Shadow of the Coalition

by Jamie A. Waters

  She shook her head, denying his words. “I know he’s not perfect. He’s made mistakes, but he’s a good man. If you give him a chance, he’ll make this right. There must have been some reason he didn’t say anything before. Alec wouldn’t have done that unless he didn’t have a choice.”

  Lars studied her and shook his head in disbelief. “Unbelievable. You’re in love with Carl and Alec, aren’t you? How the hell did Alec manage to gain your loyalty within such a short amount of time?”

  Kayla opened her mouth to argue but couldn’t vocalize the words. She looked away. Lars was right. How could a complete stranger have seen what she’d been denying? She loved both of them. She realized in that moment that although she didn’t want to lose Carl, she didn’t want to lose the bond she shared with Alec either. Alec was right when he called her on it in the towers. What was between them wasn’t superficial. She didn’t understand it, but she’d been so focused on denying their energy bond that she’d denied her feelings too.

  Lars sighed and lifted her chin with his fingers so he could gaze into her eyes. “I know Alec far better than you could imagine, little one. He would never have been able to bond with you unless he cared for you. I suspect sharing a bond with you and watching you with your trader is its own form of torture.”

  She frowned. Lars and Alec were close to the same age. “Were you friends in the towers?”

  “We were much closer than friends.” Lars reached down and lifted the emerald necklace from her neck once again. He ran his thumb over the pendant. “I never thought I’d see this again. My mother was wearing the matching stone to this one when she died.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers and gave her a bitter smile. “Your precious Alec is my cousin. Our mothers were sisters. My Uncle Edwin was the one who had us imprisoned.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Kayla’s eyes widened. Everything began to make sense. Lars had no idea what Alec had experienced at the hands of his father. Edwin Tal’Vayr had been a crazed tyrant who ruled with an iron fist. His son hadn’t been immune to his wrath. Alec had walked a narrow line trying to appease the man and act as a buffer to protect the people he cared about.

  “You need to talk to him,” she urged Lars. “There are things about Edwin you don’t know.”

  Lars raised an eyebrow. “I had a younger sister named Anna. She was your age, or she would have been if she’d survived that first year on the surface. Instead, she died from pneumonia. We couldn’t do anything but watch as she struggled to breathe. One vial of medicine could have saved her. One!” His eyes hardened. “There isn’t any excuse that can justify what happened to her.”

  Kayla squeezed her eyes shut. She could understand his pain. She’d experienced it enough watching her own campmates and even Veridian’s mother die. It was senseless, and these deaths could have been easily prevented. No one knew that more than her. But even so, Lars was blaming the wrong person. Alec wasn’t responsible for what happened to Lars’s sister. Kayla opened her mouth to tell him everything, but a screeching alarm began blaring throughout the camp.

  Sergei shouted in his foreign tongue and ran out the door. Lars shot to his feet and grabbed Kayla’s arm.

  “Trenon, get to the east exit. Sergei will meet you there with Miranda.”

  The older man didn’t hesitate and rushed from the room. Lars’s grip tightened on Kayla’s arm as he pulled her out of the room. Across the hall was the communications room she’d seen earlier. Lars began barking orders to the two men stationed within the room. She didn’t know what he was saying, but it was clear they were wiping their systems clean.

  She looked up at Lars. “Alec’s here, isn’t he?”

  He glanced down and gave her a curt nod. “I suspect as long as you two are bonded, he’ll be able to sense you. That little display over your trader probably acted as a beacon and drew him right to us.”

  Kayla glanced at the men who were finishing up. “What are you going to do?”

  Lars looked down at her and shook his head. “I can’t exactly take you with me, can I? You’ll just light up the room again and not in a good way.”

  Her brow furrowed. Kayla wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. The two technicians headed out, but Lars made no move to follow them. The look in his eyes made her nervous. She started to take a step backward, but he stopped her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. A warm pulse of energy floated over her skin and seemed to fill her from within. She shivered from the sensation. It wasn’t a bad feeling. It was just different from the way Alec’s energy felt. Lars drew her close and leaned down, his mouth hovering a breath away from her ear.

  “You have options, little one. Don’t believe everything Alec tells you.” He pressed a kiss against the side of her neck.

  “Let her go, Lars.”

  Lars drew back slightly to look at someone standing behind her, but he didn’t release her. Kayla twisted her neck to find Alec and Brant standing in the hallway.

  Alec was staring at Lars with a thunderous look on his face. The High Council leader’s blue eyes lit with fury as his fists clenched. He reminded Kayla of a fallen hero intent on vengeance. The energy in the room became tight with tension. Unable to resist, she reached out to Alec with her energy threads.

  As though he sensed it, Lars pulled her closer. His arm tightened around her, and a cool blanket of energy enveloped them, thwarting her efforts to reach Alec. She felt a sharp nick against her side and gasped. Lars had pressed a knife against her. “I was wondering when you’d show up, Alec. I’m surprised you let this little one out of your sight. She has some amazing talents and doesn’t even realize the full scope of her potential. And her taste? Exquisite. It’s a shame you let her get away.”

  Lars leaned down and nuzzled the side of her neck. Kayla’s eyes widened, but she didn’t move. It was obvious Lars was trying to bait Alec. Unfortunately, judging by the expression on Alec’s face, it seemed to be working. Kayla was tempted to push him away, but Lars was too much of an unknown. The knife digging into her side was a heady deterrent. Since she was rather attached to her organs, she’d play hostage for now.

  “What do you want?” Alec bit out.

  Lars jerked his head toward Brant. “For starters, send your minion away so we can talk.”

  Alec’s jaw clenched, and he jerked his head in agreement. Brant’s expression darkened, but the security officer moved back down the hallway and well out of range.

  “What would you give me for her, cousin? How much does her life mean to you?”

  “Anything,” Alec replied in a whisper and glanced down at her. “Just name your price.”

  In that brief second, Kayla met Alec’s gaze and recognized his overwhelming fear and love for her. She desperately wanted to reach out to him, but their bonded connection was strangely silent. She couldn’t feel him through Lars’s energy cloud.

  “Is she worth a vial of antibiotics? That was the cost of my sister’s life. Or a metabolic booster? That was the price of my father’s life. Or a crate of food? Several of the others paid dearly for that one.”

  Alec flinched at his words, but Lars wasn’t done.

  “Good. Now you know what it’s like to put a price tag on someone you love. There’s nothing you can offer me, Alec. I’ve already lost what I held most dear. I’m going to enjoy watching as everything you care about is torn away. You’ll learn what it’s like to lose everything little by little until there’s nothing left. Not even hope. The seeds have already been sown, cousin. It’s just a matter of time before it comes to fruition.”

  “I don’t blame you for hating me,” Alec began and held out his hands in a passive gesture. “It’s been years, Lars. My hands were tied. I couldn’t do anything for you back then. I had no idea you were still alive until a few days ago. If I had known, I would have searched for you the moment I took control of the towers.”

  “You think that would have made up for everything?” Lars laughed, and Kayla felt a trickle of warmth on her si
de as the knife pricked her. “You traitorous bastard! You knew what the Council planned. You could have warned us. Instead, you sent us to our deaths.”

  Alec shook his head and glanced down at the knife. He swallowed, and then his eyes flew back up to Lars. “I’ll accept whatever judgment you have for me, but don’t hurt her. If you felt her energy, you know who and what she is. Kayla’s innocent in all of this, more so than any of us. Don’t take out your anger on her. Please. Release her and I’ll take her place.”

  Lars was silent for a long moment. Kayla wondered if he was taking Alec’s words to heart, but his next words left her cold.

  “I never thought I’d ever hear Alec Tal’Vayr plead for anything. In a way, it’s fitting. I never begged for anything until my sister became sick. OmniLab ignored my pleas.” His arm around her tightened, and she inhaled sharply. “You’re right though. I know exactly what Kayla is and just how precious. That’s why this will hurt you more than anything. You were the one who let this happen.”

  Lars bent down and pressed another kiss against her neck. His voice was a low whisper in her ear. “I hope you can forgive me for this one day, little one.”

  Kayla frowned, trying to figure out what he was apologizing for when she felt the sharp, stabbing pain of the blade sinking deep into her side. She cried out in agony as the pain ripped through her. Lars yanked the knife back out and shoved her toward Alec. She stumbled, clutching at her side.

  “Kayla!” Alec cried out and caught her as she began to fall. Lars turned and ran down the hall in the opposite direction. Brant began chasing him, but Alec shouted at him to stop.

  “Forget him, Brant. Get a medic over here now!”

  Kayla whimpered as the pain radiated through her. She dimly heard Brant’s footsteps running away as Alec gathered her in his arms. He pulled off his jacket and pushed it against the wound. She glanced down and wished she hadn’t. It was bad. Worse than she thought. It was apparent even to her that she was losing too much blood.

  “Shh, you’re going to be okay. It’s going to be all right. I won’t let you go again.”

  Kayla was aware she could once more sense their bond. She didn’t know how Lars had suppressed it, but she was glad to have it back. Alec wrapped her up in a calming band of energy and cradled her. It helped a little, but the pain was overwhelming. She was beginning to feel lightheaded. The floor beneath her grew wet and sticky.

  “Alec,” she whispered, trying to reach up to touch him. The movement proved to be too much, and she dropped her hand.

  He kissed her forehead. His blue eyes held hers and she was taken aback by the tenderness in his gaze. “It’s okay, love. You don’t need to talk. Just rest. They’re going to be here in a minute. You’re going to be fine. Just stay with me.”

  A minute might be too late. She was having too much trouble keeping her eyes open. She didn’t want to pass out before he heard the truth. It was imperative she seize the moment while she still had it. Before it slipped away.

  “I need to tell you… You were right. I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I was scared.”

  “Shh,” he urged. “It’s all right. You don’t need to say anything. Just hold on.”

  Kayla swallowed. Her fingers were starting to go numb. The pain was nearly unbearable, but she had to push past it. She needed to tell him in case she didn’t have another chance. She’d hurt him so much by denying him and their bond. She loved Carl, but her feelings for Alec went just as deep. They were just different. She couldn’t deny it anymore. She didn’t want to.

  Carl was a choice. He grounded her, challenged her, and understood her in a way no one else ever had. With Alec, though, he unlocked something inside her that had been dormant for too long. Alec pushed her to cross normal boundaries and explore her innate potential. She needed him to know how much he meant to her and how she felt about him.

  Kayla opened herself up and fully embraced their bond, sharing everything she was feeling. She poured her love for both men into their bond and tried to show him what they meant to her. Even so, it wasn’t enough. She needed to say the words.

  “I love you, Alec.”

  She heard his breath hitch as his arms tightened around her. A drop of wetness fell on her cheek. Was she crying or was it him? She wasn’t sure it mattered. It was impossible to keep her eyes open any longer. She was cold. Why was she so cold?

  With a sigh, Kayla closed her eyes one last time and let herself slip away into the darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Alec walked past the two guards outside the door and entered the large medical room. The stark-white surroundings were broken up by the vast array of flowering plants Seara kept bringing into the room. None of the doctor’s complaints made the slightest bit of difference. Seara was determined to make it look like a floral shop.

  Carl glanced up briefly when Alec entered, but the trader immediately turned his attention back to the still form beside him. Alec paused by the edge of the bed and looked down.

  Kayla’s eyes were closed, her dark hair framing a face that was still too pale. Seeing her like this—in the large bed and surrounded by machines—made Kayla seem fragile and delicate all at once. A small smile touched his lips at the realization she’d probably hit him for thinking about her that way.

  They’d removed the last of the bandages an hour ago. Most of the drugs had cleared her system, and the physicians were just waiting on the order to wake her up. Part of Alec wanted to keep her here where he knew she’d be safe and protected. At least while she was asleep and recovering, no one had made any attempts on her life and she hadn’t tried to escape the guards.

  It was a small comfort to know the knife injury hadn’t done too much damage. He suspected the attack was more of a warning and a way for Lars to escape. If Lars had truly intended Kayla harm, she wouldn’t be here right now.

  “You can’t keep her in a bubble.”

  Carl’s words broke through Alec’s thoughts. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know. That’s why I’m here. The doctors will bring her around in a few minutes, but I needed to speak with you before they did.”

  Carl lifted his head to look at him but didn’t speak. The trader’s face was marked with exhaustion. His eyes were red, and he wore a several-days-old beard. Alec had been monitoring her visitors and knew Carl hadn’t left her side except for a few minutes at a time. Even then, it was only when Seara or Brant was there to take his place.

  Alec turned back to Kayla’s sleeping figure. He could sense her just below the surface of consciousness. He sent a light thread of energy over her and enveloped her in a caress. She embraced it and wrapped herself in his warmth like a blanket, snuggling into a deeper sleep. His eyes softened as he watched her. She wasn’t fighting him anymore. At least not subconsciously.

  A surge of love flowed through him, but Alec swallowed it back. It was too dangerous for him to allow his emotions to dictate his decisions. They’d almost cost him what he treasured most. Given these new threats, he needed to be even more careful now. No matter what he had to do to protect her, Alec wouldn’t allow anything or anyone to hurt her again.

  “She can’t go back to the surface with you. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I know,” Carl agreed and lifted Kayla’s hand into his. The trader pressed his lips against the back of her palm.

  Alec watched the intimate gesture but couldn’t bring himself to get angry. With the words and emotions Kayla had shared with him in the hallway, something inside him had unleashed. She’d finally acknowledged her feelings for both of them. What that meant for the future, he wasn’t sure, but he could no longer bring himself to feel envious of the trader’s relationship with her. If anything, he felt a strange sort of kinship with the man.

  Carl lowered her hand but didn’t release it. He looked up at Alec once more, pinning him with his dark gaze. “I’d like to formally request to be released from my trading contract and return to OmniLab permanently. I’ll sub
mit the documentation to Director Borshin by the end of the day.”

  Alec took a deep breath and clasped his hands behind his back. He’d been expecting this. Carl’s feelings for Kayla ran too deeply for him to be able to walk away.

  He shook his head. “I can’t allow you to do that.”

  Carl’s eyes hardened as he stood. The trader’s barely restrained fury only further cemented his decision. Alec held up his hand to halt his advance. “I understand the reasons for your request, but I have to deny it. Instead, I’ve temporarily suspended your contract. Orders have been issued recalling you to the towers immediately.”

  Carl froze, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Alec didn’t blame him for not trusting this news. Carl glanced down at Kayla before turning back to him. “Why?”

  Alec sighed. He suspected Carl wouldn’t believe anything except the truth. “Kayla’s too unpredictable. I don’t believe she’ll agree to stay in the towers without you. Even if you remain here, there’s no guarantee we can convince her to stay. The Coalition is still out there, and I know Lars is planning something. I need your help to keep her safe and out of their hands.”

  Meeting Kayla had changed something inside him. There had always been clear lines drawn between the different social groups, but she’d managed to blur all of them. Alec never dreamed he’d be standing here asking a trader for help or reaching out to her former ruin rat camp and asking for their aid. Kayla had no idea just how far-reaching an effect she had on all of them.

  In the short time she’d been in the towers, she’d touched many lives. Many of the Inner Circle members had never met her, but that didn’t stop their adoration and devotion for her efforts in freeing them from the oppression of the bracelets. Other tower residents heard rumors of her escapades in the kitchen at Bliss and loved the fact she’d embraced one of their own. They’d seen her walking down the common corridors and even visiting one of their public cafés. She refused her title and insisted everyone speak to her with the same familiarity they’d greet an old friend.