His to Hold

by Jessie Pinkham

  “Aiden’s been kidnapped.”

  His juggling torches crashed to the floor, forgotten. “Fuck.” Cole’s rage prevented him from saying anything further. It was a bubbling, almost physical thing, this rage, orders of magnitude more intense than he’d ever felt before. It almost seemed as though he’d been taken over by pure anger.

  Maud’s voice brought him back out of himself. “Would you come wait with us?” she asked.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He grabbed a jacket and put on running shoes before heading out the door. If he jogged he’d be able to make the next train.

  “Thank you, Cole.”

  “I’m leaving now, got to jog if I don’t want to wait around twenty minutes for the train.”

  “I’ll let you go.”

  He barely made the train by sprinting through the transit station. He might have looked a little nuts, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered but finding Aiden safe.

  Cole hoped he could do something to help find Aiden, because helplessness sucked. All he could do was sit there on the train and be angry while Aiden was being moved toward some horrific fate. He’d have given anything to make a difference in the search.

  Someone wanted an empath who would live to please them. It was the only reason empaths were kidnapped, unless they came from exceedingly rich families, in which case ransom was a possibility. How could people be so cruel and selfish? Aiden was a wonderful, vibrant man who deserved a considerate and loving anchor. Cole had never considered himself to be violent, but at that point he would’ve killed Aiden’s kidnappers without hesitation, bare-handed if need be.

  His anger was so palpable, nobody on the trains sat next to him. The journey seemed to take forever, and Cole wanted desperately to be doing something, anything at all that felt useful. Moreover, he kept hoping he’d get a call back from Maud telling him Aiden was safe and sound.

  When he reached the Fischers’ condo Patrick ushered him in. “The detectives are interviewing people,” he said. “Aiden was taken when he was at the geology lab looking at a friend’s project.”

  “Any leads?”

  “We don’t know.” Maud’s voice was strained and hoarse, probably from crying. “We don’t know anything. I want to wake up and have this be a nightmare.”

  “I wish I could do something,” said Cole.

  Patrick said, “I know. My son is in danger, and I can’t do a damn thing to help him. We’re waiting here on the off chance he’s been taken for ransom, but it’s unlikely. We’re not rich.”

  Annika came out of the bathroom with puffy eyes and wet cheeks. She gave Cole a nod of recognition and turned to her parents. “Anything?”

  “No.”

  “The police want to speak with you,” she told Cole. “They said they’ll be back.”

  “That’s not the only reason we asked you to come,” Patrick said.

  Maud seconded the sentiment. “Oh no. I’m trying to stay positive, and I’m sure Aiden would like to see you when we get him back.”

  No doubt the statement spoke volumes about Aiden’s feelings, but Cole wasn’t able to focus on that. He was busy trying not to explode from rage and helplessness. Never had the phrase “trying to keep it together” felt so literal, like without conscious effort he’d fly apart.

  After a few minutes there was a knock on the door. Patrick answered and came back into the living room with a pair of uniformed officers who headed straight for Cole.

  “Colton Gallagher?”

  “Yes.”

  “Detective Alma Prescott and my partner, Craig Boyle. I hope you understand we need to ask you a few questions. It’s procedure.”

  “Right. Go ahead.” The sooner they recognized that Cole had nothing to do with Aiden’s kidnapping, the sooner they could find the bastards who did.

  “I understand you and Aiden have been seeing each other,” said Prescott.

  “Yes. We’re deciding if we want me to be his anchor.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?”

  “The day before yesterday.” Aiden had given him a passionate kiss goodnight after their eclipse date, and Cole’s heart ached to hold him again. “We talked on the phone this morning, making plans for the weekend.”

  They were supposed to go to a beach Aiden raved about and take windsurfing lessons. Now Cole wondered if they’d get the chance, or if he’d ever see Aiden again at all. He tried to be optimistic, but it was challenging in the face of overwhelming fear.

  “Did he mention going to the geology lab?”

  “Briefly. He said he wanted to see his friend’s experiment because she was freaking out over unexpected results.” Aiden hadn’t gotten into the details, and Cole hadn’t asked.

  “Have you ever noticed anything suspicious when you were with Aiden? Anyone following you, the same person showing up multiple places?”

  “No.”

  “Has Aiden ever mentioned anything of that sort to you?”

  “No. He took precautions, like bringing a security drone when we rented a boat to go scuba diving, but I don’t know anything about a specific person or threat.” Aiden was careful, but that hadn’t been enough. Did an unbonded empath have to be a prisoner in their home to be safe? People were sick.

  “All right. If you think of anything that might be relevant, the Fischers have my number.”

  Cole nodded and racked his brain for anything suspicious.

  Patrick asked, “You don’t really think he was taken for ransom, do you?” Being kidnapped for ransom would be the best scenario, which was quite sad.

  “It’s unlikely,” said Prescott. She seemed to do all the talking, leaving Boyle as the silent partner. “We can never be certain, though.”

  Cole redoubled his efforts to hope for the best.

  ****

  Three hours passed without any news. Aiden’s maternal grandparents joined their vigil, Annika kept bursting into tears, and Cole sent his supervisor a message stating that he wouldn’t be in the following day. His mind wouldn’t be on work even if his body was in the office, and he wouldn’t put it past himself to really screw up a design while worrying about Aiden. Absence was safer.

  “We’ve been so careful,” said Maud. “Short of keeping Aiden housebound, I don’t know what else we could’ve done. He never goes out alone, he keeps to safe places…” She trailed off and dabbed her eyes.

  “We should’ve bought him a security drone,” said her father. “What good is a retirement account if our grandson is missing?”

  “No.” Everyone looked at Annika, who hadn’t been speaking much. “This is not anyone’s fault but the fuckers who took him. He shouldn’t have to worry about his safety, but he has. We all have.”

  Maud nodded. “We’ve been so diligent.”

  Annika went on. “These people have gone out of their way to be despicable, and the last thing you should be doing is blaming yourselves because this is not your fault!” She let her grandmother hug her, reducing her volume some. “It’s unfair and it’s cruel, but it’s not your fault.”

  “She’s right,” said Cole. Maybe self-blame was part of human nature. It didn’t help, and it definitely wasn’t called for. The only people responsible were the kidnappers, and cruel didn’t begin to cover how heinous they were.

  Patrick agreed. “Yes. And suddenly I see the appeal of the death sentence.”

  “Might be too good for them,” Cole said. Aiden’s grandfather grunted in what sounded like agreement. Cole wasn’t sure and didn’t ask.

  “Aiden’s strong.” Annika spoke through tears. “He can hold on, I know he can.”

  The question was, for how long? Cole shared a look with Patrick, which suggested they were both thinking the same thing. If the kidnappers whisked him away from Tusnua, Aiden could end up bonding with one of them. Cole’s rage grew again, not just at the injustice but at the idea that the kidnappers could take Aiden from him.

  Maud’s watch chimed. “The detective!” she said when she glanced
at it. “Hello?”

  “Mrs. Fischer, we think it would be best if your family and Mr. Gallagher come to the station. We’re sending someone for you now.”

  “Why?”

  “We have a lead.” Prescott’s statement lifted the mood in the room. “Please understand it’s not a guarantee, but we’re hopeful we’ll be able to rescue Aiden shortly.”

  “Yes, yes, of course we’ll come,” said Maud, as all six of them headed toward the door.

  Cole briefly wondered why he was specifically mentioned, but his general elation that the police had a lead overwhelmed his curiosity. How long was shortly? It couldn’t possibly be fast enough.

  Annika sent a message to the rest of Aiden’s family and friends, including Max. The entire group was eagerly waiting when a police shuttle pulled up outside the building a few minutes after Maud received the call.

  “Do you know anything about Aiden?” Patrick asked the driver.

  “Sorry, sir, I don’t. I’m just here as your escort.”

  Cole had heard the phrase “pregnant silence” used before and never understood why anyone would chose those words. Now he grasped it. All of their hopes and fears combined with anticipation and almost breathless waiting to receive news about Aiden, creating a situation full of meaning and emotion waiting to be sent out into the world.

  Or maybe musing about idioms was just easier than worrying about Aiden. In any event, they arrived at the station in a few minutes and followed their escort through a side entrance into a small waiting area.

  Detective Prescott joined them soon afterwards, gesturing for them to sit on the couches. “Thank you for coming,” she said.

  Maud spoke for the group. “Never in question.”

  “The rescue team is finalizing their plan now.”

  It wasn’t the news they hoped for, but it was progress. Cole wanted so desperately to hold Aiden in his arms again, and this was a step in the right direction even if it wasn’t nearly enough.

  “You know who took him?” asked Maud.

  “Yes.” Prescott gave them a wry smile. “Most people will give up anything to save their own skin. We interviewed the only other student who’s been using the geology lab.”

  “Not Trish?” asked Annika. “Aiden’s friend?”

  “No. The other student, who hatched a plan to sell contact with Aiden in the restricted access lab. However, he didn’t count on being interviewed by an empath.”

  “Boyle?” asked Cole, on a guess. It would explain the man’s silence if he was busy dealing with intense emotions.

  Prescott nodded. “Yes. Once Boyle determined he was hiding something, the student told us everything he knew in exchange for leniency.”

  “He doesn’t deserve leniency.” Patrick didn’t so much say the words as growl them, and Cole agreed completely.

  “This isn’t about what he deserves, Mr. Fischer. It’s about doing what’s necessary to get Aiden back safely.”

  She was right, of course. It still seemed unfair to go easy on the mastermind of the entire plan, and Cole looked down to discover he’d unconsciously clenched his fists in anger.

  “We’re doing everything we can, and now that we know who has him, the biggest obstacle is past.”

  “So more waiting?” asked Annika.

  “I’m afraid so.” Prescott gave them a compassionate look. “Try to stay positive. And, if I may, I’d like to offer some advice.”

  “Go ahead,” said Maud.

  “In my experience, it’s common for families to ask themselves what they could’ve done to prevent a kidnapping, or to start blaming themselves. If you are, it’s useless. There are terrible people who will do anything to kidnap an empath, and short of bricking unbonded empaths up under armed guard we can’t stop all the kidnappings. That’s the sad truth.”

  “My opinion of the human race is dropping.” When everyone looked at Cole, he took that as a sign his mouth had run ahead of his brain again.

  “There are plenty of good people,” said Prescott. “I’ll be back when I have news. Help yourselves to the drinks and snacks.”

  “As if I could eat,” said Maud once the detective left.

  Cole was a bit hungry, but nobody else went for the food, so he went for water to avoid being the odd one out. He didn’t want them to think he was less upset just because his appetite stuck around, as it always did.

  “One of his classmates sold him out.” Annika’s voice spat venom. “What is wrong with people? Are they born without souls or hearts?”

  Her grandfather said, “I rather like that another empath helped catch the little bastard. A bit of poetic justice, don’t you think?”

  Cole wasn’t sure justice was the right word. Now if this classmate was going to have to spend the rest of his life as a slave, that would be justice. “I hope they aren’t especially lenient,” he said.

  “She’s right, though.” Maud sat straighter than before, the hopeful news giving her the ability to reclaim her poise. “It may not be fair, but getting Aiden back is more important. Nothing else matters, really.”

  He still wanted to see everyone else involved in the kidnapping suffer.

  Chapter Nine

  When Prescott returned to the waiting room after an agonizing fifty minutes, she was grinning. That could only mean Aiden was safe, right?

  “Aiden is on his way here,” she said.

  Six statements of relief mixed together so it was hard to tell who said what. It wasn’t important. They hugged each other in celebration, and Cole suddenly worried less about justice and more about holding Aiden again.

  “When will he get here?” asked Maud, while Annika started making calls to share the good news.

  “Another ten minutes or so. The rescue team got to him just before he was taken off planet at a private spaceport, and we have the kidnappers in custody.”

  “Thank you,” said Patrick.

  “I’m glad we won this time,” she said.

  The waiting room now buzzed with energy, all traces of despondence gone. Someone Annika called was shouting with joy, which pretty much summed up how Cole felt. Aiden wasn’t going to be forced into a bond with some sick bastard. He was safe and coming home, and the relief was so overwhelming Cole couldn’t sit still.

  Aiden walked in flanked by police officers. Maud and Patrick ran over to hug him, followed by Annika and his grandparents. Then it was Cole’s turn, and Aiden looked nervous.

  “Cole.” He swallowed, definitely nervous though Cole couldn’t imagine why. “They injected me with foralkenoid.”

  “With what?” Cole asked while hugging his boyfriend. It was good to hold Aiden, to feel his body and know he was safe and sound. Another wave of relief washed over Cole knowing this was real and Aiden was truly back.

  “You’ve never heard of foralkenoid? It’s an illegal drug used to accelerate the development of empathic ability.”

  “They make drugs for that?” Cole pulled back to assess that Aiden was more or less all right, at least physically. He had a nasty bruise on his arm but looked otherwise okay.

  “It was an unintended side effect. Originally foralkenoid was developed to treat head trauma, but that’s not the relevant part here. It accelerates the development of empathic ability, remember?”

  “You just said so.” He felt certain he was missing something in this conversation.

  “And when an empath is close to reaching maximum ability, we have to bond with an anchor. It was a high dose they gave me.” Aiden was so nervous he could barely make eye contact.

  Cole added the information up. “You have less time before you need to bond.”

  “If by less time you mean sometime tonight, yes.”

  “Tonight?” Cole’s heart skipped a beat out of pure shock.

  Aiden nodded sadly and stepped back. “I can feel it. My mind wants a connection in all the chaos of emotions. Fuck, this is so unfair. You were supposed to have more time to decide.”

  “Life isn’t always fair.
Do you want me?” Cole almost held his breath waiting, hoping the answer was yes. The kidnapping had driven home just how much he wanted Aiden in his life, and it felt so wrong when Aiden moved out of his embrace.

  “You have to be sure,” said Aiden, finally managing to look straight at him. “It’s not marriage. You can’t just decide to get a divorce. I’m going to need you for the rest of our lives. And don’t try to pretend you’re not frightened.”

  “Okay. I am. I’m scared I won’t be what you need but you’ll be stuck with me anyway. I’m scared I’ll screw this up somehow. The books I read said meditation is a good start. It’s step one, and I haven’t even gotten the hang of that, never mind the later chapters…”

  He was interrupted by Aiden asking, “Books?”

  “I’ve been doing research.”

  “You’ve been researching how to be an anchor?”

  “A good anchor. Meditation comes highly recommended, so I’ve been trying every morning, but I can’t say it’s going well.”

  Cole’s lack of success frustrated him, so it came as a great surprise when Aiden kissed him. “You’re amazing, you know that?” Another kiss. “You’ll be a good anchor, Cole. I know you will, because you’re a good person. I guess I have an advantage here, because I can sense the kind of man you are while you’re still figuring me out the long way. So yes, to answer your question, I do want you as my anchor. I want you very much, but if you don’t want me, you need to leave now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” He’d more or less made his decision on the train, and he certainly wasn’t going to abandon Aiden now. Whatever came their way down the road, they would simply have to work out together.

  Empathy wasn’t required to sense Aiden’s relief at the pronouncement. He moved in closer, leaning against Cole, and allowed his body to relax when Cole’s arm came around his shoulders. “Thank you.”

  “You don’t need to thank me.”

  “Yes, I do. You never even intended to be an anchor, and our already short timeframe was moved up considerably, but you’re still here.”

  “That’s because of you.” It was sooner than expected, but he was damned if he was going to let that scare him away. “Because I love you.”