they’d finally managed to fall into bed where their continued discovery of one another became a tender and gentle exploration of sensations.
She lightly ran her fingers along the edge of his jaw, memorizing his features. His arm tightened around her, pulling her closer, and he mumbled something incoherent against her hair. She couldn’t help but smile. She’d never imagined feeling this way about anyone. Every day with Carl was a gift, and she fell a little more in love with him. She brushed a soft kiss against his lips and slipped out of bed.
Picking up the discarded clothing off the floor, she headed to the bathroom and dropped them in the sanitation machine. The glint of the emerald necklace tangled in the clothing caught her eye. She carefully extracted it and held it in her palm, once again recalling the shared kiss with Alec. Her eyes squeezed shut. There had to be a way to keep their bond from overwhelming her.
Kayla opened her eyes again and stared down at the pendant. Without warning, fragmented memories rushed into her mind. Darkness and fear. Screams and a sense of urgency. A woman’s face and then a pair of hands pushing her through a narrow crevice.
She shook her head, trying to clear it of these images. It had been years since she last dreamt of the ruin collapse. The dreams had plagued her often as a child, but they came less and less as she grew older. Lifting the necklace, she turned to face the mirror and slipped it over her head. It might not ever be possible to know the identity of the person who saved her, but she’d honor the memory of Alec’s mother at the very least.
As she gazed into the mirror, her reflection seemed to shift and blur. A slender blonde with blue eyes returned her gaze and fingered the emerald necklace. Kayla stared in shock at the image. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the image vanished and she was staring at herself again.
Her heart pounded, and she took a step back from the mirror. Okay, Kayla, keep it together. You’ve seen these sorts of things before. It’s just your imagination.
But she wasn’t in the ruins this time, and the face in the mirror was the same one that haunted her memories. She rubbed her temples and tried to make sense of what happened. Brant’s words from the night before echoed in her mind as she lifted her hands to study them. Was it possible she’d channeled energy again without realizing it and caused this hallucination?
Kayla forced herself to look back up into the mirror again. Other than looking a little pale, it was only her reflection looking back. She let out a sigh of relief. At least she hadn’t caused another earthquake.
She turned away from the mirror, determined not to use any energy until she got a better handle on it. In an effort to calm her nerves, Kayla took several deep breaths and focused on her morning routine, feeling marginally better by the time she finished.
Carl was still sleeping when she emerged from the bathroom. Keeping her footsteps quiet, she opened the closet door and nearly swore aloud at the sight. The small room was overflowing with clothing and a various assortment of shoes. Seara had obviously been busy.
Intimidated by the large selection, she frowned while looking through the clothing. She pressed a button on the far wall and drawers slid open, revealing a wide array of undergarments. Looking back at the clothes hanging in the closet, she scowled. Even if she wore something different every day, it would take months to run out of clothes.
Totally out of her element, Kayla closed her eyes and reached out, determined to wear the first thing she touched. When she opened her eyes and realized a formal evening dress was in her hands, she nearly growled.
She grabbed the outfit next to it instead. It was some sort of short, black dress with a swirling white pattern at the bottom. It looked similar in style to the dress she had on last night, although she was hardly an expert. At this point, it didn’t really matter. If it covered her girly bits enough to placate the pretentious Omnis, that was good enough for her.
Kayla grabbed a set of silky undergarments, which she secretly admitted preferring over her old, more functional ones. Admiring their soft texture, she smiled. Carl’s reaction to them last night had been even better. She’d have to bring some of them back to camp when they returned.
She finished dressing and then cursed as her gaze fell on the shoes. There was no getting around it. As much as she’d prefer to wear her boots or go barefoot, Seara would probably hunt her down if she tried it. For such a mild-mannered woman, her mother could be something of a tyrant when it came to clothing.
Kayla dug through the selection and found a pair of relatively harmless-looking white sandals. She slipped them on and wiggled her naked toes. It wasn’t quite barefoot, but it would work.
Satisfied she had managed to actually dress herself, Kayla left the closet and shut the door behind her. She grabbed her commlink off the dresser before slipping out of the bedroom and heading down the hall.
She scrolled through her messages as she walked. There was a note from Veridian apologizing for not telling her about Jinx, and she smiled. From all appearances, her scavenging partner was head over heels for the spunky redhead. She was glad. Veridian hadn’t been this happy in a long time.
“Good morning,” Seara greeted. Kayla paused and looked up from her commlink in surprise to find both her mother and Alec sitting on the couch together.
“Hi,” Kayla replied, then looked at Alec who was leaning against the back of the couch with his arm draped over the top. Golden hair fell neatly to his shoulders while his blue eyes blazed with an unspoken emotion as they scanned her up and down. She swallowed, feeling the heat of his gaze at his slow perusal. The pull along their bond flared to life, and she battled against the urge to channel energy toward him.
Kayla struggled to beat down the temptation and not give in. It seemed to be even worse when her guard was down. It didn’t help that she was attracted to him either. “I didn’t think you were going to be here so early. I thought you said seven.”
He gave her a warm smile and stood. “I did, but I wanted to stop by this morning to speak with your mother.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. Do you want me to
come back?”
Seara laughed and motioned for her to join them. “Of course not. Come sit down with us. I see you discovered your closet. I hope it wasn’t too overwhelming. I know I got a little carried away, but you look lovely. That dress is a perfect choice.”
Kayla muttered her thanks as she sat across from them. Telling her I closed my eyes and grabbed the first thing I touched probably isn’t the best idea.
Alec choked on a laugh, and Kayla shot him a warning look. ”So help me. If you tell her, I’ll hurt you.”
His eyes lit with amusement. ”Your secret is safe with me, my dear.”
Ignoring his teasing, she leaned forward. “What’s going on?”
Alec gestured to the side of the room where a small table was set up containing several covered dishes. “We weren’t expecting you to be awake so early. Would you like some breakfast? Afterward, we can head to my office to get started on your training.”
She grimaced and shook her head, still a little rattled by the vision in the bathroom. The thought of eating made her stomach lurch in protest. Besides, it was better to get this whole training thing done than to delay the inevitable. “No, thanks. Let’s go to your office.” Kayla turned to her mother. “Seara, would you mind letting Carl know when he wakes up? I’ll catch up with him later.”
“Of course.”
Alec stood and led Kayla outside toward the priority elevator. Brant had returned, and she gave him a small finger wave as he fell into step behind them. The security officer returned her greeting with another polite nod.
“You’re still wearing the necklace,” Alec observed, clearly pleased.
She touched it thoughtfully and debated whether to share what happened with the mirror. Sensing her thoughts, he stopped and turned to face her. Concern etched his brow as Alec studied her. “What’s wrong, Kayla?”
She hesitated and then glanced at Brant. Biting her lip, she told Alec silently about what she had seen. ”I know it sounds crazy,” Kayla added when she’d finished. ”I probably just have an overactive imagination or something. I was still half asleep.”
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